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Bruce Baker · 01-07-2003, 04:33 PM

What if I told you the only differences in the training that would give you iron body, and I don't mean that hokey nerve deadoning stuff that damages your body, but the mental picture that activates the condition is the only difference in Aikido's extensions and Chinese Iron Body?

Think about it.

Most of us tranmit the knowledge of movement through words of description, and what were you thinking or how did it feel.

Why should "how did it feel" enter into instruction unless we were attempting to access the triggers of connection for mind transmitting thoughts to the body.

Descriptions of extending Ki are but thought triggers to activate a condition or physical motion of the body. The use of different combinations of thoughts, feelings, and feedback from the body may account for the insistence of each training being different, but they merely draw upon the same forces in different degrees refocusing efforts of the body with thoughts of the mind.

Relax, and be heavy ... imagine your roots spreading throughout the ground ... or imagine you forces drawn to the earth.

These are all degrees of rooting, and practices of increasing your weight to lower center of your body.

Extend yourself across the room instead of near to your opponent, it will give you strength, power .... or concentrate your ki to extend out through your body to intercept power of a blow to you. These are two of the same animals activated with slightly different thoughts Same projection, simular results.

As for being rooted in the movements of Aikido, there is practice ... then there is application.

You don't tell someone who is attacking you to "grab my wrist" so you can do your technique just like in class, do you?

You root or walk on teacups without even thinking about it, don't you?

Maybe not.

Walk on teacups is from my childhood, not used in this day and age, anymore. Todays adage would be "walk on paper coffee cups."

The same way you would unroot someone by imagining they are rising up, or some other picture of them being light enough to lift with one hand, you would learn to lighten yourself to fluidly move instead of clumping along.

That is enough clues for today.

I have seen enough experiments in hypnotism to know that the mind is a lot stronger than we give it credit for. Science still can not explain how pain is blocked by thought when the same scientific data of pain being sent to the brain show the same results for those hypnotized, and those not hypnotized who complain of pain. If you get a chance to catch it on the learning channel, watch it and see what you think about the power of the mind to activate, or close off pain, then see if some of the mumbo jumbo of"thinking this to do that", or "doing this while thinking that" doesn't make more sense in the light of science.

Stop thinking in extremes.

There are many degrees of usage for these two items, and if they weren't effective, they wouldn't be used in so many different ways.

How about this for simple terms.

You take certain types of pain killers, to dull pains so you feel better, or good enough to let your body naturally heal itself. In most instances of medicine, everytreatment of medicine is to aid your body in healing itself. The doctor doesn't heal you, but he/she increase the chances of you getting well by making the body feel better, or treating you in a manner that allows your body to heal itself. There is just as much science in learning Iron body and rooting as there is in learning to aid the body in healing itself.

You gonna sit there and read this ... or you gonna git up and find some of the keys to Aikido?

You got my thoughts, now how about you helping me?

01-07-2003, 04:33 PM	#18
Bruce Baker Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ Location: Barnegaat, NJ Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 893 Offline	How about this ... What if I told you the only differences in the training that would give you iron body, and I don't mean that hokey nerve deadoning stuff that damages your body, but the mental picture that activates the condition is the only difference in Aikido's extensions and Chinese Iron Body? Think about it. Most of us tranmit the knowledge of movement through words of description, and what were you thinking or how did it feel. Why should "how did it feel" enter into instruction unless we were attempting to access the triggers of connection for mind transmitting thoughts to the body. Descriptions of extending Ki are but thought triggers to activate a condition or physical motion of the body. The use of different combinations of thoughts, feelings, and feedback from the body may account for the insistence of each training being different, but they merely draw upon the same forces in different degrees refocusing efforts of the body with thoughts of the mind. Relax, and be heavy ... imagine your roots spreading throughout the ground ... or imagine you forces drawn to the earth. These are all degrees of rooting, and practices of increasing your weight to lower center of your body. Extend yourself across the room instead of near to your opponent, it will give you strength, power .... or concentrate your ki to extend out through your body to intercept power of a blow to you. These are two of the same animals activated with slightly different thoughts Same projection, simular results. As for being rooted in the movements of Aikido, there is practice ... then there is application. You don't tell someone who is attacking you to "grab my wrist" so you can do your technique just like in class, do you? You root or walk on teacups without even thinking about it, don't you? Maybe not. Walk on teacups is from my childhood, not used in this day and age, anymore. Todays adage would be "walk on paper coffee cups." The same way you would unroot someone by imagining they are rising up, or some other picture of them being light enough to lift with one hand, you would learn to lighten yourself to fluidly move instead of clumping along. That is enough clues for today. I have seen enough experiments in hypnotism to know that the mind is a lot stronger than we give it credit for. Science still can not explain how pain is blocked by thought when the same scientific data of pain being sent to the brain show the same results for those hypnotized, and those not hypnotized who complain of pain. If you get a chance to catch it on the learning channel, watch it and see what you think about the power of the mind to activate, or close off pain, then see if some of the mumbo jumbo of"thinking this to do that", or "doing this while thinking that" doesn't make more sense in the light of science. Stop thinking in extremes. There are many degrees of usage for these two items, and if they weren't effective, they wouldn't be used in so many different ways. How about this for simple terms. You take certain types of pain killers, to dull pains so you feel better, or good enough to let your body naturally heal itself. In most instances of medicine, everytreatment of medicine is to aid your body in healing itself. The doctor doesn't heal you, but he/she increase the chances of you getting well by making the body feel better, or treating you in a manner that allows your body to heal itself. There is just as much science in learning Iron body and rooting as there is in learning to aid the body in healing itself. You gonna sit there and read this ... or you gonna git up and find some of the keys to Aikido? You got my thoughts, now how about you helping me?