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Old 04-11-2007, 04:34 AM   #269
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Re: Ki-Aikido or Taiji - effectiveness in developing Qi?

The difference is separating training methodology from reality. You will never see someone in the UFC outwardly demonstrating grounding or what not, or doing push hands per se, however, I'd submit that someone that was well versed in these things could transfer at least a modicum of intuitive skill from this practice and apply that knowledge.

The difference is, IMO, many cannot seem to separate methodology from actual practice and seem to mentally do a fundamentalist transfer in their minds (rationalization), that methodologies carry over to reality fundamentally!

What if I told you that I fight in BJJ tournaments and do MMA, NHB stuff using aikido, almost entirely?

I wil have to look at one of my videos posted on youtube and find the point on the clock where I have people attacking me while doing a punching drill. As I have never recieved any formal training in boxing or punching outside of aikido or karate, I would tell you that I learned 100% of my mid-range skills (ashi taiso) from aikido.

However, you'd look at it and say "that is not aikido"! Same with my ground game, I can demonstrate the concept of Ikkyo from the guard...actually I have a pretty darn good feel for it in the guard, not because of my BJJ background, but because of aikido...however, I never practiced guard in aikido!

Training methodologies are interesting to explore!

This does not mean that if someone wants to be good at BJJ that they should run out and study aikido, because aikido training is a very inefficient methodology to learn BJJ skills! There is transferrence though!

I think same with the methodologies that these guys are doing. Much can be learned and understood by doing them, just don't transfer 100%. Only inexperienced fundamentalist thinking does this huge leap!

Just like golfers that will hire yogi s and guys like Tony Robbins to help them with things like NLP, these methodologies are not designed to transfer directly to golf, but they might give them an edge.

Of course, if you are not a professional golfer, it would probably not be worth your time or money to spend hiring a Tony Robbins....money would probably be better spend on getting with yor local golf pro.

I think the same thing with the so-called internal guys. Most of us will go to a seminar and say "wow"cool...and try and make use of what they are teaching. Few have the time, ability, or the desire to see how it might really fit into their practice.

As a hobbyist, I could see where you'd say "this is not worth my time". I would agree. Frankly I am not a hobbyist, but a "professional" in martial stuff, as it is part of my job, and I am wondering if it is worth a great deal of my time...all things considered.

I think if we look hard at the conflict I and others have in this area, it stems more with the different perspectives of end state, and the realitive importance of various methodologies of learning new things to enhance our abilities. Of course, we have the whole "you don't get it" thing that gets thrown out there on occassion as well.

Understanding why you are training, what your endstate is, and then being able to see the difference between methodology and reality is what is key to keeping this straight!

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