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Old 07-23-2012, 12:44 PM   #77
Gerardo Torres
Location: SF Bay Area
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 197
United_States
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Re: hips and shoulders

Quote:
George S. Ledyard wrote: View Post
I don't see the movement side of the art as being in any kind of necessary opposition to the internal power / connection side. I really think that taking the basic platform from Daito Ryu and giving it free movement is one of the distinguishing features of the Founder's progression from Daito Ryu, through Aiki Budo, to Aikido. The problem with much post war Aikido was that much of the methodology for the internal side of the art dropped out and what was left was the idea that non-oppositional movement alone was "aiki". Movement Aikido is about avoiding an attack, it isn't "aiki" which is about "joining" not "avoiding".

We do need to focus on developing our own structures properly and understanding how proper connection actually functions. That's the platform. The trick in great Aikido is being able to take that platform and make it movable... at least that's my take on it.
I agree with what you're saying here. The goal is to train that IP/aiki platform, and apply it to our aikido techniques and dynamic movement. The tricky part for me at least is not to regress to disconnected movement, sort of a one step forward, one step backward situation. It's a slow process for me: I have to learn to stand first, then walk, before I can "play" with the IP/aiki platform and put it in full motion.
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