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Old 02-07-2012, 04:41 PM   #9
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: what would you do?

Quote:
David Santana wrote: View Post
I'm very recently appointed as the teacher for one of the classes in my dojo (a mere shodan) . and some of the new students told me that they're not very sure that Aikido really works without too much strength.. what would you do if you were told that?
Hi David,

I would show them how it does work with little strength at all... very slowly and very definitely.

I must say though, when I was at shodan level, I was not completely confident that I could make aikido work, at least not in the way that I can now. Confidence does have a pretty big part to play.

Quote:
I'm sure that my Aikido works (thanks to Sensei for teaching me well) so I was thinking of letting them attack me seriously, but I'm also afraid that they'll get hurt and it will become a big trouble for me.
Not a good idea, for you or for them. And depending on your own skill level and their relative size and strength of attack, you could potentially come off worse. Again, not good for you or them.

regards,

Mark

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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