View Single Post
Old 11-18-2006, 05:32 AM   #66
Michael Douglas
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 434
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: Aikido: The learning of natural movement

I have to disagree with David again on these points ;
Quote:
David Orange wrote:
Who hasn't seen two babies pushing each other like sumotori? That give-and-take, pushing and yielding is a great example of the principle of ju--letting the force build up, then defeating it by yielding.
...
And that is exactly what babies do when they don't want to be held, or picked up, or diverted from what they are doing. You straightforwardly go to pull them by the hand, they twist and step to a position where your grip cannot move them and they can maintain their position. Maybe that means stepping behind you. Maybe it means sitting on the floor. The only reason it isn't far more powerful is the baby's lack or knowledge of joint locks and throws, as well as the low level of development of the voluntary nervous system.
OK first, those pushing babies.
Simply, the stronger or heavier or less unbalanced pushes the other over or they both fall, or they both topple to the side. This is because of their absolutely terrible balance, wobbly structure and weakness. They aren't conciously or subconciously letting force build up then yielding, they are just so bad at shoving that your deluded observation sees such 'ju' things there. Please don't be offended I'm not trying to insult you but I need to use the 'deluded' word to make myself clear.

Now this ; "they twist and step to a position where your grip cannot move them and they can maintain their position."
They pull, usually directly on your hold which is inefficient. They flail randomly until you (not me) might feel they are at a place where you cannot move tham and they can maintain their position : I say not true, even in the slightest.
Or they sit down on the floor. Genious (Sarcasm).
Quote:
David Orange wrote:
... The only reason it isn't far more powerful is the baby's lack or knowledge of joint locks and throws, as well as the low level of development of the voluntary nervous system.
Or maybe it isn't powerful because they are uncoordinated, weak, and have terrible balance. They just 'struggle' and are easily controlled by an adult or older child who is concentrating on the task.
When a child is seen to escape or be unmoved by an adult I see an adult who is distracted, exasperated, and actually unwilling to control that child by force ... for example by actually pulling or gripping hard. We are still talking babies and toddlers right?
  Reply With Quote