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Old 09-02-2001, 05:39 PM   #16
DaveMorgan
Dojo: Ei Mei Kan Dojo, UK
Location: Devon, UK
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 2
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As a relative beginner to Aikido (2c years study) I find that 'stances' are not as important as you would believe. I trained in Shotokan Karate for five years, and there was pretty much a stance for everything. I also did a lot of free sparring against all-comers, and noticed that mostly, they had different stances to me for the same techniques, and that both of us would find that our tried-and-tested attacks and defences worked quite differently to the manner we would expect when fighting someone from our own styles. When I first arrived in my Aikido Dojo, I was forever changing my stances, until I finally began looking at Sensei properly (hint to all: this is a good thing to do) and noted that although the technique was the same every time, his footwork was always different - he reacted to the situation as it was, not as it had been taught to him. Therefore he kept himself safe. Stand however you want to stand - if you understand the underlying principles behind the technique (hard) then you will find your body reacts correctly without your brain getting in the way. This is as true outside the dojo as in it - practice randori as much as you can and you will feel the benefits.
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