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Old 07-04-2002, 03:36 PM   #13
Chris Li
 
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Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Re: Point of 1000 cuts

Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Baker
I get to wonder about some the "Expert" advice some of you guys are giving?
Did anyone call themselves an "expert"? Not me, that's for sure...

There is a simple view of 1000 cuts, but then there is another purpose for bringing it up.

Quote:

If you can do 100 cuts perfectly, but then your form deteriorates after 100 cuts is the weight of your bokken correct?
If they're "perfect" then your form shouldn't deteriorate.

Quote:
If this person who asks about weight is rather large, well muscled ... is it good advice to have him use a lighter bokken that doesn't challenge him to pay attention to form because he easily muscles it to adapt to form?
So a school that uses lighter bokuto for all of its students (regardless of size) is giving bad advice? I know traditional sword styles here in Japan that do just that - and have done so for hundreds of years.

Quote:

Maybe, some of you experts should sit and take notes on how badly many of the beginners mistakenly try to muscle form rather than taking the time to let form become the strength of practice?

Hence, the futility of bad form for 1000 cuts forces the individual to correct form.
Maybe people don't really need to get instruction in form at all - just hand them a bokuto and let them cut until the correct form comes "naturally"...

Sorry, I don't buy it.

FWIW, 1000 cuts (although it sounds like a lot) really isn't that many. Someone even somewhat muscular or with a light bokuto should be able to do 1000 without a problem even cutting fairly poorly. Without experience, of course, they would never know this.

Best,

Chris

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