Quote:
Ron Ragusa wrote:
You haven't stated what the "mechanisms" you mentioned above are, but that is of no matter. Performance that is mind/body driven is neither wholly voluntary or reflexive. Nor is it a simple amalgamation of both. Unfortunately I don't have the terms to state clearly what I'm trying to say, but I know what I feel and that is: performance that arises from a coordinated mind and body is a synergy of both voluntary response and reflexive action whereby the gap separating the two is considerably narrowed.
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... and it is those very concrete physical terms that I have sought and -- to some greater or lesser degree -- captured. We all need something like this in order to dispense with the ad hoc collection of mixed metaphor, confusedly cross-cultural jargon that hangs on all these arts like a mass of barnacles on ship. Needs scraping and a clean copper bottom.
The five basic mechanisms are deeply interrelated and given in no particular order of usage or relative importance -- but the key words will get you to resources worth your while:
1. Dependence of stability of human structure (and its disruption) on reflexive vertical oscillations (inverted pendulum stability) : This is THE fundamental ten-chi -- in-yo dynamic in human stability -- and which innately ties to the torsional/rotational extension/retraction aspects of how our bodies are constructed to operate (irimi-tenkan principle).
Which relates to:
2. The continuum or spectrum of gross rotations/oscillations (low frequency) and vibrations (high frequency). In the Doka this is the image counterpoised between on the one hand, the demon snake (most aikido waza/kata) (aspects of various jin manipulations in CMA) and on the other hand, the spirit (buzz) of bees -- tekubifuri, furitama (the endpoint of fa jin in CMA).
Which relates to:
3. Buckling mechanics, both simple (column) and compound (curved surface) -- the latter of which is the inside-out manner of "spherical rotations" -- also described as asagao (morning glory blooming), irirmi-tenkan principle and in the five bows and upper-lower crosses-arches.
Which relates to:
4. Interchangeablity of moment (static potential for rotation) and angular momentum (dynamic rotation); Loosely -- this is the principle that adopting the static form of a dynamic does structural work, and vice versa. (Dantien/hara -- but harder to conceptualize that way. More cross-pollinatedly -- upper/lower cross, upper/lower arches, five bows, the several jin mechansism of CMA etc. etc.. More prosaically aikido -- tegatana -- or hiji riki "elbow-power," or the "big toe" principle of aiki, and the much misconceived, misapplied, (and wrongly castigated) "spherical rotations" of Nidai Doshu.
Which relates to:
5. Torsionally AND vibrationally triggered, monosynaptic (very fast) reflexive arcs (exploiting Gogli tendon organs and muscle spindles) -- e.g. -- nikkyo=flexor and sankyo = extensor - These are exquisitely sensitive to resonance signals because of its intense structurally destructive potential.
Which relates to No. 1 above.