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Old 04-20-2001, 06:52 AM   #25
Jim23
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 482
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George,

I enjoyed your post very much.

People who disagree with hard training will always find excuses to justify their opinion. I suppose the same can be said for the opposite -- but does that mean that both views are correct?

I'm sure that an analogy can be made with real commitment and focused study in most endeavours.

I've given my opinion before on what I've seen in some aikido classes (and other MAs), and I don't think I need anyone to try to offer excuses and "explain" why the students and teachers were the way they were.

In any class there will always -- well almost always -- be students of different ages and levels of fitness. Should that lower class standards? Of course not, although each person should receive training geared towards their needs and abilities.

Years ago (when I was younger than 35), when I trained in another martial art, there were days when our teacher (an 8th dan) would feel that some students were slacking off in class and he would get fairly demanding. I remember classes where we were made to do push ups and sit ups only for an entire class. Then there was the jumping! Jumping and running for three hours instead of the usual training. Occasionally we would even train outside on tennis courts -- barefooted.

We all survived and we all toughened up. And as a result our confidence level soared.

Abuse and hard training aren't necessarily the same thing.

Jim23

Remember, all generalizations are false
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