G DiPierro

Well I liked it. Pretty much describes my own philosophy and explains why I have been steadily moving away from teaching technique per se for a while now. Mainstream aikido can have its focus on complex, choreographed waza that look real purdy but that don't have any basis in martial reality. I¡Çll take someone who has the ability to blend with a realistic attack, take balance, and execute a basic throw (and this can be taught in under year, and perhaps even in a few months) over the typical aikikai shodan with 5+ years of experience who knows how to do a lot of flashy techniques on command (with a cooperative ¡Ètrained¡É uke of course) but who has no concept of how to take balance unless it¡Çs handed to him on a silver platter. But that¡Çs just me (and, apparently, a few other guys).