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Old 11-29-2006, 02:53 PM   #23
jeff.
Dojo: aikido of morgantown
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 42
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Re: opening the joints

Quote:
Mike Sigman wrote:
Actually, you have to slightly "extend" the body all over in order to connect it and that is not, of course, "complete relaxtion". Once again, think how many well-known deshi you've seen with the head and back obviously extended vertically. However, this too-focused emphasis on just the joints expanding, sort of misses the point; I've seen a few guys I know spend years thinking the secret was in the joints because that's the kind of stuff that gets passed around some of forums as the "True Secrets" (tm).

Mike
haha! well, i'm always after the true secrets, its true. i suppose what seems to be helping me out with the joints is that i try to extend all of my joints in some sense, which seems to just keep me extending, etc. but its also been interesting to watch how i'll "close" them (i guess you might call it) when i'm trying to draw something in. feels kind of like the standing practice (the one you described on the deep breathing thread if i'm even coming close to doing it right) does: when my hands are separating and coming back together in front of me as i breath... the coming together part feels almost magnetic, and it kind of feels like my joints close, without any kind of tightness reoccurring in my muscles.

never been taught this stuff... just using language i've read to try to describe what seems to be happening.

fun!

jeff.
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