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Old 01-15-2007, 08:14 AM   #8
Mary Eastland
 
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Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,476
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Re: Baseline skillset

My understanding of ki testing.

Maruyami Sensei (student of Tohei Sensei and founder of Kokikai Aikido) explained this to us countless times...at every camp and seminar we spent a lot of time developing correct feeling as both the tester and testee.

The whole concept is to develop correct feeling....learning to feel and trust you center. When the tester pushes, it is not to push the testee over. It is to help him develop his center...hence the pushing is not backwards ...but more down and back...towards the the collar bone and sternum. When the tester sees that the testee is not moving...then the testor increases pressure...not with the idea of pushing the testee over but to help them really trust their center. The testers hand is cupped and the tester stands along side the testee using the hand between them to test. The emphasis is never on who can push who over....if the testee loses their balance...the process starts over with both people working toward the goal of developing correct feeling.

Mary
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