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Old 05-06-2013, 09:45 AM   #39
Ecosamurai
 
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Dojo: Takagashira Dojo
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Re: Increasing Ground Awareness for Internal Strength

Quote:
Christopher Li wrote: View Post
Shioda talked about it a lot, and quite clearly, as in "In order to generate Kokyu you must stand as if you are making your big toe sink into the surface of the ground." - he often spoke about the importance of bringing power from the ground. There's a video clip somewhere where he says it straight out, hesitates, and then changes the subject.
Amusingly, two things I happened to read today talking about the same thing, this quote is apparently something said by Kotaro Yoshida, the man who introduced Morihei Ueshiba to Sokaku Takeda, (also, for those who might not know, Kotaro Yoshida's son moved to the USA and was the teacher of Don Angier):

Quote:
You must relax when you fight or else your muscles and tendons lock up the skeletal system with their tenseness. This will impede your strength. To relax you must relax your stomach and then your joints. This gives you true strength so that when attacked, you can explode from your stomach.
When you breathe out, imagine that the breath settles down to your stomach and that any excess goes down to your big toe. Then when you hit, at the moment of impact, you explode, relaxing immediately. In the kata you explode into the movements and relax between them.
This quote may also be of passing interest (emphasis mine) in reference to the oral teaching of Sokaku Takeda:

Quote:
It had been snowing and the tree in Mr. Kimfs courtyard was barren of leaves. It had five branches pointing up at the sky like fingers of a hand. When Yoshida saw this, he said that it was good luck and that they should go out and practice catching the cosmic rays
Links to the originals here (subscription required):
http://members.aikidojournal.com/pri...aro-yoshida-1/
http://members.aikidojournal.com/pri...aro-yoshida-2/

"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."
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