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Adam Huss · 05-06-2010, 09:34 AM

I'm a pretty young aikidoka and by no means represent official stances of my teachers, but I have trained a little in Yoshinkan and Aikikai (AAA) styles of aikido and have some thoughts on these topics:

It seems that rather than focusing on esoteric concepts that are difficult for the average person to understand, Shioda sensei's focus was to include all the elements of these in specific ways in each kihon waza/dosa. Each kihon, whether dosa or waza, have specific footwork, upper body work, and breathing methods integrated into them in a specific, kata-like, way. Yoshinkan aikido was originally taught to police, military, government personnel...with very few instructors and large gymnasiums full of students. There wasn't enough instructors/time to explain and teach things so they just integrated it into each technique in a step-by-step manner. When one is getting to the 4-3rd kyu level they start working on many partner training exercises, like continuation drills, that help students develop fluidity.

Often my teacher would stop me and ask to point out shu chu ryoku, katameru, chusin ryoku, kyoku ryoku etc, of a technique I was doing. So rather than saying "extend you ki" one might say "keep both feet flat on the ground, push off your big toe, sink your hips, keep your elbows in" etc.

As for Ando Sensei doing hiriki no yosei ni...to oversimplify it, it seems (and I don't speak Japanese so I'm not sure) he was emphasizing the importance of sh'te keeping their elbows in and down...and moving from the hips with a properly aligned body posture, rather than lifting and muscling the arm up (around 25-27 seconds in he shows this muscling).

As for the comment about the uke...I won't comment on someone I don't know, but I've always been taught its disrespectful to be vocal (grunting and such) when uke as its like saying "look at me, I'm the one sensei is using as uke, not you, and his technique is strong!" which distracts the students from what is being taught. But that might be just me...I'm not one of those guys that think someone is wrong because they were taught something different than what I was/is.

05-06-2010, 09:34 AM	#38
Adam Huss Location: Ohio Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 710 Offline	Re: Yoshinkan and "aiki" I'm a pretty young aikidoka and by no means represent official stances of my teachers, but I have trained a little in Yoshinkan and Aikikai (AAA) styles of aikido and have some thoughts on these topics: It seems that rather than focusing on esoteric concepts that are difficult for the average person to understand, Shioda sensei's focus was to include all the elements of these in specific ways in each kihon waza/dosa. Each kihon, whether dosa or waza, have specific footwork, upper body work, and breathing methods integrated into them in a specific, kata-like, way. Yoshinkan aikido was originally taught to police, military, government personnel...with very few instructors and large gymnasiums full of students. There wasn't enough instructors/time to explain and teach things so they just integrated it into each technique in a step-by-step manner. When one is getting to the 4-3rd kyu level they start working on many partner training exercises, like continuation drills, that help students develop fluidity. Often my teacher would stop me and ask to point out shu chu ryoku, katameru, chusin ryoku, kyoku ryoku etc, of a technique I was doing. So rather than saying "extend you ki" one might say "keep both feet flat on the ground, push off your big toe, sink your hips, keep your elbows in" etc. As for Ando Sensei doing hiriki no yosei ni...to oversimplify it, it seems (and I don't speak Japanese so I'm not sure) he was emphasizing the importance of sh'te keeping their elbows in and down...and moving from the hips with a properly aligned body posture, rather than lifting and muscling the arm up (around 25-27 seconds in he shows this muscling). As for the comment about the uke...I won't comment on someone I don't know, but I've always been taught its disrespectful to be vocal (grunting and such) when uke as its like saying "look at me, I'm the one sensei is using as uke, not you, and his technique is strong!" which distracts the students from what is being taught. But that might be just me...I'm not one of those guys that think someone is wrong because they were taught something different than what I was/is.
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