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Old 08-29-2008, 04:11 AM   #11
Martin Goodyear
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 13
United Kingdom
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Re: Minimal Circle Throwing

Thanks for having the confidence to share all that Chris, you're clearly something of an explorer - I'm enjoying the Youtubes.

A couple of questions: On the issue of fa-jin vs heavy hands, is this just a personal preference, or do you think heavy hands approach is more compatible with aikido? Would you go as far as saying the fa-jin approach is incompatible?

And on the matter of rooting, do you think that there's any fundamental differerence between aidido and the Chinese internal styles? I'm talking about the dropping of the pelvis to straighten the spine, as opposed to maintaining the spine's S-curve and relying on your triangular posture to channel forces (this is my current unnderstanding - feel free to correct me). And is it important to be able to move smoothly from one to the other? You clearly go with the Chinese 'double weighting' line of thought.

And in terms of training, the internal Chinese folk are usually sticklers for standing-post practice. Do consider such practice to be necessary or important, or do you find less formal aikido exercises, done with mindfulness, heavy arms and a keen sense of gravity to be an adequate substitute?

A bit of a bombardment of questions there - I'll stop now.

Cheers,
Martin.
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