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Old 03-04-2011, 12:16 AM   #7
David Board
Dojo: Aikido of Reno
Location: Reno/NV
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 74
United_States
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Re: Footwork differences between styles

Thank you all for the responses. I am still left with my question. Is there a reason for this difference.

grondahl-I did try several techniques with my foot facing out. Including Shomenuchi Ikkyo. It left me feeling awkward and unbalanced (perhaps my hips and shoulders aren't square) but I found my knees strained (and to add to that they clicked every second go) and if I tried with any speed my groin went wonky as well. I assume this is my lack of experience doing the techniques with my foot out. I also noted that I had to bend my knees more and this often left me feeling off balance. Once again I suspect this is my inexperience ate performing a technique in this manner. I'll explore more on the mat next time I get a chance.

Lynn and Janet- Thanks. Style is style. Aikido is Aikido. I was just curious if anyone had heard a reason for the difference. I guess if it is just idiosyncrasies of the shihan or dojo. Then that is all it is. I was just curious to see if there was any rationalization or reasoning behind the differences that might help me better understand the techniques.

Demetrio-thanks for noticing the quotes. The foot out stance just feels so awkward for me and to be honest even a bit painful. That I assumed that there was a reason to contort the body in such a way.

Daniel-I lived in Canberra long enough not to take offense.--My wife puts her belt the wrong way round as well. She doesn't find it awkward and it still keeps her pants up. It turns out she does it because that is the way woman's clothes are made. The buttons are the wrong way round the fly is the wrong way round and the belt goes wrong way round. A quick search turns out folks have rationalized why the buttons are "wrong" way round on women's clothing in two ways. One has to do with women being dressed by maids and men dressing themselves. Alternately it has to do with men drawing a sword. Either way folks have thought about this oddity and for better or worse came up for reasons why. In some cases the reason why is damn useless. In others they might give a hint of some thing worth while not much but maybe a smidge of something to notice.--It's all about the footy, right.

So in the end I'm not that concerned. But I was hoping that I could learn something about the other styles and by counter example my own style. By understanding the differences I could link the similarities. But if there's nothing there but one group looks like stiff legged robots and the others bowlegged monkeys and in the end it's all Aikido. So be it.
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