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Old 06-02-2011, 08:46 AM   #152
Eva Antonia
Dojo: CERIA
Location: Brussels
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 211
Belgium
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Re: bad technique vs. resistance

Dear Alberto,

I read this thread with interest and, also I don't have a boxing background, I partially can understand what you are searching.

I noticed also, both in our dojo and abroad, that there are two extreme types of aikidoka, on the one hand the super-compliant ukes with the flaccid arms, and on the other hand people who are looking for fight efficiency and are not afraid of the one or other bruise. Obviously, both types are incompatible; the soft ukes (and yes, you are right, there are MORE women among these) think that the harder ones are unduly aggressive, and the more rough ones think that the soft ones are absolutely unrealistic. I don't think that it has always to do something with skills, sometimes it is a question of preference.

When training in Aserbaidjan, I once trained with a woman of the feather-touch style (with hakama), and I just made my normal irimi nage, which means "smashing backwards on the tatami". After throwing me several times gently, she said: "You're doing it wrong. Irimi nage as you do is very uncomfortable for uke- I'll show you how it is when it's done on you", and she made a very brilliant irimi nage just hammering me effortlessly down. Then she looked defiantly and said: "So - is it THAT what you want???", and I just smiled blissfully and said: "YES!" Obviously,

In our dojo we don't have boxers, but some karateka, judoka and jiu-jitsuka. There is a difference in style and also in expectations. But I still think that you can learn something from every type of uke.

BUT - if in our dojo the teacher
- talked 20 minutes per class
- didn't allow us to improvise on techniques that don't work as foreseen
- ensured that we wouldn't have more than 15 minutes to really train,
I'd leave (and the others also).

Have a nice day!

Eva
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