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Old 11-01-2007, 12:53 PM   #56
Rocky Izumi
Dojo: GUST Aikido Club
Location: Salwa, Kuwait
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 381
Kuwait
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Re: Have a sensei that is to verbose .

Nick,

On the web, I am just the Rock. I am not your Sensei so don't call me that. Be relaxed. On the web, we are all equal and our opinions are all equal.

My opinion, however, is that what you say is true only if you are into practicing techniques rather than principles and only those techniques listed in the testing syllabii. If you see the other techniques such as Tsuki, Shomen Uchi, Morote Tori, etc. as Aikido techniques that should be practiced, they don't all have to be practiced on another person. Second, one can practice in the mind only and in form only to fix certain parts of one's techniques. I remember our present Doshu once saying that we should be doing at least 500 Furikaburi each day. Kawahara Shihan often says we don't do enough Tai No Henka and Shikko practice by ourselves. These practices do not involve the need for another person.

If you go beyond the practice of techniques to the practice of principles, you can practice anywhere at any time with anyone or no one. You can practice extension opening swinging doors. You can practice posture in walking. You can practice Suri Ashi anywhere but especially on Montreal's icy sidewalks in winter while wearing slippery dress shoes.

I remember walking behind Tohei Akira Shihan one day during one of his seminars in Texas. I called the other Yudansha to me as we walked to lunch to look at the bottom of Sensei's leather bottom dress shoes while he walked. You could see the full imprint of his feet in the thick leather of the sole. Most amazing was how you could see each toe was grabbing the ground with each step he took. And, you could see how there were two circular patches on the bottom, one at the ball of the feet and one at the heel where he would be spinning to turn. Every step that Tohei Shihan took was a step in his practice of Aikido.

I like to think each time a take a swig from the bottle of beer, I am practicing the pronation motion of my arm in Aikido practice.

Maybe I will be able to get out your way some time.

Rock
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