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Old 04-25-2011, 04:00 AM   #42
Lee Crockett
Dojo: Chichester
Location: Portsmouth
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 56
United Kingdom
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Re: Are we really doing O'Senseis Aikido?

Some very interesting comments guys.

However, there is one issue i want to clarify.

Where i train, we train kotai, hard solid training. But, koati is NOT Aikido.

Kotai needs to be learnt to understand the basic principals, mechanics and angles, of techniques to know what does and doesnt work. It is application of these principals in a dynamic situation that make Aikido so effective.

There are a lot of clubs that move before contact is made, or on the point of contact. This may be practical for a realistic situation, but it does not teach a student correct angles, blending or mechanics of making techniques work. To be honest, it cheats the student.

This is what Saitos school tries to do. The drawback, it takes a LONG time to learn, and students today want instant gratification.

We recently had a Tissier 4th Dan come along to train, and he couldnt do a thing on our strongest and heaviest student, while my instructor throws him round like a rag doll

This is the difference in the Aikido being promoted. An artistic form for demonstration which isnt really practical, against a realistic, martial form.

If you cant apply a technique on a 20 stone solid muscle bloke in the dojo, in reality, nothing will work.
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