Thread: Ueshiba's Aiki
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Old 11-15-2011, 04:10 PM   #369
Ken McGrew
Dojo: Aikido at UAB
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 202
United_States
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Re: Ueshiba's Aiki

Many people have argued that Aikido does not work by blending, at least not real Aiki, and that those are tricks. People have written those things in this discussion. I can dig them up if I must. People have suggested that Mr. Harden provides the solution to the artificial and superficial nature of "overly" cooperative training. I was told that if my Aikido works because of my blending that I must also be doing more internal unbalancing than I realize in order for it to work. Katherine, I believe, described slow static practice to take balance from resistance that was just enough to let you succeed. Someone described very clearly the idea of brining Uke into you so you can move them and they can't prevent it. This is what I'm responding to.

Internal connection is great. Internal unbalancing is great. It is not the only way that Aikido works. You often connect to Uke. But you don't always connect. You do what fits the situation. Body positioning, blending, leading, these are not tricks, they are part of Aiki.

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Many of us have explicitly said and will continue to say: we are continuing to get on the mat and train as nage and uke, doing waza. As uke, we are not resisting, we are not tanking. We are (trying to at least, depending on our skill level!) providing the committed, sincere attack nage needs in order to do the technique the instructor has asked us to do. As nage , we are not standing there like blocks, we are (again, at least striving to dep. on skill level) entering, establishing a connection to uke's center, achieving kuzushi in order to do the technique the instructor has asked us to do.
Making use of the internal strength training is no different from a Ki Society dojo making use of those tools IN SERVICE TO WAZA. We are doing aikido. I have no idea why you think this is not the case.