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Old 09-09-2009, 03:39 PM   #126
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Re: Inefficiencies in the Aikido Training Method

It is akin to swimming, but the goal is not get swim as fast as you can, or as long as you can, or as deep as you can from one point to another. That is usually what swimming is all about.

No, what we do is akin swimming for the sake of perfecting the art of swimming. That is, how to do the perfect breast stroke and/or compare how one guys breast stroke is more efficient than the others, or that it looks good, feels better...all without fixating on the taboo subject that it is measured by how fast it gets you to the other edge of the pool, or how long it allows you to swim laps (endurance).

No, we prefer to discuss the breast stroke without those taboo measures of effectiveness, simply for the sake of doing it.

Or we will put attachments on the breast stroke and judge it about how it leads to a greater understanding of self, spirituality or significance in the greater world.

Could you imagine doing this with Swimming practice?

Now, swimming may be a form of meditation, and it may and does allow folks to experience being one with the water etc in touch with themselves and their relation to the earth.

That is fine, but I doubt you'd hear anyone talk in great detail about the breast stroke without establishing criteria for measuring effectiveness of how it simply propels you through the water to a desired quantifiable goal.

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