Thread: What is "IT"?
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Old 10-07-2009, 12:34 PM   #183
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: What is "IT"?

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
If you concentrate more on how you hold energy in your body and move it, many things -effects- happen to forces coming in on you. These "things or "effects" become the essence of many waza.
Hi Dan,

This is where I have finally got to in my practice, the external form of the waza is of interest, I have to try and convey it to others as accurately as I can. Most of my focus now is on the where and how of what is going on internally when performing the waza. My experience is that it is all in the mind, all in the centre, all in the body. I'm still learning, though and do not purport to be an expert.

Quote:
Think of it this way; if you have energy going up/ down, side /side, forward /back, and in and out in all directions, then there is no plane or planar aspect to you that is unsupported. Your are "held" in stasis in movement. Any force coming in to you is sent to a path of your choosing almost automatically. Either by will or by "feel" from constant training. There are many complexities to add to this with movement and means to train the body to move-these are not all the same nor are they all equal either. Some are better -more universal- ways to fight than others.
Agreed, I like the explanation, however, I am not looking for any way to fight others. I appreciate that your experience is much wider than mine and that you practice with folk who are into the fighting aspects. Your internal skills are almost certainly more developed than mine. Hopefully one day I will get to learn from you ( I still wont be interested in fighting though )

Quote:
So taking Shioda's chest bump or any number of directed or "overt" force redirections is just simply another way to move -not a "technique." I'm not a big fan of that move simply because while being "correct," it's really rather retarded for real fighting. Its nothing more than another Ki trick with traing crash test dummy. The same body movement is just as real in grappling its just not as visible, or dramatic in a real fight. Moreover, Shioda could never pull that crap on someone with decent internal skills, so more serious means would be called for.
I agree with the above too, I only use it to emphasise a point during a ki development lesson. I don't see it as aikido either, it is a bit of a trick, but does require complete co-ordination coupled with good timing, so as a training exercise it has its uses. There are many other ways of dealing with that particular attack.

Quote:
And that leads me to my final comment on "not that big of a deal." I continue to caution people not to judge if the person demonstrating these things is not that good or just so-so. Meet someone who can demonstrate internal power to the extent that it is "a big deal" and very obvious. Why? Because it is a big deal, and will change your martial arts forever.
My own teacher still gives me enough to be impressed with, he doesn't use any of the terminology used in these discussions though, but he can do things with me that still have me scratching my head, after I pick myself up off the mat He definitely has 'something' and bucket loads of it. I want what he has and I believe I am getting there, slowly.

I am looking forward to the weekend and to getting a different perspective on what I do and know. I hope to be impressed, I hope to learn, I'm sure it will be an interesting experience.

Quote:
Anyway, I hope you have fun
Dan
Me too!

regards,

Mark

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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