Thread: Aikido attacks.
View Single Post
Old 02-06-2012, 02:59 PM   #46
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
Offline
Re: Aikido attacks.

Quote:
Katherine Derbyshire wrote: View Post
Ma ai is a noun, not a verb. It simply describes the distance at which both parties are "safe:" neither can actually strike the other without moving. As such, it doesn't really have an "opposite." There are smaller intervals, and larger intervals, but *some* interval always exists.

It is true that ma ai doesn't mean "back up." Backing up is just one way to adjust the distance. My point, however, is that it is not always possible to simply "maintain ma ai" indefinitely. The terrain may not allow it, or you may be in a multiple attacker situation, or your movement may be limited by the need to protect another person. Rather than pretending such situations don't exist, please explain how you approach them.

Katherine
I don't know what you mean. Noun, verb? Keep implies movement. Intervals? Again don't know what you mean. Opposite keeping ma ai to me is not keeping ma ai.

All these maybes. I'm pretending nothing thank you.

The paths ie: eight directions, circles, triangles, aid the ability to keep ma ai in all kind of situations. All part of the art of motion.

As to if a position exists where you cannot keep ma ai the it's obvious it would then depend on your ability to enter well wouldn't it? I don't see where you are going with this, if anywhere.

This only increases my belief that maybe more drills are needed on these aspects by some.

A drill where all you are allowed to do is keep ma ai, no matter what or how the person is attacking and then progress to multiple. Then maybe you will end up with a surprising reality, that it is possible.

Regards.G.
  Reply With Quote