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Old 11-01-2002, 01:20 PM   #2
achilleus
Dojo: West End Aikikai
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 45
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good question.

reminds me of trying to remember the difference between tactics and strategy -

tactic:An expedient for achieving a goal; a maneuver. [to achieve a strategy]

strategy:an elaborate and systematic plan of action.

I have found that strategy and tactics are known/enhanced by technical proficiency.

Knowing the range and firepower of all your fleets [technical proficiency] is requisite for you to choose which fleet [tactic] to employ to enter a strait to prepare for an evasion [strategy].

As a neophyte-aikidoka I would enjoy studying strategy but I would also expect that knowledge to make better sense to me after my technical proficiency advances.

As it is the thought of reversals creates total brain fog in me now. I understand the idea and occassionally I can "see" where one goes by feeling the balance, etc. But to employ one as a tactic - not a good choice.

Aikido in a way, to me at least, appears to be a system of strategy. After all, the art itself could be called the strategy of helping the other guy attack you...?

As a fencing teacher I notice that my students fail in developing strategy, and/or employing tactics, when they get sloppy on the technique. If I question them on the srtategy they will usually answer that they really have no clue what they are doing or why. When I press this very important confession a technical problem pops up. And after addressing/correcting that the 'fresh' technique almost always answers the question of strategy for them.

viz. that by not recognising what was being done to them, they had no reply. After identifying the action/offense the course of action was obvious.

just some thoughts while I fade during a very long afternoon at work.



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