Thread: Why no tsuba?
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Old 02-22-2012, 01:54 PM   #157
DH
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,394
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Re: Why no tsuba?

Quote:
Graham Christian wrote: View Post
Quote:
David Soroko wrote:
The relevant point is that the videos demonstrate that you are in no position to make categorical statements on the subject. Once again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt-aqDPqF7M&t=3m37s
.
I'm glad you think so.
G.
This is going to continue to come up thread after thread because it is generally felt that there are people here talking way over their paygrade...thread after thread. They don't "hear" themselves in light of more experienced people in Budo.
Many people who have skills either ignore this tripe or are sort of outraged that these people see themselves with any qualities that would add relevance to many discussions here. More so that they are teaching people this stuff in the name of Aikido or Budo. It's dangerously inept. People keep bringing it up out of concern for the community at large, for Aikido's integrity, and for general safety-particularly with weapons.

Graham
I have been trying to tell you this for a year or so. Saying those videos were not demonstrations but rather some sort of mumbo jumbo of making a point in class that none of us are capable of seeing fails on its face. You are talking to a room full of teachers, many with far more experience than you. FWIW, there is no reason, none what-so-ever, for any lesson in any class what-so-ever to engender the type of movement you display with a weapons, for any reason in a budo. From our stand point; the way you hold a sword, handle a sword, swing a sword, your maai, your entry, your placement, your hasuji, your footwork is totally wrong. I would be the first to give you affirmation when I can see anything that is:
  • Traditionally correct
  • Martially correct
  • or even mechanically sound.

Most of us have talked about it and just can't find anything relating to weapons. If you want to present a case that all of your videos are you showing every single thing that one could do wrong with a sword as THEE lesson...then you may have a point. Otherwise, I think you are harming yourself and your own reputation in a community of very capable and even expert adepts in weapons use. For those who care about the safety, veracity and competent use of weapons they will continue to challenge what you say and allegedly know, in light of what you show.
You seem a nice fellow. Take this as a word to the wise.

For the community at large
This is yet another case where you need to step up and do some self monitoring. Every day that you sit idle and grant and acknowledge equanimity of view to just anyone in your art....much less a teacher...is yet another day that you continue to see people leaving your art in droves world over. Attendance is down, the reputation of the at is down. As four Shihan-unrelated- said to me this year; "Aikido is all but dead." Bill Gleason said "Aikido has become a disgrace" and he told me to quote him. You guys need to step up and make some sort of standard that will bear testing in the internet era. I think Aikido should be one of the most powerful arts the world has seen with it's aiki and principles intact, being able to work cross platform with anyone. I can use it that way....and every one of you should have that as your goal and take the art back to the level last seen in Morihei Ueshiba.
FWIW, generally accepted equanimity, in opinion, unhindered and unrestrained is the chief reason many of the truly competent people will no longer offer anyone advice here. Their voices are drowned in a sea of meaningless and even dangerous advice.
As Fred Little stated:
There are a number of very skilled and knowledgeable practitioners who simply don't post at all because doing so exposes them to endless streams of mindless rejoinders from ill-informed, poorly trained, and notably unaccomplished practitioners who are suffering from meta-cognitive failure to such an extreme degree that the result calls to mind the old proverb about the inadvisability of wrestling pigs......

Day by day you make your arts reputation, you make your aikiweb experience.
Dan