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Old 04-22-2007, 07:00 PM   #3
Michael Varin
Dojo: Aikido of Fresno
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 567
United_States
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Re: Atemi waza: good or bad for Aikido?

Quote:
Brian Dewey wrote:
Question: what role do you think atemi waza plays in "modern" Aikido? Does it have a place, should it have a place, etc. If so, what sort of atemi waza would best fit modern Aikido?
I suppose this depends on each individual's perspective of "modern" aikido.

I don't think it's wise to disregard the practical application of the techniques, so I definitely think atemi has a place. I've found that elbows, knees, head butts, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, punching are useful. Having said that, I like to train the majority of the time without atemi, because I can put more focus on the other techniques.

Also, in a one-on-one boxing/kickboxing/mma paradigm aikido techniques have little practical relevance.

-Michael
"Through aiki we can feel the mind of the enemy who comes to attack and are thus able to respond immediately." - M. Mochizuki
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