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Old 09-27-2014, 03:12 AM   #143
Alec Corper
 
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Dojo: Itten Suginami Dojo, Nunspeet
Location: Wapenveld
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 350
Netherlands
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Re: Refining my view of aiki

Hi Dan,
I'm lazy when it comes to posting here, mostly because i think it is a waste of time. i reckon if you and I met up on the mat we would get on fine and not need to talc so much to find common ground. Anyway I will respond as best as i can.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "fighting." And are you referring to "sparring" in the pugilistic, squaring-off manner?

Seeing as I'm not sure which bit of the post you mean I"ll just give a general response. By fighting I mean unscripted, unplanned, no rules, no rounds, risking life or serious injury. The sort of thing Shioda referred to in Aikido Shugyo when he was posted in Shanghai. I do not believe you can tell if someone is able to use their skills in a live way when you only see set up situations with a teacher and one of their students, or someone from within the mainstream of the discipline the teacher represents. I believe what I feel. Having touched hands with Akuzawa, Dan Harden, Sam Chin, and one or two good Chen guys, and been handled with ease in a light sparring manner, i can't say i have ever felt that from aikido teachers. I'm not therefore saying they couldn't do it but i was never allowed to explore that possibility.
By sparring I mean somewhere on the continuum between Tui Shou and Sanda. Freestyle push hands with light body strikes, hands and feet, indicating other more dangerous techniques, with only a touch.

P.S. My last aikido teacher was a fan of Nishio, and i respect what Nishio represented when he suggested that people cross train. However cross training won't develop aiki, even if it can develop some martial skills.
So i guess what I am saying is this:
You need specialised training to develop an "aiki" body and as far as I am concerned that does not happen through normal aikido training. that's my hands on opinion after almost 40 years of MA. The guys that have really got this stuff are in a different league.
You need to fight freestyle if you want to claim to be martially effective. Sport fighting may be an inroad for some but it is still far away from fighting as i understand.
If you have aiki and fighting experience and martial skills you are a martial artist who can fight.

If you can fight without aiki and without martial training you are a fighter.

Now i am not going to go anywhere near defining what aiki is. I'm not qualified to do so and couldn't be bothered to defend my limited knowledge against all the expert desktop budoka. I would recommend to you dan that you seek out those people who have something other than what is generally available if you are serious about your aiki research.

all the best Paduan.

If your temper rises withdraw your hand, if your hand rises withdraw your temper.
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