gene02421

I just found this thread today. Interesting reading. However I take a completely different approach to the use of counter-techniques.

I like to teach counter-techniques as a way to point out the flaws in the original technique. So many students don't have an appreciation as to why a technique must be executed exactly. Because of this, they don't have an interest in the practice requred to perfect their execution of a technique. It is this initial flaw in a technique's execution that opens the door to the counter-technique.

Hence, I like to teach a counter-technique in three steps. First the basic technique. Then comes the counter techniqued.The natural reaction for students being introduced to counter-techniques for the first time is to question why we spend so much time on practicing the base initial technique when it can be countered. This is the perfect transition to the third step.

Then third next step is to show how to counter that counter-technique. Of course the counter-counter-technique is simply fixing the original technique. That is to say, the counter-technique is a good way to show the "bugs" in the initial execution. In this way the student now has the motivation to fix and eliminate the bugs. After all we don't perform a technique just-so for stylistic or mystical reasons. Aikido is a martial art. Every detail has consequences. Some (good) consequences are the results we desire. The other (bad) consequences are the results we are training to eliminate. Practice is the process where we make our results consistent to ensure we can always get the results we need. For some of us, it takes a long time and a lot of practice to persue perfection.

Gene Chang
Harvard University Aikido Club