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Old 07-31-2011, 10:26 PM   #31
Mike Sigman
Location: Durango, CO
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Re: Why the extended fingers in Aikido postures

Quote:
Matthew Gano wrote: View Post
So the physical purpose is to create greater power capability by extending the tendons (connective tissues); breathing exercises can develop this, but most of the exercises taught by Ueshiba are scattered about or otherwise not readily available for the average aikido-ist. Is this a good summation of the topic covered by the thread so far?
Based on what I've seen so far, I'm not sure what to ask to learn more...would you be willing to elaborate a bit further?
That's a pretty good summation, really. There are a few basic approaches (with varying degrees of sophistication), but I think my original purpose was to point out that some phyical extension (a la Yoshinkan and also in Aikikai and others) helps to knit the body together for the reason indicated in the translation in the O.P.

If you look at Akuzawa's training and a number of similar trainings in a variety of Japanese and Chinese arts, you'll see that extension approach fairly commonly. Of course, a person has to be careful that they don't over-extend themselves into stiffness, non-use of the hara, and so on.

2 cents.

Mike Sigman
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