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Old 05-13-2011, 03:45 AM   #52
Michael Varin
Dojo: Aikido of Fresno
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 567
United_States
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Re: Kodo Horikawa's aiki

Quote:
John Brockington wrote:
I respectfully suggest you re-read my posts, because I meant some very specific things that you may be interpreting lightly or perhaps just didn't catch.
Oh. I assure you that I read all posts very carefully. Of course, as communication is imperfect, I cannot claim to understand everything exactly as you do.

Quote:
John Brockington wrote:
When I referred to up power, down power, explosive power, etc, etc, etc, I also meant some very specific things, and from your response, I think you are using a very different set of definitions of these terms than I am. I seriously doubt Olympic weightlifters have any concern whatsoever about the majority of these.
You introduced the terms to this thread, so you are more than welcome to define them.

Quote:
John Brockington wrote:
Have you felt Ark? Mike S? Dan H? Even Ikeda? Gone to any of their seminars or training sessions? If not, how can you possibly "call out" those of us who have, and ask us to "clarify" our thoughts and terms for you? Please understand, I am not saying this presumptuously, but rather, honestly and sincerely.
I have not trained with any of the three resident "experts" on the subject (I tried to organize a Mike Sigman seminar, which fell through, and enrolled in a Dan Harden workshop but was rejected). I have trained with Ikeda, although only twice, both times at seminars, but I did have opportunities to take ukemi from him. I must admit that I found Ikeda to be quite good, but my reaction was very different from what many here have said. I absolutely did not feel that he was working on a completely different level. I hate mentioning this, because any time the slightest criticism is leveled on a shihan someone always flies off the handle.

I don't feel that I'm calling anyone out. This is a forum in which we communicate primarily with writing and sometimes supplement with pictures or video. All I ask is that if you choose to post here that you do your best to productively communicate with others who post.

While there is certainly a grain of truth to the "IHTBF" sentiment, many in the "IP/IT/IS" crowd hide behind it. If you cannot effectively communicate within the limitations of this forum, then maybe it would be best to only engage those who have trained with the aforementioned instructors. Or expressly state that you do not wish to field questions from those of us who have not trained with them. I think that would be a shame.

Quote:
John Brockington wrote:
Consider this- would a casual 3 mile/4 days a week jogger tell someone who runs marathons regularly that they "get it" when they have a discussion about endurance and breathing and dealing with fatigue at the 20 mile mark while still performing at a high level? Would the casual jogger ask the serious runner to put this into terms she or he could understand, and really receive any serious or helpful response, other than "you have to go out and do it yourself to understand"? The two people both do the same activity, but with such different goals and levels of training that the same words mean very, very different things to each.
I think I understand what you are getting at. But here's the thing, I am not an aikido hobbyist. I have approached my aikido training with a high level of involvement, intensity, curiosity, and commitment. I have seriously cross trained in other arts. Practically my whole life I have been involved in athletics and generally fascinated by movement. I am by no means the best martial artist ever… Not even close. And I don't claim to possess all the knowledge on any topic, but my martial arts training has been anything but casual.

One of my biggest criticisms of the "IP/IT/IS" crowd is that so many seem to believe the skills are an exclusive domain, or that others have never experienced or could never understand/identify what is being discussed. I simply do not believe that is the case.

-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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