View Single Post
Old 09-06-2013, 08:56 AM   #6
oisin bourke
 
oisin bourke's Avatar
Dojo: Muden Juku, Ireland
Location: Kilkenny
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 359
Ireland
Offline
Re: YouTube: Nobuyoshi Tamura in Linz, Austria, 2001

Quote:
Jonathan Wong wrote: View Post
Tamura Sensei is one of my all-time favorites.

I've thought about that too. What made me think about it was that the skill he shows in his partner weapons stuff (jo as well as bokken) is amazing. I think there is something to this question, and I wonder if the Kuroda connection is only part of the answer as to where that skill came from.

The other thing that is unusual about him is the emphasis on qigong that he had. He discussed it in interviews, and spent a lot of time on it in some of the videos of seminars he taught (like having the class do the Eight Brocades). Clearly he believed (I think he is right on) that picking up such types of trainings is congruent with O-sensei's teachings-- but that does not answer the question of in particular what trainings he looked into, and who/what were his sources of education in them.

Regarding the other thing, where he stops students and shows a correction. I know from a Western point of view this is pretty bad teaching. But, I think it is a step up from how he was taught-- that's another way to look at it. He is actually making very clear demonstrations in my opinion. Mostly, when people don't "move from their center" he naturally stops their efforts. He does yield several times in the videos I've seen, when people do better, indicating that he isn't simply being a jerk.
My favorite thing he does is that sometimes he shows something wrong, and uke doesn't move. Then, he does it right. So I think he is being a pretty nice teacher actually. (I'll have to find an example)
But ultimately, I agree that he is leaving it up to the student to fill in the very big blank of "what is the difference between what he is doing and 'regular' movement?"
I don't have a problem with non-verbal teaching, in fact I think that's necessary. What Tamura seems to do is, (as you pointed out) block students when they do technique wrong, then execute the technique correctly, but he doesn't guide the students through the correct technique. He gives them a feel, and then off you go.

But this is my personal opinion on the method.

I remember him talking about Qi Gong. He talked about "looking inside one's body" which I thought was a fascinating idea. Does anyone know where and from whom he learned Qi Gong?

In any event, he uses his body in a fascinating way. Well worth attention by aiki practicioners IMO

Quote:
Alex Megann wrote: View Post
I believe Tamura Sensei studied for a while with Tetsuzan Kuroda in his latter years, which might well have changed his movement:

It Had to Be Felt #31: Tamura Nobuyoshi: The Sharp Blade, by Leo Tamaki
Thanks for that. I thought Tamura's suwari techniques in the video were a bit evocative of Kuroda's movements. Whether that's coincidence or not, I couldn't say.
  Reply With Quote