Thread: Ma-ai
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Old 09-29-2003, 08:43 PM   #15
David Yap
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 561
Malaysia
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Quote:
Dave Organ (DaveO) wrote:
Something bugs me a bit:

People always seem to talk about ma-ai as a technique - as in doing ma-ai or "Nage ma-ai's" in response to something, etc.

Please correct me if I'm wrong; but isn't ma-ai more of a concept rather than a technique? "Concept" isn't the right word; perhaps "constant consideration" would be better. (snipped>
Dave,

Totally agree with that "Ma-ai" is more of a concept. I would say that it also a "technique". Most Westerners perceive that ma-ai is all about distancing and hence timing - as one judges how fast a strike or a kick will arrive from the position of the attacker. In the orient, ma-ai is also about proportion - as in calligraphy, an artist makes a mental plot of the various characters required to be place on a place of paper and he will then write the characters to the size that he has mentally mapped out. The concept of ma-ai in MA is about JUDGMENT - as you would judge the distance between the attacker and the defender (to ascertain timing), you judge the height and physical build of the attacker (to ascertain the footwork required or the force required to off-balance the attacker). Hence, a martial artist who has learned ma-ai (the technique) will learn calmness and learn to economize his energy.

Just my two sen.

Regards

David Y
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