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Old 11-20-2010, 04:12 AM   #2
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: Next Internal Training Seminar?

Hi Brett,

I can't help you with where these guys might be delivering their next training, as I am on another continent.

When you say you want to focus exclusively on building the proper foundation for later skills, what does that mean? What art do you practice at the moment? Are you looking to enhance what you already do or are you looking to practice these skills in isolation of a particular MA.

Of the three guys you mention, I have been to one of Mike's workshops. I proved to be a very useful weekend for me and well worth the time cost and effort. Mike presents what he has in a very clear, systematic and engaging way. Although what Mike does is deeply rooted in the Chinese systems, for me it translated very well into my understanding of how aikido works. It also gave me a really useful language to help explain to my students, what is actually happening in the mind body system, when in a state of co-ordinated movement.

My question is, I wonder how much someone would gain from visiting these guys, if they are not pretty profficient in something like tai chi or aikido already? Also If you have practiced anything which has built up a muscle memory that includes the use of your shoulders to make something work, you are going to struggle putting Mike's material into practice. That is the one 'lightbulb' moment I had at the workshop. After many years of practicing ki aikido I thought that I had already achieved a pretty relaxed set of shoulders, but I found a level beyond (thanks Andrea ) which I continue to build on today.

Good luck with you search for a suitable seminar, I would love to get some hands on time with Dan at some point (when are you coming to Europe Dan? c'mon you know you wanna )

regards

Mark

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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