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Old 11-21-2006, 07:51 PM   #193
Tim Fong
 
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Dojo: Aunkai
Location: California
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Re: Aikido: The learning of natural movement

David,
I think you really have to consider how the movement is powered, which makes all the other things you're talking about possible.

Have you seen the national geographic documentary on the guys taking the 8th dan test? Did you notice how the guys who pass, can pick up their front foot and zoom forward to nail the opponent with a men and a fumikomi-ashi? That's no accident. They're carrying their weight primarily on the back foot. Otherwise there is no way they could pick up the front foot without leaning back.

My comment re: the uplifted heel-- like I said on e-budo, if you do this you will see that it makes it easier to open the front of the his. I believe (tentatively) that this is what the Chinese call the kua. This means that the weight goes to the back foot while the front knee bends and presents a front-leaning stance.

And I don't think it is limited to Japan and China either. I'd be very curious about the Spanish , and the Muslim systems, but that's probably beyond the scope of this discussion.
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