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Old 04-24-2010, 08:15 AM   #16
Marc Abrams
Dojo: Aikido Arts of Shin Budo Kai/ Bedford Hills, New York
Location: New York
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,302
United_States
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Re: Training/sparring versus who can kick butt

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote: View Post
Of course you can talk your way around things and make yourself feel good. Another possibility is if you have demonstrated Internal power to real experts, and whether you go out to test it with strangers. Fighting with IP/Aikido does NOT feel like normal fighting. As one recent fellow...with an interesting fight record of his own stated.."What the hell is that? I've never felt anything like that"
So, an interesting question arises. Can you play with internal people and they recognize IP in you?
Can you actually fight, and men who fight recognize they are...in one, and that you feel and move differently.
All of which defies winning and losing as validation points as well as bravado, and defines a quality of movement and application in the encounter.
The question of whether or not anyone... can... fight isn't the issue now. It is a question of can you use IP/Aiki in a fight and have the aiki recognized as feeling unusual....instantly.

I think there is a lot of obfuscating on very simple points with some internal people sounding just like Aikido people who cannot deliver their arts aiki, cleanly ...under pressure. SSDD.
Most grapplers have no issues with winning and losiing on any given day. it's all part of the game. Many TMA people have an attachment to needing to win to validate something or other...or avoiding real pressure out of fear.
Dan
Dan:

You pointed out the larger issue of separating the ego associated with winning and losing from what the encounter should be about. I think it is simply too difficult for most of us "common folks" to understand the proper feelings inside ourselves with solo work, let alone testing these skills under more realistic conditions. We are presented with two "sides." One which is not really interested in testing out these skills within a kumite like setting and the other side which says that it is necessary to really see if the skills are genuinely applicable. I frankly have found you to do an excellent job in allowing me to feel what I should be beginning to feel and balance that with the feelings associated with falling back on the non-ip stuff when pushed. As an old wrastler, I do enjoy seeing where my sh*t works and fails to try and better understand and control what happens inside of me during encounters with others. The solo work is critical. I think that the difficult aspect is in the transition to more realistic testing environments. Do you have a set progression with people in this area? Or, is it more individualized, based upon what you see in the person you are working with?

Regards,

marc abrams
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