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Old 04-21-2009, 08:16 AM   #27
NagaBaba
 
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Re: Seishiro Endo Shihan - Montreal April 7 - 9 2009

Quote:
Alex Megann wrote: View Post
In the 1980s I attended several of Yamaguchi Sensei's classes in the UK and took ukemi from him numerous times and, although Yamaguchi's aikido was unique and singularly impressive, I believe Endo's pedagogy is clearer and more suitable for Western comprehension.
Of course, I agree, Endo sensei pedagogy is much more clearer. On Yamaguchi sensei seminars I often had impression that even Yamaguchi sensei himself didn't know what exactly he was doing LOL

However, I have impression that Endo sensei is not teaching. First he talks 15 minutes, then he takes a uke, and practice with him many combination of movements that has one or two principle in common (but a form of every movement is very different) for 5 minutes. When dojo can finally start to practice, he takes another uke and again execute other movements with him (not even techniques). Immediately, ppl sit down around him and start to admire how good he is (he was actually very surprised that in Montreal, folks tried actually to practice instead of admiring him LOL). Then he stops practice and start to talk again.
You call it well developed pedagogy? - I think we have very different definition of 'teaching'.

Quote:
Alex Megann wrote: View Post
He actually states that he isn't teaching aikido as such, but aiki, kokyu and other essentials that enable us to practise aikido. My opinion is that the essence of what Endo and Kanetsuka are teaching is one and the same.

Alex
It only confirms my point, that Endo sensei is not teaching aikido anymore, just as Kanetsuka sensei. At least Kanetsuka sensei honestly recognizes it.
I had a great pleasure to learn from Kanetsuka sensei during few years when he was still teaching aikido techniques beside some other interesting exercises. I think you need a good balance between them; otherwise it will denature the development of students. Those students, who never did any aikido techniques and practice only ‘essence' will not have a good understanding of aikido that O sensei created.

Nagababa

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