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Old 02-14-2012, 03:37 PM   #36
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: Is there enough practice for 'real life' in Aikido?

You know in reality, I have dealt with very few kicks in the situations I have been in and the ones my comrades have been in. There is so much going on that feet are usually trying to keep balance and stand on. It is a fact of physics that when you are kicking you can't move. Not saying that you won't see kicks in a street situation, of course you might, but they really don't concern me too much. The only time I really see kicks is when too dudes square off in a "bar fight" and they are going through the exchange. In most fights it is a fight to control distance and mass, you really need your feet under you in order to do this.

Oh yeah, on the whole concept of "becoming one with the universe"...well we are already "one with the universe". the problem is many of us simply aren't aware that we are, or forget it.

For me it is not about becoming "one with the universe" but simply forming a better awareness of it. Not sure how martial arts really does that. It has made me aware of many of the issues surrounding why we lose sight of this, but I think there are better practices in eastern processes, methodologies for achieving this than most instructors, sensei, and shihans have the training, patiences and experience in guiding students in this area.

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