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Old 08-15-2001, 06:17 PM   #4
mj
Location: livingston, scotland
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 715
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Hi again deepsoup.
I see your problem.
The main difference between Tomiki and other styles, Shodokan being Tomiki, is that Tomiki aikidoka learn aikido as a sport. What I mean is... you learn the moves and movement in the context of a sport.
The form used is, one person attacking the other with a knife to the centre of the chest, I think. In kamae, the chest is half protected, which is no good to Tomiki/Shodokan because you must present the target for it to be attacked, so you're original 'stance' is (yonho)Shizentai.

Other forms of aikido also present a target, sometimes, (as I'm sure you know, I'm not trying to give a sermon ) it's just that in Tomiki they have more concentration on the chest. So I suppose, in a way, Tomiki/Shodokan is harder, because the attack is mostly directed at your centre.
Of course, you have to remember that I'm a beginner, and this is only what I think.

When practicing aikido should your posture be:
a) shizentai
b) kamae
c) depends
d) doesn't matter
e) won't matter later on

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