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Old 09-18-2006, 02:37 PM   #47
Erick Mead
 
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Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
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Re: What is Weight Transfer(Taijuuidou)??

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Mike Sigman wrote:
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Erick Mead wrote:
Electric current and magnetic flux are mutually dependent, orthogonal in relationship, and the result of collapse of a vector potential field (virtual) into current or flux (actual). The point I am making about axis and energy conversion and virtual work as a model to see the action of takemusu aiki, holds as true for the given analogue as does the right hand rule hold true for both gyros and field/currents.
That's fine, as far as 2 independent observations go, but you haven't established any relationship. I'm assuming this is just unsupported theory, then? I.e., "one is like the other, in my opinion", etc.?
No, it is not mere opinion, but supported observation. I observe the right hand rule applying in many techniques, ikkyo particularly. It is speculative how closely the analogue holds, which is why I am still exploring it.
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Mike Sigman wrote:
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Erick Mead wrote:
In aikido, the analogue is the connection (ki musubi), which harmonizes tori/nage to uke's state at contact and allows the creation at that moment (takemusu aiki) of appropriate technique based on the detected orientation.
"Allows"??? "Allows" is nice, but how does it work? Spontaneously? As an act of God? Etc. I.e., how does it work?
Degrees of freedom. My elbow allows radial motion in one plane and torsion around its longitudinal axis about another -- two degrees of freedom. Anything that impinges force upon me constrains my freedom in some dimension. The more closely I comprehend the mix of forces applied the more I can constrain my response in the most efficient channels. The fact of planar motion in gyrodynamic terms leaves me an entire separate axis in which to act, but within that axis there are still relative degrees of efficiency in converting his energy to work. Following those lines of least effort lead one to techniques defined by the circumstances of the moment. Like surfing the breaking wave, you turn when you can, or as you get better at it, you only turn when you must -- so as to leave no remaining energy along that line of travel unused.

Do you want a form book? There isn't any. There are key principles to obey illustrated in training techniques, mainly irimi-tenkan. There are sensations of opening to be felt and followed with connection. There are critical qualites of connection to learn to feel in ki musubi, the means of connected movement in kokyu tanden ho, and connected articulation in the form of juji. These openings, pusued with these qualities lead to appropriate technique and variations on technique by choosing to follow them wherever they lead. My strategy in aiki is not not to force technique, but to lie in wait for it to appear and then follow it, no matter where it goes. The prey's mistake is to show himself to the hunter -- after that it is just chasing it to ground. It is our evolutionary specialty, if the scientists are to be believed.
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Mike Sigman wrote:
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Erick Mead wrote:
The connection does not disturb the attack, but joins with it in order to establish orientation, which then leads to a technique appropriate to that flow, and out of phase with the plane of attack.
It sounds very much like you're looking at a "learned skill" and somehow saying that it "happens because of physical laws". Or am I misreading you?
Who said it was a not a learned skill? Surfing a wave requires one to conform closely to the very large forces at play, but it is highly skilled behavior, nonetheless, in doing precisely that. Of course, I could "conform" with the wave by getting the break dropped on my head, but where's the art in that? Any durn fool can get himself caught inside. Most do, in fact.

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Mike Sigman wrote:
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Erick Mead wrote:
Only at this moment of connection is anything like "strategy" in existence, much less "tactic." And even then, the only "strategy" is to let the state of forces at play define the action to be accomplished.
The forces control what happens, Erick? You don't think there is some decision-making (i.e., "strategy") involved in what happens?
I said "define" not "control." Once the conditions are defined by the connection, one or several actions may feel apropriate, in varying degree. The refinement of my training is in intuitively picking the one most suited to the occasion. A number will work within limits, but the more I have to choose -- the poorer my reliance is on ki musubi and takemusu as opposed to formulaic technique. That is the definition of grace in action after all. It really is more like surfing -- all I want as a strategy is a good ride. And no, I do not think there is any decision-making at the point of action in proper takemusu aiki technique. The decision-making comes in practice, and more practice, and in forums like this where we decide to choose and to reinforce the response of aiki to begin with. That is, in fact, the chief power of the art, as I see it.

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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