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Old 01-27-2011, 05:26 PM   #178
RonRagusa
Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 824
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Re: Aikido training - Why are you searching for internal strength?

Quote:
Gary Welborn wrote: View Post
To answer Diana question about Koichi Tohei Sensei teaching in the early days…..I lived that and he had stuff none of us had. He gave us some simple tests to do to support the idea of relax, weight underside, extending and keeping one point…..these were essentially viewed as warm-ups by most and the progressive pressure needed to get really good at it was not there.
Hi Gary -

I can't comment on Tohei sensei having not started Aikido until 1977 or thereabouts. However I do remember Maruyama sensei stressing that the Ki tests were also tools for strengthening one point and developing correct feeling which could then be applied in the practice of technique. To that end we always practiced Ki development exercises with pressure appropriate to the level of the student. As we grew stronger we applied progressively greater amounts of force in the exercises. Mary and I have continued to stress this area of training since leaving Kokikai in 2001. Over the years we have added to the Ki exercise syllabus in order to more fully develop correct feeling.

Best,

Ron
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