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Old 01-28-2010, 09:50 AM   #15
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
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Re: Confused... Uke Ready to Jump?

Quote:
Chris Knight wrote: View Post
Good point Steve, as Im in a beginners class i haven't really seen any full on explosive aikido as such first hand yet, as we are still literally working on the basics, and all I've seen has been probably based on youtube footage, books etc....
i know the techniques hurt like hell when applied to me, by my Sensei etc, but have just been wondering as you dont see many everyday attacks being demonstrated etc...
Well, since it is a beginners' class, presumably they are demonstrating what they want you to do and the way that they want you to do it. That being the case, the reason why they're not demonstrating "full on explosive aikido" is that the result would be many bloody noses, and yours would most likely be one of them.

This makes me think of a new student who came to our dojo recently. After his first class he was full of questions about when he would get to do the "realistic stuff". The shidoin who was teaching that class gave the explanation, which boiled down to, "When you're ready for it." The next night, after his second class, he asked the head instructor what he could do to progress faster and achieve mastery more quickly.

"You start by coming to your third class," Sensei said.

New guy hasn't been seen since.

It's all well to debate the "unrealistic" nature of aikido practice, but to paraphrase Jack Nicholson, when you're a newbie you can't handle the reality, and if you're not willing to develop the skills to do so, I guess it's better to know that sooner rather than later.
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