View Single Post
Old 11-30-2012, 10:51 AM   #251
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: Is aiki a clash of forces?

I've been to 3 Dan Harden seminars, I have a degree in physics and work 20+ years doing hands on engineering and started aikido in 1992. I really want to do this stuff and have been able to begin to manifest some aspects (I think) - I can't really even begin to explain how intent fits into a bio-mechanical model and yet can know with certainty that intent causes my flesh to move - this is a result of my meager training in the specific methods of Dan Harden.

At this stage I don't particularly care to be able use physics/engineering to explain this stuff. I don't see a linkage at this stage. I'm pretty sure that when Dan (and a great many others or high skill) use words like force and power they do not mean the same thing when used in a physics context - I'm fine with that (I'm also happy to be mistaken in this assessment).

Iteration, Krystal, (my little net-crush girl) got it exactly right and Dan says exactly the same thing - repeated failure is the key to progress. Propose a hypothesis, find it lacking, retool and repeat until truth emerges- A sound proven methodology - some call it science, some call it life and others refuse to play at some critical point and simply get left behind. My new catch phrase (I sense a new Tshirt coming) "Retool or be a tool".

To bring this right back on topic note that we still can't agree on what 'aiki' is and most are using 'force' incorrectly the topic is stillborn. Plenty of clashing tho ...

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote