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Old 10-01-2009, 10:15 AM   #12
Aikibu
Dojo: West Wind Dojo Santa Monica California
Location: Malibu, California
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,295
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Re: How does Aikido work?

Quote:
Kevin Leavitt wrote: View Post
Good stuff Larry and Chris.

Aikido as a weapon...interesting concept and quesiton posed.

I think what when we look at it this way we are combining two things: The physical and the conceptual.

Weapons to me are tangible and physical, not conceptual. Semantics? maybe some...

So...Aikido as a weapon does not work for me as Aikido is conceptual application.

A weapon is tangible, hand, knife, stick, gun....

those weapons as Chris points out have properties and characteristics that give them various tactical advantages/disadvantages.

Where does Aikido come into play as conceptual?

Well it is the strategy or tactics of employing that weapon system (or could be).

I think though that this is also not correct because typically, I say TYPICALLY, aikido is NOT generally taught with such a narrow focus such as tactical employment of a weapon system, but as an overall DO or WAY that is more concerned with over-arching principles rather than tactical employment of a weapon system.

Sure, there are linkages, but what a VERY ineffcient way to learn how to use a weapon system!

I really have found it useful and important to distingush between the two methods of approach...that is...tactics vice "WAY" "DO" or "ART".

Sure, we can take an intergrated approach to study and it is helpful to understand etiology. Heck Ellis just wrote a very wonderful book on this process!

However, I think a big part of the problem is alot of folks confuse the processes, methodolgies and it becomes convoluted for them and then they experience dissonance when their buddy at work says "show me how this works"...and then we are trying to apply a limited, conceptual solution to a tactical/situaitonal problem..which is really quite illogical when you look at it for what it really is.

This is why in the Army we always stress from day one when teaching Combatives...

"The winner of a hand to hand fight is the guy whose buddy shows up first with a gun."
I understand your point here....My premise is simple and is echoed by several Aikido Shihan...Practicing Aikido "conceptual solutions" apart from it's employment as a "weapons system" means you can no longer consider it a Martial Art/ Budo and is basically....pointless...

In other (so many) words You cannot have "concepts" without first having a "weapon" to employ.As an aside, Perhaps this is why Shoji Nishio places such a huge emphasis on weapons...All of our Tai-Jitsu is based on the Sword.

In fact my opinion is the more folks continue to try separate Aikido's concepts from it's "weapons" the more Aikido will continue to diminish as a valid "Do" or "Way."

All the Gendai Arts are basically structured along the same "concepts" so I ask the dear reader...what is next? Karate without a punch? Judo without a throw?

Now let me be clear that is not to say that if one chooses to practice Aikido from just a conceptual point of view They will gain nothing from it. It depends on what your goals are with it or 'how you want it to work for you". This may seem like a contradiction to my earlier statement about it being pointless but people like Kevin (and I would like to think me in a certain sense LOL) are warriors who are striving to serve and protect something greater than just themselves...and have a great need to be familiar and well versed in every aspect of the art of "defense".

Which of course should be the topic of another Thread "Who do you serve with your practice?"

William Hazen

Last edited by Aikibu : 10-01-2009 at 10:17 AM.
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