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Old 07-18-2003, 03:03 PM   #1
AikiWeb System
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7/18/2003 2:59pm [from Jun Akiyama]
Website: http://www.ccvfilm.com/

Richard Moon (5th dan, Aikido of Marin, City Aikido) has released a DVD entitled, "Aikido in Three Easy Lessons." The CCV Film website describes the DVD as, "Based on the popular book by Richard Moon, Aikido In Three Easy Lessons is a movie on DVD that teaches powerful life skills from Aikido, the Art of Peace." You can see the trailer for the DVD here.
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Old 07-18-2003, 03:08 PM   #2
shihonage
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I larned speling in 3 ez lesons its workin out greit.
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Old 07-18-2003, 06:11 PM   #3
mj
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One of the cheapest Aiki products I have ever seen advertised.

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Old 07-23-2003, 01:40 PM   #4
shihonage
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I have ordered this DVD a moment ago, because I want to write a scathing review of it.

IMO, trying to lure people into Aikido PRIMARILY by it's "beneficial social side-effects" is wrong, because people will start primarily looking for these side-effects, while forgetting the fact that without sincere training, they won't find any.

P.S. They misspelled the name of O Sensei on their page.
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Old 07-23-2003, 02:51 PM   #5
Erik
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Quote:
Aleksey S (shihonage) wrote:
IMO, trying to lure people into Aikido PRIMARILY by it's "beneficial social side-effects" is wrong, because people will start primarily looking for these side-effects, while forgetting the fact that without sincere training, they won't find any.

I've found it to be the other way around. You either look for, and work on something, or you don't. If you do, then you might derive the benefits you hope to achieve, if you don't, then unless you get lucky or have good genetics then you don't. There might, however, be more than one method of working on something and many different levels of there to get to.

This is just my own experience but I've not seen the slightest evidence that sincere (I presume you mean martial) training produces anything but people who can do that type of training and it can have very unpleasant side-effects as well. On the other hand, I've seen no evidence that pure spiritual-seeking as such, produces anything remotely related to martial skills.

To be honest, I've always found this an amusing dichotomy with our art. On the one hand, we have people who think love and harmony will allow them to lovingly disarm a 6' 200+ pound coked out guy and on the other end are those who feel that if they throw their uke so hard they plow 3' into the ground they will become a more peaceful person than those who only put them 1' into the ground. Better harmony through harder contact.

What really amuses me is how much the two extremes dislike each other.

http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung/...smiley-026.gif

Last edited by Erik : 07-23-2003 at 03:03 PM.
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Old 07-23-2003, 03:32 PM   #6
shihonage
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Well, the peace-loving hippy who reaches shodan and is unable to do a mune tsuki that actually connects, is a massive failure in training, to paraphrase another poster on these forums.

Nobody's asking for hard throws - just honest training would suffice.
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Old 07-24-2003, 12:11 AM   #7
adrian
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What a crap, never seen such a thing, ,no wonder people dont believe in Aikido and think of it to be some dancing stuff.

Frankly i've watched a few randori movies os some Senseis and never seen something really honest. But THIS is a real crap.
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Old 07-24-2003, 12:43 AM   #8
YEME
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here I was contemplating quitting because I don't feel I'm getting anywhere with my aikido...

and then I get to see this fine footage of downward strikes that aim for nowhere in particular...and I've seen better throws in an episode of Get Smart.

so i'm starting to feel a little better.still not utterly convinced that I should renew membership but somehow heartened by the exposure to this hack...

remind me to send this man a thank-you note.

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.
--Isaac Asimov

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Old 07-24-2003, 01:19 AM   #9
Erik
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Quote:
Aleksey S (shihonage) wrote:
Well, the peace-loving hippy who reaches shodan and is unable to do a mune tsuki that actually connects, is a massive failure in training, to paraphrase another poster on these forums.

Nobody's asking for hard throws - just honest training would suffice.
I don't disagree with this.

By the way, look out for a PM.
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Old 07-24-2003, 05:34 AM   #10
Michael Willers
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When you check our the trailer, watch the ukes -- each one seems to take a fall without feeling "the need," i.e., they have offered up their arm and hit the ground without any technique or power on nage's part.

People ask, "Will Aikido work?" Not this kind of Aikido.

Why is aikiweb trying to peddle this hogwash to us?
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Old 07-24-2003, 07:11 AM   #11
Carl Simard
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OH NO!!!

It means I have attained and paid for hundreds of class for nothing!!! I could have learned everything in 3 lessons!!! And in an easy way, no more hard, sweating training 3 times a week!!!

So, I will left the dojo, buy this DVD, and learn evrything in 3 lessons sitting on the sofa.

I let you guys continue learning the hard way!!!
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Old 07-24-2003, 08:10 AM   #12
JimAde
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Ok. Devil's advocate time.

I have never heard of this gentleman before and have never read his book, seen the whole DVD or any of that good stuff.

I'd just like to say that it's sometimes really hard to both do good randori and get it on film correctly.

I'm also curious what the "3 easy lessons" are. From the little bit of info on the site, I suspect the book is about applying Aiki principles to daily life, not actual Aikido technique. I could be mistaken.

I agree that the techniques shown aren't the most convincing or informative I've ever seen, but is that what the DVD is about?

And I don't think Jun is trying to "peddle" this DVD, just serving as a source of info and letting us judge for ourselves. His post didn't say "run right out and buy it."

Remember: No matter where you go...There you are.
-Buckaroo Banzai
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Old 07-24-2003, 08:37 AM   #13
justinm
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Hey, you are all being rather harsh! I've certainly heard of Richard Moon sensei, and I believe he is a very well respected teacher. Although I have never met him, I would very much like to, based on his writing. And this is from a Yosh guy.

What I saw in the video trailer is very different to how I train, but I am sure I could learn a lot from the DVD.

The 3 easy lessons as described on the Aikido of Marin website barely touch on aikido 'technique' as I understand it, so if that is what you are looking for, I am afraid you are just going to have to get down the dojo for that bit, however I do not think that is the purpose of the 3 lessons.

Justin

Justin McCarthy
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Old 07-24-2003, 09:16 AM   #14
Larry Feldman
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I have met Richard Moon, and trained with him at one of his seminars about 14+ years ago. He had a way of teaching 'freestyle' Aikido that I found interesting, especially since I train in a very structured style (then and)now. I recently thought about trying to get back into some of the things he showed.

His Aikido was good, he is the real thing - and he was an interesting guy. I enjoyed meeting and training with him.

I know he has done work for a long time with a lot of people and organizations about 'Aikido off the mat'.

People come to Aikido for a lot of reasons. Some stay for reasons that they never imagined when they started. Some find their practice affecting their life 'off the mat' - a wonderful thing.

I don't have the DVD, I don't get a royalty, so I don't care if you buy it or not. Be happy Jun is letting you know what is commercially available in the Aikido world, information that is not always readily available.

Aleksey from your post it looks like you are in the San Francisco area. If you have any doubts about Richard's Aikido, why not just go check out one of his classes.
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Old 07-24-2003, 01:08 PM   #15
shihonage
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Quote:
Larry Feldman wrote:
Aleksey from your post it looks like you are in the San Francisco area. If you have any doubts about Richard's Aikido, why not just go check out one of his classes.
This is not about this particular instructor's level of proficiency in Aikido.

This is about the level of proficiency in Aikido of the people who will start studying it based on the "social effects" that he seems to be using to sell Aikido.

These people are going to be given the wrong idea about Aikido from the very start, and thanks to people like him, this art will get more and more polluted by men and women who view it as something coming from a new-age spirituality fad, and before you know it, any remains of martial effectiveness in the art will be lost for good.

In 10 years, we'll have an art which combines Aikido and Feng Shui for ultimate enlightement in the comfort of your own home.

Only 3 easy payments of $39.95 .

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Old 07-24-2003, 01:29 PM   #16
Qatana
 
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And they will start studying it and find out for themselves whether it will give them what they are looking for. If it works for them why do you have a problem with hteir reasons for training?

But of course you know much better about Aikido and what it is for than someone who has been studying and teaching it since before you were born.

If you want to train so you can kick ass, thats your busines. If i want to train because it might make me a more functional human being, that is MY business.

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
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"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 07-24-2003, 01:53 PM   #17
shihonage
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Quote:
Jo Adell (Qatana) wrote:
And they will start studying it and find out for themselves whether it will give them what they are looking for. If it works for them why do you have a problem with their reasons for training?
Their reasons are none of my concern.

No one can be denied their freedom in studying whatever they want.

However it can not be denied that a large influx of people who will treat Aikido like it is Tai Chi will eventually result in some of them becoming instructors who will eventually be teaching the (formerly) martial art of Aikido like it is Tai Chi.

There's nothing I can do to stop this from happening, but I surely do find it upsetting when I see people actually, willingly, pushing the process along.

As for your comparison of knowledge, it is not entirely relevant.

To make a grossly overemphasized analogy,

Adolf Hitler knew a lot more about warfare than I can ever possibly do.

However that does not disqualify me from passing judgement on the fact that his actions in the said field were terribly wrong.

Last edited by shihonage : 07-24-2003 at 01:58 PM.
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Old 07-24-2003, 02:32 PM   #18
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my comparison of knowledge is not relevant? what exactly Qualifies you to "pass judgement" on Any situation or person?

the word "Judgement" in my dictionary (Oxford English) is defined as "informed decision"

Exactly how much experience of Tai Chi or Feng Shui do you have?

"judgement" also implies right or wrong. SO once again i ask, are you sure you have the right to decide for other people that their decision to practice aikido for other reasons that your own as "wrong" or do you simply have an opinion?

did Hitler have Anything to do with what actually went on on the battlefields? I never heard anything about him as a military leader...not that i studied it so will not pass judgement on your opinion of his military skills.

Q
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"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 07-24-2003, 03:04 PM   #19
Erik
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Quote:
Jo Adell (Qatana) wrote:
did Hitler have Anything to do with what actually went on on the battlefields? I never heard anything about him as a military leader...not that i studied it so will not pass judgement on your opinion of his military skills.
He was pretty much an idiot. What he did have was a willingness to go one step further than the other guy thought he would. Or, perhaps more accurately, the other guys misjudged his willingness to go there. He had a few notable moments, and he did make, or approve, many of the major decisions (many of them bad, some good), but I don't think he knew very much about battlefield tactics. Far more often he would say something like "what is needed is National Socialist ardor". This while it's getting really cold in the USSR and their winter wear may as well have come from a company based in Honolulu.

Actually, I think Aleksey has a full-on right to state his opinion regardless of rank or experience. I've never liked limiting someone's comments because often it's those with less experience that see things more clearly than those more fully indoctrinated.
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Old 07-24-2003, 03:15 PM   #20
shihonage
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Quote:
Jo Adell (Qatana) wrote:
Exactly how much experience of Tai Chi or Feng Shui do you have?

"judgement" also implies right or wrong. SO once again i ask, are you sure you have the right to decide for other people that their decision to practice aikido for other reasons that your own as "wrong" or do you simply have an opinion?

did Hitler have Anything to do with what actually went on on the battlefields? I never heard anything about him as a military leader...not that i studied it so will not pass judgement on your opinion of his military skills.
1) I only have attended one class of ballroom dancing, but that is enough information for me to know that Aikido is not, in fact, ballroom dancing.

I have seen numerous other people study Tai Chi, and I have read enough about it, as well as Feng Shui, in order to know that they bear absolutely no relevance to a martial art.

2) Okay, I was not aware of this many semantic differences. Good job hunting down a Russian with a vocabulary.

I therefore rephrase my "passing judgement" as "making a judgement for one's self on which they shall base their future actions", or perhaps "forming a solid opinion".

3) Once again, this is just a matter of phrasing. I could say that I'm not a big scholar of fascism, at which Hitler was far more adept, and yet I can decide for myself that I want to be nowhere near it.

It seems that my post has struck a nerve, likely somewhere in your knee.

Once again, I'm not against preventing anyone from studying anything they want.

I'm against misdirected advertising, however.

Last edited by shihonage : 07-24-2003 at 03:19 PM.
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Old 07-24-2003, 04:07 PM   #21
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but to people who study Aikido to be functional human beings, they are not being misdirected. if they chose to use Aikido as a spiritual path, and a teacher is providing access to that path, how is this misdirection?

you have every right to your opinion, and to express it. but you cannot decide for another person, whom you have no experience of, that their chosen path, which you have no experience of, is wrong.

who ever said Aikido and ballroom had any similarity?

and i'm sure that the proper placement and handling of tea, flowers,calligraphy, obi,pottery or the like had absolutely nothing to do with Budo?

and if my Sensei says Tai Chi is a Martial Art and Aikido is a spiritual practice, well thats His opinion and you don't have to agree with it or train with him.

Q
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Old 07-24-2003, 04:56 PM   #22
shihonage
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Quote:
Jo Adell (Qatana) wrote:
you cannot decide for another person, whom you have no experience of, that their chosen path, which you have no experience of, is wrong.
Of course here I could follow your example, and ask "What do you know about me in order to judge what I do and don't have an experience of ?", etc etc and the game of wordplay goes on forever until the argument degenerates into something comically abstract.

But I digress. Have it your way.

Last edited by shihonage : 07-24-2003 at 05:03 PM.
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Old 07-24-2003, 05:09 PM   #23
Qatana
 
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Because you said

"I have seen numerous other people study Tai Chi, and I have read enough about it, as well as Feng Shui, in order to know that they bear absolutely no relevance to a martial art."

and didn't say

"because i know from experience, having studied both these practices"

Q
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"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 07-24-2003, 05:13 PM   #24
Qatana
 
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and i'm sure i never said anywhere that i considered feng shui a martial art, you lumped them together.i assume you consider people who practice feng shui (and BTW< i don't, really) and Tai Chi( which i do) are new age nutcases, and that if they want to study aikido, it is for all the wrong reasons.

and the funny thing is that both of them, martial art or not, are so much older than aikido.

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
www.knot-working.com

"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
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Old 07-24-2003, 05:24 PM   #25
shihonage
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Quote:
Jo Adell (Qatana) wrote:
Because you said

"I have seen numerous other people study Tai Chi, and I have read enough about it, as well as Feng Shui, in order to know that they bear absolutely no relevance to a martial art."

and didn't say

"because i know from experience, having studied both these practices"
Thats because your quote applied to "people who choose spiritual path in Aikido", and I replied to you in that context.

Now you choose to juggle things around again.

I've encountered your type of arguing tactics many times before, and having recognized you as a person using such tactics, I therefore refrained from further argument.

You win. Cheers.
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