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Old 12-06-2006, 12:53 AM   #1
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
Location: East Haven, CT
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My experience with Dan Harden

I just had the pleasure.
2 words - real deal

Okay more words about Dan:
- excellent ability, possibly the best kokyu I've ever experienced
- excellent teaching ability - it's a completely different skill and he clearly has it - and I have a lot of homework to do!
- passion - I love being around people who love martial arts as much as me or more
- control - he could have hurt me very badly at will and was very gentle with me
- extremely generous in what he offered - especially since there was no charge for the lessons
- very nice - so many folks with way less skill have so much more ego.

At this point, If I had a magic wish where I could have 10 lessons with any one - I'd do the first 9 with Dan, and then go back in time and do one with O sensei (just for the bragging rights of course).

Dan is the real deal. I love what he is doing and how he is doing it.

I'm too exhausted to elaborate further at this time. If any one has any questions for me about this experience please let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

Rob
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Old 12-06-2006, 06:55 AM   #2
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Rob,

It is so good to hear from you again! Hope you are well. Thanks for the review, and please, tell us more!

Best,
Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 12-06-2006, 11:05 PM   #3
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Hey Ron!

Work has been killing me - nearly 24/7 for a long time now. It's been cramping my style.

About Dan. I had to say I love that he has demonstrated his ability to me to instantly connect with my center while I freely attacked him. And he helped me with that sort of thing too. I'd write more but I need to practice the exercises he showed me soon or I'll get lazy and go to bed and break my promise to myself to practice them everyday.

Rob

Last edited by rob_liberti : 12-06-2006 at 11:14 PM.
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Old 12-07-2006, 03:01 PM   #4
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Good on you, for getting out, and for surviving the work crush.

Stay well,
Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 12-07-2006, 10:07 PM   #5
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Thanks Rob

The instant center on touch is a gradual build up of body work and trained skill. You can't have one without the other. Its just another example of the potentials in the body training... irrespective of techniques. Whats really going to be fun is to learn to hide your center.
First while standing still. Then in motion. They can't find you- while to you ....they feel like they are offering everything.
Then you do it with men of ever increasing skill levels.
Fun Fun.
Dan

Last edited by DH : 12-07-2006 at 10:10 PM.
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Old 12-07-2006, 10:37 PM   #6
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Ah I am so glad I looked at this thread again. I hope I expained my experience well enough!
As more comes to me, I planned to continue to post. I failed to mention the powerful leg strike that scared the hell out of me even though you (THANK GOD) clearly pulled it so I didn't break. The little chest strike you did to me was very impressive as well - especially aftere letting me punch you in the stomach as hard as I could for a while. I am greatly pleased by the clear power but also the obvious restraint (and grateful!) you showed. Thank you so much for your passion and willingness to share.

I see things this way. Good teachers get better because their students get better and start challenging them. I hope to learn what you are showing well enough to challenge my aikido teacher (Gleason sensei) a bit in ways that will really help us both out - and spread what is discovered to anyone willing to learn.

Your abilty to demonstrate your "contradictory forces" (I'm not sure I'm expressing this right) in ground skills was awesome as well. I really like anyone who can show fundimentals and give them direction. (whether it is my direction doesn't matter). But it makes ground skills remarkably more fun and interesting for sure.

Regardless, it was one of my best martial art experiences, and I am truly thankful and anxious to learn more. I've been practicing...

Thanks,
Rob
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Old 12-07-2006, 10:48 PM   #7
rob_liberti
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

ahh by the way, I also got to meet Wang Hai Jun once but I didn't have the opportunity to feel his kokyu in the ways that Dan gave me access to feel what he could do. That maybe the best thing about us Westerners! Anyway, I cannot stress how impressed I was with Dan's rare gift of being a good teacher (for me at least) as well as having something usefull to teach.

-Rob
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Old 12-10-2006, 12:04 PM   #8
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Hi Rob
THe fun part for you is going to be you going out and feeling other guys after you have been doing this for a year or two.
I not only got to feel him I had his hands on my center, mine on his pushing and feeling what we were doing on the inside. Real shop talk. Then some discussion of jins in MMA with hands on with a few guys and me explaining what we do in ground work. What a great guy.
I also got to feel power and hands all over each other with another Master level teacher. He's a 70 year old from China. Great power, great guy as well. Asked me to come live with him in China and train
Small world huh?
If you can get teachers to actually talk shop instead of "technique" its rather surprising to see some common usages-not terminology-but uses of the body.
Here?
My come back is ....if these things are supposedly known..as many here are arguing? Why can't the folks in the arts for twenty years...hell even Five years.. do them. Why haven't they been taught?

Remember the center on contact by either punching, grabbing or being punched or grabbed?
Had another guy in who was under a highly ranked old school Aikido teacher from Japan. ....he didn't have a clue. If his teacher did? Why not him? Why not the other teachers he has met?
He loved it and was amazed that in an afteroon he could be walked through the basics. He Said "I have been on the mats with some of the best. I have never felt things this clearly and then had them spelled out.
Why?"
I said "What are you asking me for."
Odd, that he....just like you, (in direct opposition to the other threads here) Agreed and said this ...IS..... AIkido.
Oh well. I'm gonna keep doing it this way. Stay small, a few guys at a time.

Hope your doing those exercises

Dan

Last edited by DH : 12-10-2006 at 12:17 PM.
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Old 12-11-2006, 09:37 PM   #9
rob_liberti
Dojo: Shobu Aikido of Connecticut
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

What Dan is doing is good aikido in that he actively moves to a position where he could do maximum damage and then choose not to. That's one of the most basic definitions of aikido.

A personal belief of mine is that the purpose of aikido is to manifest your true self. Using that definition, I don't know how many people at all are doing aikido. I can say that more quickly getting away from wasting so much time on my stability issues cannot hurt that endevor.

I think those aikido teachers I have met who actually have some of these skills don't teach that aspect as directly simply because they weren't taught it that directly.

Now that I have a todler, I find I have less time to practice with others, but I do have a lot of time to work solo training while he plays on a swing set, or with trains, etc. I just got to try to do those exercises in a wave pool in Cape Cod on vacation (while my wife was holding him in the low end). Standing exercises in a wave pool takes concentration.

Anyway, the more I work what Dan showed me, the more I see important connections to my aikido waza. I'll wait until I take a few corrections from both Dan and Gleason sensei before I post about these ideas.

Rob
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Old 12-12-2006, 06:33 AM   #10
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Hey Rob

I have a few more guys and gals who want to get started. Now that the meet and greet is over, I was thinking of setting up a workshop. I don't want to do it here or in an "affiliated" dojo of any kind.
I was thinkning of renting a hotel conf room. The people are mixed from CMA, MMA and Aikido. In sweats, in a neutral room they may feel less martial artsy and start to actually think.......... outside their boxes. I want to make it practical and have an all day event.
Would you or your group come here?
Dan

Last edited by DH : 12-12-2006 at 06:43 AM.
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Old 12-12-2006, 07:02 AM   #11
Ron Tisdale
Dojo: Doshinkan dojo in Roxborough, Pa
Location: Phila. Pa
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Hi Dan, would you mind an extra visitor? I think I'm up for a trip now....

Best,
Ron

Ron Tisdale
-----------------------
"The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind."
St. Bonaventure (ca. 1221-1274)
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Old 12-12-2006, 08:23 AM   #12
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

No you suck........

Of course you ninny.
I'd layout the red carpet for you.
And I mean that. I always liked your style

Dasn
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Old 12-12-2006, 10:26 AM   #13
rob_liberti
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

If at all possible I'll make any event you are having and would recommend it to anyone. Unfortunately, since my work schedule is the worst it's ever been, the more the notice about when the better. I would suggest you require pre-registeration and pre-payment. Heck, do it at the Cape Codder, they have a wave pool!

Hope to see you there Ron. - Rob
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Old 12-12-2006, 11:33 AM   #14
MM
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Quote:
Rob Liberti wrote:
Ah I am so glad I looked at this thread again. I hope I expained my experience well enough!
As more comes to me, I planned to continue to post. I failed to mention the powerful leg strike that scared the hell out of me even though you (THANK GOD) clearly pulled it so I didn't break.
HA! I'm glad I wasn't the only one that felt like that. LOL!

Quote:
Rob Liberti wrote:
Regardless, it was one of my best martial art experiences, and I am truly thankful and anxious to learn more. I've been practicing...

Thanks,
Rob
Yes, I'll second that!

Mark
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Old 12-12-2006, 11:37 AM   #15
MM
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Hi Dan,
If I could make it, would you mind if I came up, too?

Thanks,
Mark
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Old 12-12-2006, 01:10 PM   #16
mjchip
Dojo: Aikido Jinsei Dojo
Location: Chelmsford, MA
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

I'd love to come as well.

Mark
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Old 12-12-2006, 01:36 PM   #17
mjchip
Dojo: Aikido Jinsei Dojo
Location: Chelmsford, MA
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Quote:
Mark Chiappetta wrote:
I'd love to come as well.

Mark
Oops, it's too late to edit but I would also offer the use of my space if you are interested Dan. It's in Chelmsford, MA (off of Rt. 27). I know you said that you didn't want to do it in an "affiliated" dojo but in case you want some FREE space that can be used in an informal way, it's yours.

Mark

Last edited by mjchip : 12-12-2006 at 01:48 PM.
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Old 12-12-2006, 01:46 PM   #18
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Ouch!!

Ok Closed.....I don't want to do a seminar. I want to have fun- not have to prepare a presesntation.
I have about fifteen emails already. I though this was going to be just us guys.
So...OK the people who wrote and I responded to are in
The three I haven't responded to yet OK to...you know who you are
Mark and Mark Yes of course.
Mark M. We can to make it a two day affair for you privately so you have some training for traveling so far.

Mark C. I remember you writing me before and I got a call just yesterday from someone vouchng for you. I trust him very much. So great.

To all of use locals most of you have my number we need to start to yak. It would be far better to train once a month or so together. We all live within an hour of each other. How dumb are we?
Its just going to be a get together to work and trade information.
I don't teach.... I'll share. No style talk so no one has to think of how to fit this training into what YOU do. That way each of us won't have to pretend to care and fall asleep listening to each others expertise we don't have.
Wear sweats be style anonymous.
Cheers
Dan

Last edited by DH : 12-12-2006 at 01:50 PM.
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Old 12-12-2006, 01:50 PM   #19
mjchip
Dojo: Aikido Jinsei Dojo
Location: Chelmsford, MA
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote:
Ouch!!

Ok Closed.....I don't want to do a seminar. I want to have fun- not have to prepare a presesntation.
I have about fifteen emails already. I though this was going to be just us guys.
So...OK the people who wrote and I responded to are in
The three I haven't responded to yet OK to...you know who you are
Mark and Mark Yes of course.
Mark M. We can to make it a two day affair for you privately so you have some training for traveling so far.

Mark C. I remember you writing me before and I got a call just yesterday from someone vouchng for you. I trust him very much. So great.

To all of use locals most of you have my number we need to start to yak. It would be far better to train once a month or so together. We all live within an hour of each other. How dumb are we?
Its just going to be a get together to work and trade information.
I don't teach.... I'll share.
Cheers
Dan
Thank you. I'm really looking forward to this. I'll PM you my contact information.

Mark
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Old 12-12-2006, 01:55 PM   #20
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Mark write me privately. We should get together maybe before hand. It will give ..you... a leg-up. Some of the people have trained with me before, others have trained with Ark or Mike. That way you can have a little basic expectation. Meet and greets are a pain... and we can get past that hoo ha one. You'll have fun. We laugh allot. I can't stay serious for very long.
Some guys are thinking of hooking up next week at my place outside of this shindig.

Write me here and tell me what you are looking for blah blah blah

Dan
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Old 12-12-2006, 02:04 PM   #21
mjchip
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Quote:
Dan Harden wrote:
Mark write me privately. We should get together maybe before hand. It will give ..you... a leg-up. Some of the people have trained with me before, others have trained with Ark or Mike. That way you can have a little basic expectation. Meet and greets are a pain... and we can get past that hoo ha one. You'll have fun. We laugh allot. I can't stay serious for very long.
Some guys are thinking of hooking up next week at my place outside of this shindig.

Write me here and tell me what you are looking for blah blah blah

Dan
Will do. Watch your PMs.

Mark
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Old 12-18-2006, 11:23 AM   #22
mjchip
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Quote:
Mark Chiappetta wrote:
Will do. Watch your PMs.

Mark
Dan,

I sent you a PM a few days back. Did you receive it?

Mark
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Old 12-18-2006, 02:35 PM   #23
DH
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Re: My experience with Dan Harden

Sorry Mark
Tight deadlines. I'll write tonight.
Dan
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