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Old 10-04-2015, 01:25 PM   #1
Peter Boylan
Join Date: Aug 2001
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Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

Some styles have secret techniques, while others have particular techniques that they seem to specialize in. Which do you think is more effective? My thoughts are at
http://budobum.blogspot.com/2015/09/...-itto-ryu.html

Peter Boylan
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http://www.budogu.com
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Old 10-04-2015, 04:35 PM   #2
Garth Jones
Dojo: Allegheny Aikido
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

Interesting. In the case of Rhonda Rousey, she's extraordinarily polished at what she does, but that is backed up by speed, power, and an absolute determination to win. And that last is the most important, I think. After all, her most recent opponent so infuriated her with comments about suicide (Rousey's father committed suicide when she was a little girl) that she pretty much charged across the space and beat the woman down. No judo at all.

But yes, a technique that is so practiced, so ingrained that it just comes out right every time, can be hard to defeat.
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Old 10-04-2015, 04:45 PM   #3
Rupert Atkinson
 
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

For techniques, the 'hidden' secret is simply to be really good at whatever technique you target and that means pratice practice practice. In Aikido, the only secret 'technique' is aiki. Before I started Aikido I too thought there was some secret method whereby the weak can overcome the strong. The catch is: the 'hidden' is that you become strong, fast, and coordinated in the process - as long as you train well. But Aikido has aiki - that is our open secret. Open because it is out there, secret because no one can do it. Lost because no one even chases it; everyone just becomes immersed in the grading paradigm.

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Old 10-04-2015, 05:28 PM   #4
Demetrio Cereijo
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7DnFGdqT8c
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Old 10-04-2015, 09:18 PM   #5
ryback
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

Quote:
Rupert Atkinson wrote: View Post
For techniques, the 'hidden' secret is simply to be really good at whatever technique you target and that means pratice practice practice. In Aikido, the only secret 'technique' is aiki. Before I started Aikido I too thought there was some secret method whereby the weak can overcome the strong. The catch is: the 'hidden' is that you become strong, fast, and coordinated in the process - as long as you train well. But Aikido has aiki - that is our open secret. Open because it is out there, secret because no one can do it. Lost because no one even chases it; everyone just becomes immersed in the grading paradigm.
Right to the point. Couldn't agree more!
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Old 10-05-2015, 06:56 AM   #6
jdm4life
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

Whatever works.
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Old 10-05-2015, 08:48 AM   #7
jonreading
 
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

+ Rupert.

I think specialty technique refers to that which one has practiced to a point of specialty (an expertise which surpasses general knowledge). I think secret refers to the methodology by which you can successfully understand and unravel why [any given] movement works.

For example, I know several judo players who have practiced a routine that they employee in competition. They have practiced the routine to a point where they can execute it almost without thought and beyond the regular expectation of identifying a series of techniques and stringing them together into an attach sequence. Likewise, one could study the technique series but be confounded by designing the proper response to unravel the attack sequence and defend it. The catch being that designing the defense is easier if you are more familiar with the attack... Rhonda Rousey is a good example because when she climbs into the ring, everyone knows what she will do... her opponents just can't unravel that attack... There are other sport fighters that fit the bill, Matt Hughes, GSP, BJ Penn, Johnny Hendricks... You know exactly what they are gonna do, but it's tough to stop 'em.

From an aikido perspective, I think Rupert nailed it. I think our specialty is "aiki" and right now the number of people doing "aiki" and successfully communicating it is few and far between. Our secret requires that we first have something to keep secret...

Jon Reading
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Old 10-05-2015, 05:10 PM   #8
rugwithlegs
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

Always nice to have a surprise, but that cannot be counted on all the time. A solid broad based specialty is better than a narrow specialty of limited applicability. My specialty coming as a surprise is probably the best.

If someone has a secret, and they've killed everyone they've fought and killed all the witnesses, destroyed the battle field - they still have a secret. Today, in competitions or non-lethal easily videoed events, there are no secrets for long. While Aikido was called secret in the rules for practice, we are now a predominantly non-lethal art so people can eventually see what we'll do or what our technique looks like, and remember or communicate this.

Because we are a Doh, we continue to train. After years of practice, I should look different and move differently. Military or paramilitary groups get much less training time, less time to revise tactics, and they need to function in a larger group. So, secrets still have their place. We can look at how a Judo competitor moves and read up on their preferred movements and think about what to expect. It's a game. SWAT tactics probably should be treated as secret.
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Old 10-11-2015, 05:38 AM   #9
Amir Krause
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Re: Secret Techniques or Specialty Techniques: Which are better

As the saying goes (slight paraphrase):
"fear not he who knows a million techniques practiced a dozen times,
but he who practiced a dozen techniques a million times"

Secret Techniques are a juvenile / movie perception, while there are "Ura" variations in weapons kata, which is the factual base for this legend. Most of those are rather obvious once one has sufficient level and a grasp of the principles.

In practice, almost all martial art secrets are shown daily, and are open for all to steal, especially today. But, to be able to grasp what you see, and replicate it, requires one to practice significantly and diligently for quite a while.

Amir
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