Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > General

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 09-11-2002, 07:59 AM   #1
aikido_fudoshin
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 97
Offline
Thoughts on Kamae

Kamae is the essence of Aikido. I believe it was Gozo Shioda Sensei who stated,
"Everything we need to know about Aikido is found in Kamae". Although it is difficult for most Aikidoka to understand, the following is what I believe its importance is.

Kamae is an expresion of ourselves. When we do kamae, it shows everyone around us how we feel, how focused we are, and how confident we are in ourselves and our abilities. It not only shows us how to be physically strong, but to be strong internally as well. Kamae helps us create a "heart of steel" as Robert Mustard Sensei states. Morihei Ueshiba Sensei was the one who first proclaimed this in saying "...depending on time, situation, the lie of the land, the spirit of the moment- Kamae is what is in your heart".

After practicing Kamae and the various Aikido techniques, we begin applying them to real life situations with out concious effort. I believe Aikido to be more then just self defence. The importance of Aikido to me is how we can apply it to everyday life and Kamae is a great example of that.
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 08:32 AM   #2
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
Offline
Kamae/ combative stance

Although I must agree that the many stances of everyday life will strengthen your efforts to accomplish physical goals, the mental accumen of combative stance is the stance of no-stance.

Our stance creates the power of our movements, it gives us balance, poise, mobility, agility, and determines how and where we can move, but it is the adaptive mind that lets us move in combinations and understands the effectiveness of stance.

This weekend, I attend a seminar with Dennis McGinnis of Cincinatti, OH, and he touched on an important factor of balance and using the bodys weight to create the motion of a throw. We simply lowered our weight until our butts touched our heels, then gently kneeled without taking a step to effect a throw.

Stance, balance, use of weight ... all very important factors in causing movement, and following movement.

We do have some pretty tight training with "T" stances, and movements to train in Aikido's intricacys, but having the presence of mind to practice your Aikido with everyday movements is always a good idea. Just don't restrict your thoughts to practice regimens, but usefullness is your everyday life.
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 09:02 AM   #3
akiy
 
akiy's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,049
Offline
Couple of quotes come to mind...

I think it was Nishio sensei who said, "There is no kamae in aikido."

I remember another person saying, "All kamae are transitionsary positions."

-- Jun

Please help support AikiWeb -- become an AikiWeb Contributing Member!
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 09:06 AM   #4
Chuck.Gordon
Location: Frederick, MD
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 509
United_States
Offline
Re: Kamae/ combative stance

Quote:
Bruce Baker wrote:
This weekend, I attend a seminar with Dennis McGinnis of Cincinatti, OH ...
That's likely Charlie McGinnis of Cincy, yes?

And one might note, in terms of kamae, that the term not only refers to physical stance (more correctly, posture), but to mental/spiritual posture as well ...

Chuck

  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 10:19 AM   #5
Chuck Clark
 
Chuck Clark's Avatar
Dojo: Jiyushinkan
Location: Monroe, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,134
United_States
Offline
Only one kamae...

"Mushin gamae"

Kenji Tomiki-sensei

Regards,

Chuck Clark
Jiyushinkai Aikibudo
www.jiyushinkai.org
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 04:25 PM   #6
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
Offline
Yeah, that was Charly McGinnins ... takes four or five times for me to get names right. That would be using long term memory. A couple of more weeks and my long term memory might stop mixing up Chuck Clark and Chuck Gordon too?

Anyway, in the beginning Kamae will teach you many things, but in the end stance will be natural ... even if others think it is not.

(I have no idea why I called Charlie by Dennis, Freudian slip? Maybe because he looked nothing like my son Charlie.)
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 04:52 PM   #7
L. Camejo
 
L. Camejo's Avatar
Dojo: Ontario Martial Arts
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,423
Canada
Offline
Quote:
C.E. Clark (Chuck Clark) wrote:
Only one kamae...

"Mushin gamae"

Kenji Tomiki-sensei

Regards,
My thoughts exactly.

Chuck took the words right out of my uhh... fingers

No mind, no stance. This brings flashbacks of the first Aikido class I did (many moons Ago) when my sensei went about showing how every stance had a weak point on which balance can be broken.

45 degrees midway between the heels.

L.C.

--Mushin Mugamae - No Mind No Posture. He who is possessed by nothing possesses everything.--
http://www.tntaikido.org
http://www.mushinkan.ca
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2002, 09:18 PM   #8
Chuck Clark
 
Chuck Clark's Avatar
Dojo: Jiyushinkan
Location: Monroe, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,134
United_States
Offline
I just reread my post above:

It should have read...

"Mushin mugamae"

I guess I really left nothing out though.

Regards,

Chuck Clark
Jiyushinkai Aikibudo
www.jiyushinkai.org
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2002, 12:51 AM   #9
Jim ashby
Dojo: Phoenix Coventry
Location: Coventry, England
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 303
Offline
Oh dear oh dear oh dear!!!!

Have fun

Vir Obesus Stola Saeptus
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Mu kamae (Pt) kimusubi0 Portuguese 0 09-09-2006 12:54 AM
Mu kamae kimusubi0 French 0 09-08-2006 11:46 PM
iwama kamae raul rodrigo Techniques 9 02-06-2006 04:52 AM
The evolution of Kamae Fred Calef III Techniques 43 04-28-2004 10:07 PM
Kamae vs. Shizentai deepsoup General 15 09-02-2001 05:39 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:04 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate