I have beginners in my dojo, their "spirit" to study is strong but their "co-ordination" between their body and the application of fumikomi ashi and dototsu is naturally poor. - That will improve with training Ki-Ken-Tai-Ichi is merely an application of concept; the concept of achieving complete co-ordination between mind, body and sword through repetitive training in kihon waza.
Just a thought, (having done Kendo for several years back way back when) but would you consider that there are maybe more efficient ways to train that "body skill" instead of just "Kihon waza"?
I accept that there are many ways to train the principles. (I do no use the term"body skills" as some may see this as separate from the mind. Mind body and technique as one IS the principle under discussion)The most effective way I have found is to train them against an attacker who is attempting to overpower you or resist you. One other area where I find myself fortunate is having long time friends who are highly graded in kendo,judo.karate etc. Cross training outside of the "aikido element" has taught me much. Below is a photo of my training with Gerry Kincaid 5th dan kendo. The intent of the training was more on attempting to "break" the other's trinity. (ki ken tai ichi) than on the techniques alone.This excellent is training for me. regards koyo
Minor quibble with you there, I'd say that the training where someone resists you or overpowers you is simply a litmus test for what you have. I get away with maybe pressure testing my stuff once or twice a month. The main training should be the solo training which develops your foundation. Anyone that gets ahead in the arts develops some kind of specialized solo training that suits them パンチーへ： 工夫と鍛錬の結合が土台を生み出してそれをさらに圧縮していく。。。 と思わないパンチー？ヌハハハ ：）
That's fair enough. But the concept of Ki isn't limited to martial arts. So we than have to ask the question, is it enough to define Ki only as fighting spirit?
The closest I've come to training on my own is going through bokken katas or meditation or breathing exercises. I don't see how anybody can improve fighting thin air?
Sure it's not limited to just MAs, but we're only talking about "Ki" as it pertains to MAs for now. Asian culture (both Chinese, JP, whatever) would put anything they couldn't put their finger on, or define under the umbrella term of "Qi/Ki." So really Ki in the MA sense is a bunch of seperate things all but together. The Ki stuff that comes to play in other paradigms is seperate as well, although there's some overlap of course.
Dude, you don't improve by simply waving your hands around. You have to work to condition the "inside" of your body. It's not "shadow" boxing
Koyo: Read your post on the thread, I think we're more or less on the same page to some degree. That happo undou stuff that you mentioned would be more akin to the solo training or "tanren" angle that I was getting at. Most of the solo training we do is designed to instill Ropou no Chikara, or "Six directional Power" in your body in the beginning.
yes indeed, six directional power. that is something important in IMA. basis for all movement. i recently got some drills for it. From Zirranmen (natural boxing) from there in one direction say, 2 -way power is developed. then, then.. well. It's all good. Hey aikiwolfie, you might enjoy a tai chi short form maybe. Some improvement you will feel - yes. No arm waving allowed.
Hi cloudhands I realise that there are many forms of tai chi with different emphasis. My question is are there forms that specify protection of the centreline at all times.(stupid question!!) Are these the short forms you speak of. I will ask the bear at the seminar on Sunday (I think he is attending) I would just like a "heads up." regards koyo
Hi Koyo, I will going into it in more detail on Sunday but the short answer is no. Part of my gripe with Tai Chi is forms are taught without understanding what they represent and much of the martial emphasis is lost. The Tai Chi guys I train with are more martial than most and even they sometimes leave the centreline unprotected, though sometimes this has been used as an effect ruse against me by them. I have to admit though it is some on my Aikido experiences that I have seen blatant disregard for any defense. The Bear.
Certainly not at all times koyo. To tell you the truth that has not been any emphasis on that in my tcc training. I think (well maybe i'm making this up..but) The idea would be to emphasise protecting any and all line of power that may come in/ through. The tc idea is to meet any movement however it comes and work from there. The classical method, idea being to arrive first, redirect (you might take this as adjusting your angle/line - and attack. I think though you would want to think of this as not steps 1-2-3 but one idea. Something you do as one. So it might just become attack. The idea of peng (expansion) gives you the roundness and the room to work at you meet the opponent. Just some of my thoughts - i have too many! About the training. i think I would like to make it up in mid April. I have never been to Scotland, and have always fancied it. I 'promised' me julie a weekend in Wales recently, but the training there has vanished for a while. Anyway my question is there training over the weekend or maybe even on the Friday. There didn't seem to be a link to a class schedule or anything. By all means PM me the details if you wish. If PB can dovetail, it would be lovely to meet and greet him also. Kind regards.. ps should I bring my sword, it is Glasgee after all. Or just bokken maybe.. Maybe a crash helmet if PBs' there?
Add on. for koyo recently when learning some bagua though, protecting the centreline was emphasised to me in the basic stance and one of the postures - the first one in the first form (single palm change). Also the same beginning in the second palm change Also protecting the centreline is inherent in santi from hsingi and som of the movement and posture of the forms - as i gues also in attacking movements. Though i have to say i'm not that well versed in hsingi as yet.. (or bagua really) I'm more focusing on bagua at the moment - "behind you" regards.
Well...so you do have solo conditioning routines then? Maybe you want to elaborate on how power is efficiently transfered through the body? How do you generate power in a strike without any windup at all?
Sorry guys but I feel that I just have to give vent to a rant here. I started the martial arts of aikido threads on MAP because aikido was getting some real flac and it was aimed at times at aiki wolfie because he DID ki aikido. There are so many phonies and ego maniacs out there selling boiled eggs and convincing people they are hand grenades!!!! not giving a damn what will happen if they ever attempt to use them. never once has any of these characters stepped up and answered the attacks.It is these guys who should be answering the questions.They won't come near me in Glasgow tending take the "we are morraly superior " stance rather than admit it is NOT a martial art they are teaching. Bluntly..Aiki wolfie I respect your loyalty but if you cannot get one of the MANY masters to step up I would stop taking the flac for them. regards koyo UPYU I posted on solo exercises on restarting kuzushi thread and would be interested in you comments. (sorry about the rant) :bang: :bang:
If I stopped today koyo I'd still be getting flack in three years time. Even though my personal opinion on some of the stuff I've post here in the past has changed. Some idiot will still look it up and try and use it to score points. Feel free to rant
Well, that answer is vague and on top of that, I'd go so far as to say it's "wrong." Of course there's different ways of using the internal connections, but at their core they still share the same base. The fact that a lot of people out there that have been doing these arts for a long time, but still have no clue about these "standard skills" is what gives Aikido a bad rap. Koyo, I saw your post and wanted to give you a thought out response since it seems you know some stuff, but seem to be missing other basic skills (and I don't mean this in an in your face way.) That being said, there's a quick litmus test you can do to see if we're on the same page (In which case I'll probably be made to eat the words I just said ) Pushout Exercise: http://www.badongo.net/vid/197241 Stand in this position, and have the person with their hands out to hold you down. This exercise is easy if the person has huge tight shoulder muscles and you have a good structure, so to really make it challenging, you may want to try to find someone that's bigger than you but has soft shoulder muscles/pecs. If you get a chance to try this exercise out let me know. For us it's the basis of generating power.
