TRAINING NOTES JANUARY 2000 TRAINING The February instructor class will be held on the 12th at 1:30 PM. We will continue our practice of randori with tenkan as the techniques for use since everyone used irimi techniques in the January practice. AROUND THE CIRCUIT Merrifield survived a Washington snow experience none the worse for wear. We are in the process of purchasing a new cover for our practice area. The old one has served us well since we moved to our current dojo but is looking worn and weary. The Kagami Biraki went very well. Over 40 students attended some portion of the training. Sensei Doner from Charlottesville conducted a very interesting two days of instruction. Charlottesville is moving to a new location, about six blocks from its former home. They moved in this past weekend. Let us all wish tem well as they settle in to a new venue. Both Five Rivers and the Newport News Dojos report that membership is up a bit and students are hard at work developing their skills. Pittsburgh is doing well. Sue Miller has changed her e-mail address so if you wish to contact her use: aikidosue@adelphia.net. No new news from Philadelphia or Richmond. INTERNET COMMENTARY PAIN IN AIKIDO by: Michael Hacker My question to people who enjoy dishing out (and receiving) pain on the mats is why hurt uke AT ALL when this stuff works so much better WITHOUT causing pain? Pain is feedback, and feedback allows me to figure out what you're doing and neutralize it. When I break uke's posture, I don't want him to know anything's wrong until it's all over. I understand that there are the occasional inadvertent moments of pain and even injuries, but why deliberately HURT someone? I used to be heavily into the whole pain thing at one point in my life, too... I look back on it now with embarrassment. PURPOSE OF PRACTICE by: Kristina Morris I'm basically a no-kyu (5th kyu to be exact) for the past 6 years, now heading into #7 year, and I feel very inadequate about the whole situation. Shortly after my 5th kyu test all testing stopped. Sensei decided to run the dojo a little differently than previously, being an independent dojo and doing things independently, of course. Since my 5th kyu test, which was about 4+ years ago, I have trained & trained and had a little encouragement along the way. However, I do not know _where_ I am in my training and I don't know where I fit in skill-wise. I can sort of tell on some things and clueless on others. When I ask sensei how I'm doing I get a stock answer like 'just fine' or 'your training is progressing well', but never an area to improve on. Never anything concrete. Shodan rank is announced when sensei decides you are worthy. In the time between 5th kyu and shodan, you just train. COMMENTARY ON TEACHING by: Craig Hocker and Mike Bartman Craig Hocker says: >On Thu, 20 Jan 2000, This Space Intentionally Left Blank wrote: >> >I think this a bit like asking if there is a basic way to write the letter "A". I would say definitely yes to someone just beginning. Three simple straight lines, get those three simple straight lines down and understand why and what it makes. >> I would say that this is fine...just *please* tell them that this is the *initial* way, not *THE* way, huh? I had so much trouble in school from teachers lying to me and telling me that "this is it!", when it wasn't...it was just a convenient temporary approximation that would be discarded later once it had served its purpose. After several cycles of (Excuse me if I think this is barking up the wrong tree.)> You are excused. :^) I don't think it is, so perhaps I said it badly. I'll try again. >I don't think it is poor teaching technique to give students something to practice on that doesn't overwhelm them at the beginning of a process.> Neither do I. I agree that that's a very good way to teach. Making it "all or nothing" tends to get you mostly "nothing". It does need to be bite sized to work. There are variations in how big a bite can be handled, and how long you need to chew on each one before you are ready for the next, but that's where teacher experience and skill come into it in judging student ability and progress. >Repetition of basics in each class that Philip talks about is not a bad idea at all.> Nope, good idea for sure. My main point was to make sure that you label them as "basics"...as "a first approximation, to be modified as needed in actual use". Sort of the difference between the static version of a technique, done for practice, and the more dynamic form it takes when uke is running at you. The same basic format is there, but it isn't done the same way. Some parts are abbreviated, some parts are omitted, and some parts, such as backing up or moving in to adjust timing, are added. The principle is constant, but the implementation changes to fit the situation (speed of closure, level of intent of uke, size differences, etc.). I've seen lots of folks, particularly, but not exclusively, beginners who learn the technique statically, and can do it statically. Then you add a charging uke to the mix and they try to do it the same way, and it fails. To us beginners it can look like a completely different technique when done the way it needs to be done "at speed". The more advanced folks have presumably learned to see the similarities rather than the differences, but to a beginner it looks like a different technique...though perhaps vaguely similar. When Simcox sensei teaches things like this he typically explicitly points out the differences, and why they exist, then explicitly points out the similarities too, and why it's the same technique...because the principle behind it is the same. This is the sort of "labeling" I was referring to. It avoids the problems that some students have with "ok, to do this technique, I slide my left foot forward until I'm at full extension, then turn until I'm facing uke's shoulder...", which then fails when mai ai is larger due to a larger uke, or when the slide isn't needed at all due to uke providing the closure due to a charge or whatever. They learn that the idea is to get to a proper relative position, not to take a kind, number or size of step. Pointing out what's really necessary, rather than what a beginner might think is necessary, is the stuff I'm referring to. The movements used in the static demo are "approximately" what you do, but what you *actually* do will depend on several factors in most cases, and you should adjust them as needed, not try to ape the instructor inch-by-inch. It's taken me a while to realize that it's what happens to *uke* that's important. What nage does is just whatever it takes to get uke to do what is needed, while still protecting nage. >and I am not giving them something which is an initial approximation!> As far as principle goes, no, but as far as how you do the technique, I think you probably are. Does the reasoning above make sense for why I think this? >I am giving them the *right way to do it*. Something to latch on to and remember.> If they are seeing the *principle* that's fine. If they are latching onto the specific distances and angles, it may confuse them a lot when they try to do it themselves (and beginners do this more often than not from what I've seen). If I try to do things with the exact same body positions as Simcox sensei does it won't work. For example, he's frequently reaching *up* to grasp uke...if I do that there's no uke there! :^) I'm an extreme case, but the same thing happens to a lesser extent with everyone. > Another style will have their *right way to do it*. I am not saying this is sankyo and nothing else is. What I am saying is how to do sankyo as I was taught in Ki Society.> It depends what "this" is, doesn't it? You will be meaning certain aspects of what you do are sankyo, but the student may not be seeing the same things in the same priority order that you are...perceptions vary from person to person. I've watched ice skating competitions and I *know* that the professional commentators and I are NOT seeing the same thing. I see what appears to be a very impressive spinning leap, and they see a sloppy landing with a blade angle that's at least 5 degrees off what it should be due to an over-rotation in the air, leading to the need for an unplanned turn to get back into position. Same event, two different impressions due to vastly different knowledge and experience levels. The expert is almost certainly correct about it, but I still missed all the important stuff that was so obvious to them. The same thing happens when a technique is demonstrated to a beginner...they miss lots of critical things, and think that inconsequential things are important...unless it's specifically pointed out to them. After a while they learn enough to do it on their own, but at first they need that labeling to tell principles from specifics of the situation. Without the labeling, when someone says, "This is how you do shihonage" they will memorize what they *think* they saw, and call that "shihonage". Later, when it is done "differently", due to a larger uke, different closing rate or whatever, they will say, "but that wasn't done like the shihonage I learned!" And when they are then told, "Yes it was." they will be confused. The confusion can be eliminated by pointing out up front that "this is shihonage the way it is done in *this* situation. It will vary in specifics as conditions change, but the *principle* will be the same in each case"...then show a couple of variations of situation and point out how the principle isn't changing. Confusion eliminated, or at least reduced. >"and sometimes... by the way here are a few other stylistically different ways of doing sankyo... notice what principles they have in common.. now practice the basic way I showed you...."> That's good too, but it can create the impression that the differences in detail are due to difference in branch of aikido. While this is certainly true enough, it's not the only reason you will see differences in execution details, and showing those is good too. Simcox sensei does both. He's pointed out that Aikikai does a certain technique in a certain way, and shown where the way we do it is different, but he even more frequently demonstrates how the technique changes with uke's speed or size, and sometimes level of intent...and how the principle involved is always the same. I think there are some fundamental ways that humans learn, think and recall memory that are involved with all this. Little kids get shown a sparrow and told "bird". Then they see a crow and get told "bird", so they note what's the same in both cases (two legs, beak, wings, flying), and, when a pigeon appears, shout, "bird!" and are happy when this is confirmed. They don't know that color, size, and many other factors are irrelevant in "birdness", but are very important in naming the *kind* of bird...that comes later. They will frequently learn that a "sparrow" is a "sparrow", then call a crow a "sparrow". There will be slight confusion when they are told that the crow is NOT a sparrow...it's a crow...but it's also still a bird, just like a sparrow...until they figure out something to differentiate between sparrows and crows. If they pick the wrong thing, like, say, the first crow they saw was missing a leg so they decide that crows are one-legged birds, while sparrows are birds with two legs, they will create much confusion that will have to be unlearned later. This refinement of classification continues until a level is reached where that individual can function adequately. It's not very deep for the average person, but an ornithologist will continue it much farther through additional study and differentiation. This sort of thing seems to happen with all learning...including aikido. If you do a technique and say, "This is the right way to do shihonage", you can create a "one-legged crow error". If you label it as "shihonage, then point out differences in specifics as things change with uke, the student will figure out the "birdness" of all of these specific examples, and start to grasp the underlying principle. Note that I'm not saying that you *don't* do all of these things...I've never taken a class from you so I have no idea. I was just cautioning about labeling a specific example, in a specific situation, with a specific uke as "the right way to do xxx"...because the students will often learn the wrong thing from this. I know, since I've done it! :^) >in my own practice. I don't think what I am talking about and what you are worrying about intellectually are the same issue at all.> Could be. I still think I have a valid point though. >being pugnaciously not so humble, Must be related to shodan's syndrome....but in this case it's when you get your own dojo to lead. ;^)> -- Mike "sufficient temporal mai ai from the next meeting to be safe I think..." Bartman -- CHIEF INSTRUCTOR'S COMMENTARY Aikidoka approach their art from many directions because of their view of events and experience. These three comments are about issues common to us all. I know several Aikidoka who are martial artists who have Aikido in their tool box for use when needed (a bit like Steve Seagal in his movies) Generally they are focused on all out self defense and see Aikido techniques as rounding out their capabilities. This makes a lot sense to them but it does usually blind them to the philosophy of peace, which accompanies much of our training. Others take training seeking a belt, which will show to others their prowess. Often they will either 1) fall in love with the art and what it teaches forgetting the quest for rank as the purpose of their study or will 2) leave rather quickly to seek an art where promotion comes sooner. Still others take the art our of curiosity or to satisfy a friend who is pestering them to "take a lesson" and see how you like it. Quite a few of our members have come from this latter group. It demonstrates the value of your advertising Aikido and not waiting for some other person to make the effort. TRAVEL None slated for the near future due to my wife's illness. I encourage you to take advantage of seminars when you can. Sensei Bickford in Kingston, Ontario is having one in February (11-12)with Sensei Kathey Ferland teaching and one in March (10-11) Peter Bussell teaching,. A PERSONAL NOTE I would like to thank all of you for your prayers and concern for the health of Norma, my wife. She has been a mainstay in my life on this Aikido path. Her initial dose of Chemotherapy is completed and she goes to see the Surgeon on February 1 for the next phase of treatment. I remarked to her the other day how blesses we are to have friends such as you and to live in a time when medicine can treat our cancers. Fifteen years ago both of us would probably have died by now. At the start of a New Year it is right to reflect on how well we really have it these days. GEORGE SIMCOX