joi, 28 octombrie 2010

Aikido techniques against front kick (maegeri)

Four aikido techniques against maegeri (front kick): ikkyo, kokyuho, iriminage, and kotegaeshi. Here the kick is chudan maegeri (to the belly) but the aikido techniques are quite the same against jodan maegeri (to the head).
Stefan Stenudd is 6 dan Aikikai shihan. The attacker is Tony Johansson, and Mattias Enguis held the camera. For more on aikido, see:
http://www.stenudd.com/aikido

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY8xPVklX9I&feature=player_embedded

luni, 25 octombrie 2010

derlogea.ro - exercitii de indeminare si flexibilitate

Aikido e o metodă de (auto)educaţie pentru dezvoltare personală, în scopul îmbunătăţirii autonomiei, a propriei sănătăţi şi a modului de relaţionare cu cei din jur. Ea se adresează tuturor componentelor fiinţei: corp, minte, suflet. Studiem Calea Aiki (dar există încă multe alte Căi) ca să ajungem la Iluminare, sau la Trezire, adică dorim/ facem ceea ce chiar şi Imnul de Stat ne îndeamnă: “deşteaptă-te române”!

Sala/ încăperea în care se face Aikido se numeşte Dojo – adică “locul unde se studiază Calea”. Nu se numeşte Jutsujo - sau “locul unde se învaţă meserie”. Drumul spre Iluminare (Do) trece însă şi prin etapa Jutsu, adică nu putem ajunge la Aikido decât după ce învăţăm Aikijutsu. Aşa că într-un fel, orice Dojo e şi un fel de Jutsujo.

Ca orice « drum » anevoios – cum e orice proces serios de educaţie - Calea e plină de obstacole şi pericole. Există astfel pericolul ca studiul etapei Jutsu să devină un scop în sine, deoarece plăcerea luptei/ violenţei/ dominaţiei vine din adâncul fiinţei noastre de oameni, adică de animale supuse instinctelor şi altor pofte, pe care civilizaţia încearcă să le ascundă sau sublimeze. Studiul Căii înseamnă să luptăm din greu cu noi înşine pentru a nu uita nici un moment de ce studiem meseria (Jutsu): ca să ajungem la Iluminare - nu ca să ne satisfacem plăceri sau pofte.

Nu se poate ajunge la Iluminare fără suferinţă. Suferinţa necesară pentru autoeducaţie este preponderent corporală, însă cum cele trei componente ale fiinţei sunt strâns legate şi interdependente, adeseori acest chin autoeducativ pare a fi mai mult mintal/ sufletesc (dar nu e!). Poate că impresia e dată şi de marea cantitate de voinţă necesară pentru impunerea voluntară a acestui fel de masochism, adică un important consum nervos - iar "gândirea doare !". O astfel de alegere pentru gestionarea propriului mod de viaţă, bazată pe suferinţă şi sacrificii personale, poate părea anacronică – chiar bolnăvicioasă – în epoca actuală. Azi oamenii caută (de capul lor, sau ca urmare a manipulării lor mediatice de către tot felul de profitori ascunşi) doar satisfacţii maxime şi imediate (ca orice animal), fără nici un gând sau respect pentru comunitatea şi mediul înconjurător (acţiuni specifice oamenilor). Dar despre acest aspect – dacă mai trăim, atunci mai vedem şi mai discutăm ...

Se zice: sunt multe poteci care duc spre vârful muntelui, adică la Iluminare se poate ajunge prin diverse Căi. Suferinţa autoeducativă poate avea forme statice (meditaţie/ rugăciuni/ post etc.) şi dinamice (autoflagelare/ activităţi marţiale/ sporturi necompetitive extreme etc.).

Suntem unii (vreo 3000 în România, vreun milion în toată lumea) care am ales Calea Aiki ca să ajungem în vârful muntelui. Acest drum nu e nici mai greu nici mai uşor ca altele, dar întrucât nouă ne place, suportăm mai uşor chinurile aferente.

Meseria luptei (Aikijutsu) învaţă cum să-i învingi pe alţii şi se studiază preponderent prin exerciţii cu partener; studiul Căii e o luptă cu tine însuţi, deci o activitate mai mult individuală (chiar dacă exerciţiile cu partener constituie şi în această etapă o componentă esenţială a studiului).

Am observat că sunt disponibile multe informaţii (lecţii/ cărţi/ filme/ Internet etc.) despre exerciţiile Aikijutsu cu partener, dar relativ puţine despre cele individuale, specifice luptei cu tine însuţi. De aceea prezint în continuare astfel de exerciţii, care îmbină lupta cu slăbiciunile personale (adică întăresc corpul/ muşchii) cu avantajul dobândirii unor îndemânări utile pentru confruntarea cu un adversar. Chiar dacă ele nu provin din tradiţia Aikido, poate nici măcar din tradiţia japoneză, eu apreciez că toate exerciţiile indicate pot fi utile oricărui practicant sincer.

Exerciţii chinezeşti de îndemânare (Baguazhang) - vezi aici, aici şi aici.

Exerciţii ruseşti (Systema) pentru flexibilitate şi folosirea Hara - vezi aici, aici, aici, aici, aici şi aici.

Sursa: www.derlogea.ro

marți, 19 octombrie 2010

George Ledyard on Aiki, Kaeshiwaza, and more

George Ledyard on Aiki, Kaeshiwaza, and more

October 18th, 2010 by twistingwrists Categories: Media reviews, Words No Responses

“if the attacker understands what was just done to him, it wasn’t “aiki”

George Ledyard, long time student of Mitsugi Saotome and head instructor of Aikido Eastside in Washington state, was kind enough to take some time out of his day for an interview. I asked him about some of his views on Aikido, his training in Systema and Daito Ryu, and also his 2 new DVDs: Aiki & Connection and Principles of Kaeshiwaza.

TW: You spent a long time training under Saotome Sensei and are a well known instructor in your own right. How has your understanding of aikido changed or developed from what you learned from your teacher?

GL: I have been with Saotome Sensei since 1976. It would be hard to say that my understanding of Aikido changed or developed from what I have learned from Sensei, more that he formed my understanding of Aikido from the start. What really distinguishes Saotome Sensei’s Aikido is the balance between the art as a martial art and as a spiritual practice. Many folks these days do not seem to be able to hold those two aspects together. The art seems to have split into a group of folks who think it has something to do with “fighting” and spend their time preparing for some imagined and anticipated “street” encounter. I think these folks tend to be running a sort of modern day “samurai wanna be” story in their heads. On the other hand, many folks who are quite serious about Aikido as a means of personal transformation, or as a way towards conflict resolution, whatever are simply incapable of executing their techniques in a situation of real conflict.

Saotome Sensei taught us that one informs the other. If one stops fighting, stops “contending”, ones martial effectiveness is actually enhanced. Sensei has stated over and over, as the Founder himself did, that the art of Aikido is not about fighting. It is about “not fighting”. But, as a practice designed to be trans-formative, it operates with a martial paradigm. In other words, every aspect of ones spiritual understanding should be demonstrable in the physical realm on the mat. Spiritual ideas without the ability to actualize those ideas in our physical reality are just “wishful thinking”. Too many folks focus on the nice ideas and can’t back it up in their technique.

So what I received from Saotome Sensei, and he believes he received from O-Sensei, is the idea that there really is no separation between the martial and the spiritual in Aikido. If one really understands one side, he understands both. I am part of a direct transmission from the Founder to Saotome Sensei to my generation of students. Each generation takes what is given, to the best of its ability, and hopefully adds something from its own experience and then, in turn, passes to the next generation. Through Sensei I feel this connection to the Founder very strongly. I don’t think that everyone who does Aikido necessarily has this feeling.

TW: You have 2 new DVDs out. One is called Aiki Connection. Most of us think about connecting with our partners by blending and moving in the direction of the attack before redirecting. Is that what this DVD is about?

GL: I think this idea of “blending” is hugely misunderstood. We were all told, way back when we started, that Aikido meant the way of “harmony”. While the term “aiki” can have that flavor in Japanese, it is not how the term is used when talking about martial arts. A far better translation of the term for understanding technical issues is “joining”.

This isn’t just semantics… because we were told that Aikido was the art in which we “got off the line” of an attack, then redirected the energy of that attack into a sort of resolution, Aikido, which is fundamentally a study of connection, has tended to attract people who didn’t actually want to connect. The “martial” folks are busy trying to defeat the attack and the spiritual folks are trying to avoid it. Neither results in anything that can be considered “aiki”.
“Aiki” requires that one “join” with the energy of an attack. It requires first, a connection to the attacker’s center (this is physical at the beginning and later has more to do with connecting to their perception). One has to “touch” the attacker’s center and simultaneously balance that outflow by receiving the energy of the attack into ones own center (the spine). This balance between out and back sets of a neutral balance at the point of contact, whether it’s a grab or strike. It’s like the “scales of justice”… you could have twenty tons on either side of the scales and if they are in balance it takes only finger tip pressure to move it. If I can establish that balance with my partner / attacker, throwing is effortless. It is difficult to counter technique done in this manner because there is little or no feedback available to the partner about what’s happening because there is so little force applied at the point where they could feel it. There’s actually quite a bit of scientific information about how and why this works having to do with the myofascial structure of the body and how the gamma nervous system functions. Suffice it to say that in Aikido we strive to move the attacker’s mind so that his mind moves his body. A teacher, whose name I don’t recall summed this up by saying that “if the attacker understands what was just done to him, it wasn’t “aiki”. That’s basically the subject of this DVD set on Aiki and Connection… how does this work and how does on e actually do it. It’s not rocket science; it’s a totally teachable set of principles and skills. What is hard is doing them under pressure and that takes a lifetime of practice. But anyone can do Aikido with some “aiki”.

TW: The other DVD is something that hasn’t been covered much in book or video form and that is Kaeshiwaza (reversals). Do you feel this is an important part of training? At what level do you start teaching reversals?

GL: One of the biggest problems Aikido has is that somehow it has evolved into an art in which the practitioner strives to understand some very sophisticated techniques and principles while working with a partner who acts handicapped. Ukemi, as it is generally taught, has evolved into something that makes the teacher look good. This is terrible martial arts and really doesn’t require any degree of skill on the part of the practitioner to do technique. If you partner breaks his own balance, disolves his own structure just because his attack missed it’s target, throws himself simply because he perceived incoming in tent from his partner, no one really has any idea what is going on. The practitioner can’t know whether he actually did the technique or his partner “tanked” for him.

Ukemi needs to be re-tooled entirely in Aikido. The ukes role is to enhance the learning of the partner; not to “collude” and not to resist. Being a good uke is far more difficult than most folks realize. They think it means taking the fall. But for a true “aiki” interaction, both partners must actually be doing the same thing. Kaeshiwaza is the functioning of the principles of connection as shown in my earlier videos as it functions in the role of the uke. If an uke can deliver an attack and then properly stay connected with no break throughout the movement of the technique, then the least opening or break in the nage’s connection to uke’s center, the smallest tension or push-pull, an the technique can be reversed instantly with no “contention”, no warning to the nage that it is about to happen. This is why so-called “resistant” practice is bad martial arts. Resisting simply gives away that the technqiue is going to fail or will be difficult. It tells the nage in advance that he needs to make an adjustment. But correct kaeshiwaza is relaxed and doesn’t “telegraph” what is coming. The nage feels like O-Sensei right up until the technique disappears and his balance breaks.

In my opinion kaeshiwaza is at the heart of Aikido as a martial practice. It doesn’t make sense to try to teach it until the student has enough technique in his or her repertoire that they can be free about allowing the reversal to be what it needs to be and not something they are forcing. I think any time after thrid kyu, which for us is Brown Belt, you can start to teach it. What I like about that is it REQUIRES good ukemi skills to do. The uke simply must stay connected at all times with nage’s center in order to take advantage of an opening which is there. Without that connection, the nage can make a mistake and the uke isn’t in a position to do anything about it. So, even if one isn’t that entranced with the idea of reversing ones partner’s, it is simply the best practice I have found to develop a sense of continuous connection on the part of the uke.


Read more : http://twistingwrists.com/?p=618

luni, 18 octombrie 2010

Acupuncture and Aikido

Acupuncture and Aikido

About a year ago, I damaged my shoulder during a training session. The details of the incident escapes me now (something to do with shiho-nage..), but for the last 12 months I've been to doctors, taken painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, seen an osteopath, a chiropractor and had three 'complete' 10 week treatments with three different physiotherapists.

And it still hurts.

I can't bear my weight on it, so pull-ups and chins have disappeared from my exercise routine, and even the gentlest of sankyo/nikkyo/yonkyo pins leaves me twitching like a fish. I have it on very good authority that I have a torn rotator cuff and something else which I can never remember to do with an AC joint.

It was purely by chance that a friend of a friend recommended yet another Physio, saying that she had helped with a similar injury. By now I was ready to try anything, so I made an appointment and dutifully rolled up on time, expecting the usual manipulation and 'Theraband' rehab exercises. I lay down on the couch and she wiggled my arm around a bit and then said "Hang on, I'll go get my needles". "Sorry? I asked. "Needles" said she "You have come for acupuncture I'm assuming?". I hadn't, but if there is one thing Aiki teaches you it's to roll with whatever life serves up. "Errr.. yes. No problem".

5 minutes later I looked a bit like a porcupine with alopecia (see photo), or maybe a poor relation of that "pinhead" guys in the Hellraiser movies. She explained that not only did she need to get the blood flowing into the area that was injured so it could heal, but that the muscles around it had been protecting it for so long that they had set solid, so she needed to loosen them up too. In total there were 21 needles sticking out of me, starting between my toes and finishing in my neck.

The next bit is odd. I fell asleep. In the middle of the day, in a sunny room filled with traffic noise and the hubbub of the rest of the clinic through plasterboard walls I somehow managed to doze off. I was awakened by a slightly amused therapist telling me that it wasn't uncommon for people to react like this and that it showed she'd "shifted some energy". As she "un-needled" me, she explained that acupuncture worked by re-directing energy, and removing blockages. 're-directing energy... removing blockages'. Hmmmm... that rings a bell!

The more I thought about it, the more comparisons I could see between acupuncture and Aikido, both in a practical, physical, philosophical and physiological sense.

Practically, both systems are based upon sound physics. The bio-mechanics present within Aikido only function with an understanding and the correct application of the principles of leverage, force and inertia, and acupuncture relies upon stimulation of certain areas of the body which in turn affect it's energy flows. Cause and effect if you will.

Physically they both treat the body and it's place within the universe as a holistic, homogeneous receiver, generator and transmitter of energy. Philosophically, we touch on a key factor for me. Both Aikido and acupuncture 'work'. There are many studies which say that there is no clinical proof as to how acupuncture can treat ailments such as insomnia, diabetes, migraines, fatigue, even some cancers, but about a fifth of the population of this planet believes in it enough for it to be the mainstay of their health care system.

Similarly, Aikido has always had detractors, citing in-effectiveness in combat, no MMA aikido champions (!), no 'real' sparring within the syllabus (etc...) but if you look at most military close combat training, Police arrest training and most 'self-defense' courses, you will see a mix of jujutsu/Aikido in them all.

Acupuncture treatment regulates the flow of Qi (Ki) and Blood, fortifying where there is deficiency, draining where there is excess, and promoting free flow where there is stagnation or blockages. In a nutshell, the acupuncture approach is "no pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain." Similarly, an Aikido fundamental is to "remove blockages" whether that be via re-direction, conflict resolution or even use of atemi.

Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of fine diameter (0.007" to 0.020", 0.18 mm to 0.51 mm), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave. These needles are far smaller in diameter (and therefore less painful) than hypodermic injection needles since they do not have to be hollow for purposes of injection. The upper third of these needles is wound with a thicker wire (typically bronze), or covered in plastic, to stiffen the needle and provide a handle for the acupuncturist to grasp while inserting.

The size and type of needle used, and the depth of insertion, depend on the acupuncture style being practiced.
In my experience some of the needles made me jump a bit initially, others were completely painless but then started to throb or "wake up" a bit as the point was stimulated. None of them can be described as being 'painful', although I have since compared notes with other patients and they have reported the occasional needle being very uncomfortable, in most cases though this fades during the treatment.

Have done a trawl of Google for "Aikido+Acupuncture" I was surprised to find very few article or websites that link the two, considering the obvious commonality. I was interested to see that
MASAHILO M. NAKAZONO one of the Japanese Sensei that introduced Aikido into the UK was a practitioner of acupuncture. Nakazono sensei was responsible for awarding my sensei, H W Foster (now 7th dan) his nidan back in 1962 and was instrumental in establishing the "form system" within the syllabus of the pioneer clubs of british Aikido.

Read more : http://aikidoforbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/12/acupuncture-and-aikido.html

duminică, 17 octombrie 2010

Taichi style Aikido 42 Forms

In 2003, Sugawara Sensei introduced the Taichi style Aikido 42 Forms. The kata, which is a series of Aikido techniques, was formed in just over 2 days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTRJ0HeQkcs&NR=1

Kaeshi Waza - Technique reversal

Kaeshi Waza

Technique reversal. (UKE becomes NAGE and vice- versa). This is usually a very advanced form of practice. KAESHI WAZA practice helps to instill a sensitivity to shifts in resistance or direction in the movements of one's partner. Training so as to anticipate and prevent the application of KAESHI WAZA against one's own techniques greatly sharpens aikido skills.

The literal translation of //kaeshi// is "to return; reverse". Kaeshi waza is an attempt by uke to counter a technique and respond with another technique.

For example, if nage is performing nikyo but does not properly control the whole arm, then uke may try to drop the elbow and turn in, applying sankyo.

Kaeshi waza is generally a more advanced practice because it requires more sensitivity between nage and uke. Methods of practice vary from dojo to dojo. At one extreme, nage may be advised to allow uke to successfully counter the technique every time. At the other, nage and uke may work back and forth continually without any preset outcome until one of them is able to perform a technique.

When practicing kaeshi waza forms, uke should wait until the technique is being applied before beginning any reversal. Ideally, the reversal arises from an actual weakness in nage's technique.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68xgv_DtUM8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_SB0TqvUb8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_jhWoGrbec&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfQiMedIaxc&feature=related

Aikido Modern - Stagiu National de Aikido

Federatia Romana de Aikido Modern va invita pe 6 noiembrie 2010 la stagiu national de Aikido
care va avea loc în Bucureşti: Scoala Generala nr.182 Chitila Str.AMINTIRII nr.26 cartier Chitila,a 3-a satatie de tramvai de la podul C-ta. in dreapta, pe Sos.Chitila.


Federatia Romană de Aikido Modern işi propune promovarea Aikido-ului, atât ca artă marţială cât şi ca mod de viaţă. În acest sens tema stagiului, are drept principal scop, promovarea tehnicilor(stilurilor) specifice, cunoasterea, precum şi schimbul de experienţă dintre participanţi.

Ţinem să menţionăm faptul că accesul tuturor cluburilor si persoanelor fizice, interesate este gratuit, cei interesaţi fiind astfel încurajaţi să participe cu demonstraţii practice.

Programul stagiului de Aikido Modern:
Shihan Serban Derlogea 8 Dan Aikido Bastonul tovarasul meu
Sensei Mircea Cristian 3 Dan Aikido Iubirea de aproape in Aikido
Sensei Razvan Peristeri 5 Dan Aikido Tehnici de cutit
Sensei Ionita Marius 5 Dan Aikido Irimi Nage variante moderne

Data 06.11.2010


Publicaţi postare
Federatia Romana de Aikido Modern


Preşedinte,


Sensei Razvan Peristeri 5 Dan Aikido


sursa: http://www.aikidomodern.ro/evenimente.htm

sâmbătă, 16 octombrie 2010

Daniel TOUTAIN - Stagiu Iwama Ryu Aikido

Stagiu Iwama Ryu Aikido

In perioada 17-19 decembrie 2010 Shihan Daniel TOUTAIN, va sustine un stagiu in Romania. Inscrieri si detalii la:
Iulian Stanescu

Telefon: 0723269964

e-mail: dinamicaikido@yahoo.com

Sursa: http://www.iwama-ryu.ro/index.php/ro/Newsflash/Frontala.html

Despre Daniel Toutain: http://aikido-france.net/toutain/


miercuri, 6 octombrie 2010

Can Alexander Technique Help Students Master Tai Chi Chuan Practice?

Can Alexander Technique Help
Students Master Tai Chi Chuan Practice?

by Bill Walsh and Holly Sweeney


Tai Chi Chuan study is popular among Alexander Technique practitioners. Some Alexander Technique training schools, like the F.M. Alexander Foundation in Philadelphia, include Tai Chi Chuan in their program design.

We would like to explore the relationship between Tai Chi Chuan and Alexander Technique and whether the study of Alexander Technique is complementary to the study of Tai Chi Chuan.

In Talks on the Practice of Taijiquan, recorded by Zhang Hongkui,note1 Yang Chengfu enumerates ten essentials in the study of Tai Chi. First on the list is "Straightening the Head". When Yang Zhenduo, (Yang Chengfu's son and 4th generation Master of the Yang family), taught this year in New York and Texas, he began his seminars with an explanation of this first essential. He told students to begin with the head: centered, not leaning; empty; and lifted without tension. The neck should also be empty, he said. Bill asked Yang Zhenduo to explain what he meant by emptying the head and the neck. This was his answer:

The head is lifted as if supporting something. The neck is upright and lightly pressing up. The body in between pulls open and you are open and extended. This should not be done in a way that is stiff. When this is done correctly then your spirit can come up. Then your eyes are bright and shiny.note2

This description is strikingly similar to what is called the primary movement or primary control in the Alexander Technique. F.M. Alexander, the originator of the Technique, described his primary movement this way:
1. Let the neck be free (which means merely to see that you do not increase the muscle tension of the neck in any act).
2. Let the head go forward and up (which means merely to see that you do not tense the neck muscles by pulling the head back or down in any act.).
3. Let the torso lengthen and widen out (which means merely to see that you do not shorten and narrow the back by arching the spine).note3

Both of these descriptions appear to be talking about the same thing--a very specific movement of the head and neck, and an accompanying elongation of the spine. One subtle difference between Tai Chi Chuan andAlexander Technique is that Tai Chi Chuan describes the What and AlexanderTechnique focuses on the How. In fact, the skills learned in Alexander Technique are based on learning how to apply the primary head/neck movement to all activities: from going up and down stairs, to getting in and out of chairs, to practicing Tai Chi Chuan, to delivering a speech. It is an accepted fact of Alexander Technique study that it takes a long time to master this seemingly simple skill of natural head/neck/spine movement... and a lifetime to let it transform every move you make.

As a first step in the study of the Technique, Alexander students learn a process that lets them free their necks of tension. This process is taught through verbal instructions, demonstrations, and precise, delicate, hands-on guidance from Alexander teachers. Having studied this process, Alexander students then set out to practice balancing the head without tension during all of their daily activities. Whether working at the computer, brushing their teeth or dashing down the stairs, Alexander students strive to apply what they have learned about the primary movement, (or, in the language of Tai Chi Chuan, "the first essential"). Can you imagine the possibilities for improvement if you were to practice your Tai Chi Chuan every day, all day long?

This leads us to a second issue of importance, which is how we practice. Is it possible to believe we are practicing correctly and find out we are not? Absolutely! This is a common, though frustrating, part of the learning process when studying sophisticated movements such as Tai Chi Chuan. We have all seen students in Tai Chi Chuan classes being corrected by instructors and then seeming to continue practicing in the same incorrect way. Does this mean the student rejected the correction, or ignored it? Probably neither is the case. What is usually happening is that the student does not have a reliable enough sensory standard to guide him in making the change the teacher requested. Quite possibly the student thinks he is doing exactly what the teacher asked. Observers can see his mistake but the student cannot.

The problem described above is a central one in the Alexander Technique. Alexander gave this common phenomenon a name, unreliable sensory appreciation, and searched for teaching methods that would correct it. He realized that unreliable sensory appreciation was connected with our ideas and sense of what is "right" and what is "wrong".note4 Alexander realized that what we think is "right" is based on our sensory feeling of correctness, and that this is based on our familiar habits of movement. These familiar habits become the standard by which we evaluate all of our movement experiences. If our standard is faulty, we have no way of knowing it, and we will not change our habits or standard until a new experience gives us a basis for comparison and evaluation. A practical example: observe the amount of muscle tension or effort needed to stand up from a seated position. We do this many times in a day, probably without noticing ourselves while we are doing it. If we consciously observe ourselves, however, we discover how much effort we are using. If we can perform the same task with less effort, then we obviously were using more effort than we needed to, on a regular basis--and that familiar standard, even though it felt "right," was not the most efficient way. Alexander based his teaching techniques on the realization that, until someone has an experience which allows him to observe himself in a new way, he will not be able to change his patterns of movement. Therefore, one of the first skills that an Alexander Technique student learns is how to observe himself more accurately while he is in the process of moving.note5

Frank Pierce Jones, who conducted extensive research on the Alexander Technique at the Institute for Applied Experimental Psychology at Tufts University, wrote a book on the Technique which he titled, Body Awareness in Action. He explained the benefits of the Technique in this way:

The Alexander Technique doesn't teach you something new to do. It teaches you how to bring more practical intelligence into what you are already doing; how to eliminate stereotyped responses; how to deal with habit and change.note6

Jones goes on to explain that Alexander Technique trains students to take in certain key relationships within their structure in such a way that their sensations have a meaning which informs their whole coordination. Jones described this skill as the ability to expand awareness into an extended, more inclusive, form of consciousness. Yang Chenfu's 8th essential, Harmony Between Internal and External Parts, seems to imply a similar goal in the study of Tai Chi:

In practicing taijiquan, the focus is on the mind and consciousness. Hence the saying: the mind is the commander, and the body is subservient to it...Perfection is achieved when one unifies the two and harmonizes the internal and external parts into a complete whole.note7

Another way of stating this 8th essential of practice might be: 'Perfection is achieved when we're able to do what we think we're doing.'

This could be applied in Tai Chi Chuan by not letting the knee go past the toes in the front leg of a seventy thirty stance. It is very hard to change the habit of letting your knee go too far if you are not paying attention to certain specific feedback from your body. Yang Zhenduo has transformed this movement for many students by asking them to use their toes to grasp the floor while transitioning the weight from their back leg to their front leg. If you are "grasping with the toes" while transitioning onto your front leg, it becomes very clear when you've moved too far forward. In pushing, when we move too far forward , we compensate for technique by using more external strength. If your front knee goes past the "knuckle" (metatarsal/phalangejoint) of the big toe, you can clearly sense that you have lost power and efficiency. For many, Yang Zhenduo's suggestion allows them to experience a constructive knee/foot relationship for the first time.

This article compares some of the important principles apparently shared by Tai Chi Chuan and Alexander Technique. The first principle "lift the head"has always made us curious. We've never heard much of an explanation for it so I tend to superimpose what we learned from the Alexander Technique. We were excited that the explanation we heard this summer was confirming and consistent with the Alexander Technique. Or were we just hearing what we wanted to hear?

Sometimes it takes a long time to find a question that is important and potentially pulls together different ideas and disciplines. If you have studied both these disciplines, please let us know what you think!


About The Writers

Bill Walsh is an Alexander Teacher, a Tai Chi Chuan Teacher and a Management Consultant. As a Management Consultant, he has taught in Fortune 500 companies in Influence Skills ( Selling, Negotiating, and a general influence workshop). As a Tai Chi Chuan teacher, Bill is one of four appointed teachers in the U.S. who direct Yang Chengfu Centers under the tutelege of Yang Zhenduo, fourth generation Master of the Yang Family. In his private practice in New York City, Bill enjoys combining the Alexander Technique, Tai Chi Chuan and Influence Skills.

Bill Walsh e-mail: Bill Walsh
Tel: +1 212-226-0627 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +1 212-226-0627 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, fax: 212-343-9662
66 Crosby St. #2F, New York, NY, 10012, USA

Holly A. Sweeney is an ergonomist and certified Alexander Technique teacher with offices in Montclair, New Jersey and in New York City. She has a M.A. in Ergonomics and Orthopedic Biomechanics and she is a Researcher and Independent Evaluator at the Occupational and Industrial Orthopedic Center for the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City.

Holly Sweeney e-mail:Holly A. Sweeney
Tel: +1 201-655-1048 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +1 201-655-1048 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
24 Tuers Place, Upper Mont Clair, NJ, 07043, USA



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