'Excuse me sensei, do you put the foot here or here?'
Not an uncommon question in an aikido class as the student seeks to affect the uke like the teacher did. Sometimes the answer is obviously simple and verbal and comes from basics and the mind. Sometimes however, the teacher is not sure of how to answer. What do they do? They perform the technique again but this time they observe where they put their own foot, and say, 'place your foot here, just so.'
This teacher had developed body conscious skills which told him when the move was correct, it was a level beyond thinking. therefore any art which develops body consciousness can assist the aikido practioner to 'find' the right place through that knowing. If you only learn it technically by mind memory you will find it harder to adapt to the changes required in more advanced partner practise.
Listen to your body, it knows what is a correct posture .... without your input !
Not an uncommon question in an aikido class as the student seeks to affect the uke like the teacher did. Sometimes the answer is obviously simple and verbal and comes from basics and the mind. Sometimes however, the teacher is not sure of how to answer. What do they do? They perform the technique again but this time they observe where they put their own foot, and say, 'place your foot here, just so.'
This teacher had developed body conscious skills which told him when the move was correct, it was a level beyond thinking. therefore any art which develops body consciousness can assist the aikido practioner to 'find' the right place through that knowing. If you only learn it technically by mind memory you will find it harder to adapt to the changes required in more advanced partner practise.
Listen to your body, it knows what is a correct posture .... without your input !