Dan Harden seminar?

[Bodywork]

I think so too..in facti I think it's obvious, and have said so repeatedly. I think it is misconstrude because of my use of knees, elbows, striking, etc ...the full gammit.

[Dmitri]

That is indeed a strange characterization... I certainly didn't notice any "lack of martial" in Sam's work.

To the best of my limited knowledge, Sam doesn't exactly "spar" with people at seminars, aside from PH-like/spinning-hands type of framework, whereas Dan will likely have a "do whatever" approach, including going to the ground, etc. So maybe that influenced these people's judgment/evaluations... perhaps they confused 'practice to develop certain abilities' with 'application of certain abilities in practice'

P.S. Oops, didn't see Dan's response while I was typing... Oh well, I guess I wasn't too far off anyway.

[ashe]

Maybe since he talks about yin/yang and taiji they observer automatically associated some gheyness there...

[Dmitri]

Man, esp. considering the levels of elaboration in ILC theory on these topics... That has got to be the case.

[ashe]

Man, esp. considering the levels of elaboration in ILC theory on these topics... That has got to be the case.

when we were in Santa Fe, Sifu was talking about how to balance yin/yang so the body posture will automatically be prepared to deal with head butts. "you got to be ready for the head butt. when i fought it was no rules so people would head butt you." one of our senior students said "ILC doesn't have many punches". (not the first time he's talked about that).

but, even our own students still miss the point sometimes. one of our senior students said "ILC doesn't have many punches".

WTF?

so it's hard to say why we miss the forest for the trees.

[everything]

leopard, thanks for posting that review. sounds like a great, productive time. sign me up, sign me up. maybe Dan will one day do the RSF-only seminar, lol. also, sign me up for the ILC seminar.

[Bodywork]

It was more than an Aikido teacher only seminar. There were also people from Yi-quan, taiji, CMA. Judo, jujutsu, Karate, MMA, Daito ryu, two Koryu, there.
Add to that- the people present had also felt or trained with Sigman, Ark, Ushiro, WHJ, Sam Chin, CXW, LIU CHeng De and He jinBao. All of which made it an interesting time for me.
Some are coming back over the next few weeks and some want me out for seminars to their place if I want to go. I'm not a big group seminar kind a' guy- so we shall see. I am pleased that I accomplished what I set out to do. To get some basic body work training in a step by step process that they found useful. I also got to lightly spar with a few guys when there was time.

[I am...]

It was more than an Aikido teacher only seminar. There were also people from Yi-quan, taiji, CMA. Judo, jujutsu, Karate, MMA, Daito ryu, two Koryu, there.
Add to that- the people present had also felt or trained with Sigman, Ark, Ushiro, WHJ, Sam Chin, CXW, LIU CHeng De and He jinBao. All of which made it an interesting time for me.
Some are coming back over the next few weeks and some want me out for seminars to their place if I want to go. I'm not a big group seminar kind a' guy- so we shall see. I am pleased that I accomplished what I set out to do. To get some basic body work training in a step by step process that they found useful. I also got to lightly spar with a few guys when there was time.

That sounds like a good time for sure. Please let me know next time you are out in Seattle area, I would love to see your approach, I enjoyed Ark's stuff quite a bit. I also love seeing the Aikido guys getting a chance to internalize this stuff.

[Bodywork]

A great time was had by all. As I stated previously we had a couple of dozen 4 and 5th dans and a Shihan from various different branches of aikido -from Birenkai to Aikikai to ASU -on the mat with Daito Ryu, Karate, Judo, taiji, Yi Quan, bujinkan, and MMA students and teachers. That they were there, all training internal power together in a relaxed and mutually supportive venue was just a blast to see. I had the most fun watching it all unfold and with the very comical lunches and dinners that followed thru the weekend.
It was in many ways, a seminal, ground-breaking event.
Reviews and discussions here beginning at post #35

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthrea ... 931&page=2

Cheers
Dan

[Bodywork]

It was more than an Aikido teacher only seminar. There were also people from Yi-quan, taiji, CMA. Judo, jujutsu, Karate, MMA, Daito ryu, two Koryu, there.
Add to that- the people present had also felt or trained with Sigman, Ark, Ushiro, WHJ, Sam Chin, CXW, LIU CHeng De and He jinBao. All of which made it an interesting time for me.
Some are coming back over the next few weeks and some want me out for seminars to their place if I want to go. I'm not a big group seminar kind a' guy- so we shall see. I am pleased that I accomplished what I set out to do. To get some basic body work training in a step by step process that they found useful. I also got to lightly spar with a few guys when there was time.

That sounds like a good time for sure. Please let me know next time you are out in Seattle area, I would love to see your approach, I enjoyed Ark's stuff quite a bit. I also love seeing the Aikido guys getting a chance to internalize this stuff.

Seattle time is my time. I train out there in a koryu and I have no intention of ruining that with teaching pressures when I get there. I get into a certain focus or groove and I don't want to change that.
Cheers
Dan

[Bodywork]

Groove . . . more like a trough. You should see this guy at a restaurant. Or bar.

Hey!.......I object.....I....er......you....er...Oh forget it. I'm bagged!
You know what I always say though, Tom.
"Want to come do road work with me after?"
Work hard, play hard, get a lot of sleep!

[Bodywork]

Ashe
One of the fellows who made the comment about Sam- stayed over in New England and came back here to train and spar Sat.
It was as Dmtiri and I suspected. Not that Sams stuff isn't martial but that what I was doing was more overt; internal power but with knees, elbows, hands, feet, and throws.
To be clear both he and I like Sams work- and he has trained with Sam and his guys.
He reads this forum and can chime in if he wishes.
Dan
P.S. Please make note of my continually favorable comments on Sam. I like what I see and have noted that repeatedly. I don't want to have to defend a negative postion, or have my words "read into" on a position I never have held in the first place! I'm pretty direct if I think someone is bogus. That is not the case here.

[ashe]

Not that Sams stuff isn't martial but that what I was doing was more overt; internal power but with knees, elbows, hands, feet, and throws.

dan, it's cool. i'm not being defensive, just trying to clarify someone else's misunderstanding.