Is this a joke?

[Formosa Neijia]

I don't see why a demo video has to include resistance from someone else who knows a lot. demo videos are often (usually?) more interesting than sparring videos because it's easier to get an idea to go try.

Well that's just it. A demo video is fine, but demonstrating against an unskilled opponent shows next to nothing. Its a lot like demonstrating how to drive in NASCAR against an old grannie in a yugo. Sure its a car. Sure its a driver. But it sure as heck ain't the right way to learn how to race

Demoing is demoing. You don't need a skilled opponent to do a demo. That's why it's called a demo, not rolling.

People read too much into this and other clips. How do people "know" Masich is trying to teach aikido guys how to be "invincible" on the mat?

I simply find PH concepts to be useful no matter whether I'm standing or rolling. Unfortunately that consideration will never be applied to Masich.

Dave C.

[everything]

I don't see why a demo video has to include resistance from someone else who knows a lot. demo videos are often (usually?) more interesting than sparring videos because it's easier to get an idea to go try.

Well that's just it. A demo video is fine, but demonstrating against an unskilled opponent shows next to nothing. Its a lot like demonstrating how to drive in NASCAR against an old grannie in a yugo. Sure its a car. Sure its a driver. But it sure as heck ain't the right way to learn how to race

lol that is a hilarious analogy. but first, i just need to see the technique, sorta slowed down, sorta step by step, so you could in fact show me against grannie. later, after that part, i could use seeing the more "live" sparring video, where you should demo against marcelo garcia or whomever.

[Dmitri]

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that taiji ideas are fully applicable and extremely useful on the ground.
It's a matter of getting used to a certain "training environment" (in this case - being on the ground), and that can only be done through repeated practice such as free-style rolling. Much like form or push-hands, Teh Internal (tm) begins to come out through enough repetition (plus other things of course, like mindfulness, relaxation, breathing, etc.)

My read (at least a wishfully-thought one ) on what he's doing there is that he's saying, "see, some of these ideas are applicable on the ground."

I hope he's not saying: "see, you don't need to roll on the ground in order to be effective there; just do stand-up PH and that'll be enough; it's all the same."
That would be BS.

FWIW

[Formosa Neijia]

My read (at least a wishfully-thought one ) on what he's doing there is that he's saying, "see, some of these ideas are applicable on the ground."

I hope he's not saying: "see, you don't need to roll on the ground in order to be effective there; just do stand-up PH and that'll be enough; it's all the same."
That would be BS.

FWIW

I find it interesting that people always assume the former rather than the latter, especially after the clip of him fighting with nice judo throws added to his taiji. After all, he has some years in judo and is a brown belt as I recall.

Dave C.

[Dmitri]

I'm not sure what your point is, as you seem to be confirming what I'm saying there... If he has trained in judo for a while, then he HAS the ground experience. As opposed to someone who only does "classical" tai chi stand-up PH work.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

judo isn't really a ground game so much as it is a throws and takedown game.
there's no ground work per se in it at most levels.
for that, you have to go one more level in to the jujitsu, which has the stuff for once you are on the ground.

[Dmitri]

there's no ground work per se in it at most levels

I dunno, maybe it depends on the school, but we did a lot of ground work. (Granted, it was a mixed sambo/judo school, and in Russia, and 30 years ago...)
Sure, not nearly the amount of emphasis on it as they have in BJJ, -- but still, it's quite far from "no ground work" IME...

Taiji PH (at least in its "classical" incarnation, and in 99.9999999% of schools) is what I would call "no ground work"

[wiesiek]

i have to support Dmitri,

i don`t know where your info caming from, Darth
but
I`ve ben trained judo /in Dmitri times... /
AND
we trained a LOT of ne waza

as i stated couple of times alredy, almost 1/2 of tournaments fights is/was?/ win by ne waza ,
so
it was /and still is/ really unwise to not roll around a little

im not sain` that we worked 50/50 [stand up/ground] time
it was more likely :
60/40 - 80/20 /depends of dojo/ with favor for stand up game ,
however
lo-level, or even worse - absence of reall ne waza skilz means :

WATERING DOWN Kanos system