testing and hara coodination

[Peter West]

Does anyone else try to "get under the sword" in furikaburi instead of raise the sword? Its a different sensation and kind of difficult to explain.

Yes, I think some of us try to do that.

[chidokan]

I think there are many ways of trying to describe how to cut... I guess Peter and I have heard most of them by now! The major problem is that this is a body language and is difficult to communicate with spoken language. At some point you hear something that works with you personally, (ie similar to how you think) and it clicks.
It's one of the main reasons you have to learn to WATCH carefully rather than just LOOK at what your sensei shows you. Eventually you start to 'see' the hidden detail... Note how few japanese sensei actually explain their moves and look strangely at you when you start to ask about them. 'Watching practise' is always the best teaching method.

[Peter West]

What Tim says is most important because (amongst other things) in a fight you have to watch your enemy, see what they do, work out how to respond. You cant hold you hand up and say "Excuse me, can you tell me how you are going to attack....oh, how does that work? ... so, will you step towards me with your right or left foot? ...Sorry, I don't understand, can you explain...." and so on.
Mite Geiko teaches you to see what you are looking at and understand what you see.

[Kokoro777]

I think language can help make the concept behind a movement more lucid. For example, Uke Nagashi: When rising to the standing position, my movements were clumsy and jerky until someone suggested (thanks Vic Cook Sensei) one should 'corkscrew upwards' to the standing position and this really helped me begin to get the motion smoother. I always like to add the the phrase 'With the feeling of....' before this type of comment because, for example, one clearly cannot move from the hips since its the Newtonian reaction of the feet on the floor that causes the body to rotate. But if you say 'Move with the feeling of initiating it from the hips' it becomes clearer.

[Maro]

I always like to add the the phrase 'With the feeling of....' before this type of comment because, for example, one clearly cannot move from the hips since its the Newtonian reaction of the feet on the floor that causes the body to rotate. But if you say 'Move with the feeling of initiating it from the hips' it becomes clearer.

I usually find a Newtonian force of wiry instructors hands twisting your hands into the right position makes your body follow.

Easier to understand and also illustrates how strong some instructors are

[rottunpunk]

I usually find a Newtonian force of wiry instructors hands twisting your hands into the right position makes your body follow.

Easier to understand and also illustrates how strong some instructors are

ditto