Magical Aiki technniques?

[Shaolinwind]

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[Monadnock]

Demo's are just that, demos. Typically scripted and rehersed. Looks like they were showing their interpretation of Aiki -- allbeit a different one.

I think there are some no touch "strikes" in the Bujinkan I recall seeing on an old Kobudo no Kihon tape...but I'm kind of foggy on that. I think it involved a ki-ai.

Ki-ai....Ai-ki....hmmm.....

 

[jujutsu_indonesia]

The shihan was Nobuyuki Watanabe 8th dan and the occasion was the annual All-Japan Aikido Demonstration, held every year during May. I myself was present at the event and saw the demonstration. The ukes were Watanabe Sensei's own students, probably attending university.

Watanabe Sensei gives such a demonstration every year and it invariably follows a similar pattern. The demonstrations given by other Aikikai shihans, such as Hiroshi Isoyama and Hiroshi Tada, also follow a set pattern, but are quite different.

All of which, in my opinion, should give rise to the question: what are demonstrations for? What are they supposed to demonstrate?

I should add that I have attended classes in the Hombu taught by Watanabe Sensei. This was some tine ago, but the aikido he taught in these classes was quite different: hard, with full-contact attacks.

hello Professor Goldsbury,

Thank you for the information. I am also very sure that Watanabe sensei are capable of doing "conventional" Aikido at very respectable level. It's just the "magic Ki stuff" that surprises me.

 

[amir]

I think a better question would have been: What is the purpose of this demonstration ?

I find it very unlikely that anyone really believes this magic will work against real attacker. But, some demonstrations are not intended to demonstrate effective street defence rather other elements, such as sensitivity of Uke or some other idea.

Amir