Stevens Students

[SAS Guardian Angel]

Who are the classmates now senseis of Steven what dojos do they teach? where are they located? Ive heard several mentioned in these seminars and wondered how many there were?

In the photo 1974 did anyone know why he was corrected so quickly? he was sitting wrong like lotus style Japanese dont want to see bottom of feet nor do Koreans like offensive to them. So Arab countries do that too. The sat him up if you see in next photo he has to be on his knees back straight and bottom on heels (seiza) wait til you bow without the triangle ..(rei) not good either .when you bow you make a triangle with thumb and forefinger both hands to floor head not supposed to touch floor.

 

[Aikilove]

K. Tohei, has a thing with posture (so do most aikido instructors that I know of) and the way Steven was sitting does not go well with Tohei. It's as important as technique according to Tohei so I guess he was giving Steven a good lesson about proper sitting pose.
If you want technical details I can say that it's all about balance and focus concentrated at your hara (or the one point as the Ki folkes call it, located around and inside ons bellybotton). They have exercises where you're supose to be "un-moveable" sitting correctly.

/J

 

[aikijones]

To the question for this post,

Well we have no choose in the matter here, Japan HA HA. We all sit in seiza and most of our class time is in suriwaza, old school. So I know back then they really didn't have a choose. I guess it is because of posture, but also the thought, if you can do a technique from shikko, (knee walking) as the samurai had to do in their castle you can do the technique in tachiwaza, (standing up). Something to think about, try doing shihonage in lotus postion.

 

[SAS Guardian Angel]

walking

yeah that would be a little tough I would imagine, with feet over knees, but every Korean maste Ive visited has corrected his students except small childen for having a bad posture too I am TKD its the same if they slouch he jumps them to sit up straight and sit on feet .

One kid had legs staight out in front of him master said this is not gym class sit on your knees. Im BIG and I have to do it too.

 

[Jalu]

Akilove,

Do you know any good book on this subject (Ki and posture) ?

K. Tohei, has a thing with posture (so do most aikido instructors that I know of) and the way Steven was sitting does not go well with Tohei. It's as important as technique according to Tohei so I guess he was giving Steven a good lesson about proper sitting pose.
If you want technical details I can say that it's all about balance and focus concentrated at your hara (or the one point as the Ki folkes call it, located around and inside ons bellybotton). They have exercises where you're supose to be "un-moveable" sitting correctly.

/J

 

[Aikilove]

Any of Koichi Toheis books about Ki would do the trick. e.g. 'Ki in Daily life' or 'Book of Ki'

/J

 

[Jalu]

Thank you very much Akilove... sounds like an interesting read.