Martial Art as Magic

[KickChick]

I just finished reading an article entitled:

 

"Magic as Martial Art" http://www.leirpoll.com/martialart.htm ...which compared the many similarities that exist between martial arts (Aikido) and magic.

 

I posted this here as the article spotlights Aikido and the fact that the key point of Aikido is to redirect your opponent's energy and that in order for it to be an effective method of self-defense, it is totally dependent on a strong attack. The question the author poses is "Could the same be true for Magic"...

 

Good magicians use Aikido principles and good martial arts performers use misdirection!

 

It's pretty interesting!

[LeaF]

cool article Kickchick, thanks for posting it

[Kensai]

That was a great link, I have heard my Sensei give similar stories.

 

Feel Nothing, Think Nothing, Be Nothing and no-one can hurt you. Its called "moving the mind", for example when you strike, you are thinking about the point of impact and if you are not thinking about it, your Ki is there. But if you redirect, cut and drop the Ki, your attacker will go with it.

 

One time my Sensei asked me to root myself to the ground, then he tried to push me over and could not. But then he just placed his finger on the top of my skull, then gently pull me back on my shoulder, and i fell like a shack of bricks. You cant expect to move a man when he wants to stay. But if you make him stop thinking about it, then he is yours to command. IN the same way that magic works, when you think its being dohe, its been done and you are being fooled.

 

Thanks for posting it.

 

Take Care

[Thai_Kick]

This is what happens when you combine Magic and Martial arts in one. I hope you get a good laugh, I know I did!

 

http://streetcombat.8m.com/main.html

[shotochem]

Thai kick,

 

Now that is

 

Warrior magicians who wudda thunk it???

[Aikidoka]

Thanks KickChick, that was a very interesting read. As a practioner of Tomiki (sport) Aikido, I am always learning about the psychology of Aiki, and I think that magic also shares mental principles with Aikido in a literal way. Both require domination of the attacker/spectator's mind; you decide what they concentrate on, you must be the only one who is truly aware of everything that is happening. I don't want my attacker to realise that he has the ability to defeat me, I want them to worry about what will happen to them if they try to strike. Similarly the magician cannot allow the spectator to realise that he an opportunity to work out the trick (like in the shuffling example), they must be made to concentrate on what's may or may not be about to happen.

 

That other website is truly bizarre Thai Kick, but I'll try to keep an open mind.

[Kensai]

ANOTHER AIKIDOKA (even if it is TOMIKI )!

 

Take Care.

[KickChick]

I caught this magician/illusionists tv show the other night and he does blow Copperfield and Blaine away! As they say in the media "Utterly captivating! A devilishly clever, magical showThe New York Post); Remarkable and entertaining(The New York Times); A splashy spectacle, engaging and eye-popping(The Daily News); Angel would eat David Copperfields liver with a nice Chianti and spit a bats head in David Blaines face (Time Out New York) And, on a recent appearance, Howard Stern called Criss Angel an amazing illusionistthe best I've ever seen!

 

http://www.crissangel.com/

 

He also practiced martial arts and pyrotechnics .

 

Another martial artist/magician: Jeff McBride http://www.yourmagic.com/artists/JeffMcBride.html

 

"The fire marshal may get nervous when Jeff McBride comes to town.

 

This Las Vegas-based magician combines illusion, martial arts, kabuki, costuming, shamanism and a lot of fire in his techno-tribal magic shows."