In football's war of the trenches, New Paltz lineman Danny Le is prepared in the way of peace.
Le has been studying the Japanese martial art of aikido for the past five months. Self-defensive in nature, aikido teaches a person to use an opponent's body against them, directing an attacker's movement aside using circular sweeping moves.
There is a spiritual aspect to aikido that Le appreciates.
"You have to empty the mind,'' Le said. "They say be like water because it's shapeless, it's formless and it can adapt to anything. You have to empty your mind so when something comes you adapt to it. You don't focus on one thing because if you do, you will get hit. Just go past it and attack and learn.''
Football is the same way, and Le said his aikido training — which he does three times a week in Kingston — can come in handy.
"Aikido is more about learning to move an opponent,'' Le said. "A football player comes with all his energy and I will take it and move it to one side.''
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