Ukemi Parameters

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[akiy]

Hi folks,

Some questions on your thoughts about ukemi here.

What kind of skills are needed to remain safe as uke?

What would be your rules in keeping yourself safe as uke?

How do these skills interact with the manner in which you attack (and keep attacking) as uke? In other words, does remaining safe conflict with the aim of affecting/attacking nage? Or does it remain the same?

When (if ever) do these above rules/criteria get changed? How?

-- Jun

[cguzik]

- Keep breathing.
- Stay relaxed.
- Don't leave parts of your body behind. 8)
- Don't disconnect.
- Maintain your intention to attack.

(Easier said than done.)

[Erik]

Originally posted by akiy
What kind of skills are needed to remain safe as uke?


Jun, for some reason I'm having difficulty with the word skill. Anyways, my general thoughts would be:

* Awareness of everyone else on the mat.
* The ability to alter your fall in an instant.
* The ability to fall in a confined area.
* The ability to fall from any angle in any way, even altering the fall during the fall.
* The ability to breakfall.
* The ability to breakfall from almost any throw.
* Don't get stuck. Particularly, no sticky feet.
* The willingness to say NO, when you don't feel safe for whatever reason.
* The ability to recognize that you don't feel safe.
* The ability to accept that it's ok to not feel safe and say NO.
* Arm extension in place of timed "shoulder blaster" rolls.
* The ability to judge the skill of nage.
* Stay in the throw (and the attack). Stopping or checking out is prohibited.
* Stay aware all the way through the throw. No checking out mid-throw.
* The ability to relax.
* The ability to roll over objects.

That's off the top of my head. There's more if I thought about it.

What would be your rules in keeping yourself safe as uke?

My big one's are know thy nage and the environment you are in. All the rest revolves around that.

In other words, does remaining safe conflict with the aim of affecting/attacking nage?

Actually, I want to say yes, then I want to say no, so how about maybe and we'll wait for what others have to say. I'm genuinely curious on this one.

When (if ever) do these above rules/criteria get changed?

My rules are variable to begin with and they are variable based on nage or the training environment.

[Mares]

Here's a couple of tips when doing high falls

Don't step on the front of your hakama.
Don't get your foot tangled in nage's hakama, especially when Sensei is throwing you.

[Erik]

Originally posted by Mares
Don't get your foot tangled in nage's hakama, especially when Sensei is throwing you.

Been there done that. While demonstrating a break fall with the sensei, in front of the class, my leg got caught in the ole hakama. Would have made an ice skater proud with the split I performed.

Went home early that night.

[guest1234]

:eek:
Hmmm, not so easy, wearing a skirt.....
;)

[guest1234]

Oh, and I would say most folks have named things I find important, except maybe be sensitive to where nage is taking you/what he's doing to you (although that is also pretty much in the 'stay connected' listed above)...
Sorry if it was already said, but I broke my glasses and can't really read this well :freaky:

[Johan Tibell]

Hi,

I know it was stated above but I would really like to emphasize that AWARENESS is the most important skill as uke. It keeps you, hopefully, free from injury. Especially against those folks who uses atemi freely, even if they don't intend to hit you you could run into it if you aren't cautious.

Regards,

Johan Tibell

[Johan Tibell]

Originally posted by Mares
Here's a couple of tips when doing high falls

Don't step on the front of your hakama.
Don't get your foot tangled in nage's hakama, especially when Sensei is throwing you.
Reminds me of a funny incident, someone put both legs in the same hakama leg, took 5 min or so before someone saw it. Sensei walked over to him and lifted the other leg high in the air. :D

Regards,

Johan Tibell

[jimvance]

Originally posted by akiy
What kind of skills are needed to remain safe as uke?
What would be your rules in keeping yourself safe as uke?
How do these skills interact with the manner in which you attack (and keep attacking) as uke? In other words, does remaining safe conflict with the aim of affecting/attacking nage? Or does it remain the same?
When (if ever) do these above rules/criteria get changed? How?

I don't think uke is ever safe. Thoughts of safety create hesitation which reflect in uke's waza.

Aside from the well mentioned ideas about proper body movement, awareness, relaxation, etc., uke controls one thing, and this determines their ability to take appropriate ukemi: Tempo or speed. Within kata, uke creates the conflict. Resolution of the conflict is the only safety.

Jim Vance

[unsound000]

Originally posted by akiy
Hi folks,

Some questions on your thoughts about ukemi here.

What kind of skills are needed to remain safe as uke?

How do these skills interact with the manner in which you attack (and keep attacking) as uke? In other words, does remaining safe conflict with the aim of affecting/attacking nage? Or does it remain the same?

-- Jun

Just be relaxed...
"Within constant motion and change there is Tranquillity, and within Tranquillity there is Motion and change." ~Henry Okazaki
So, staying "safe" as in a passive state is dangerous. And being constantly aggresive is dangerous. You must always be relaxed, act instinctively, think clearly, be aware etc. Accept the conflict in your mind. Accept the danger. Submit and you will be tranquill. Paradoxically, most of the time, you will also end up safe. (or so I've heard;)

[Orihime]

Something which seems important to me : a uke must not be passive and only undergo. Yesterday, I worked with a uke who was completely passive. She was rather cross because, she said, I was hurting her on the end of a shihonage. She had more experience (she was a ikkyu), so I wondered what I had to change. But the sensei arrived and observed us. He said I was doing my shihonage correctly, but my uke had to move if she did not want to get hurt. But she remained passive after that. So I did not dare to continue.