Extension of Energy -- How?

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[tim evans]

Being a newbie certain aspects of aikido baffle me this KI,unbendable arm,and now xtension of energy( KI again0 for example shomenuchi ikkyo omote I irrimi in as the ukes arm rises try to concentrate on elbow pushing back toward his ear at this time my instructor grabs my back arm I had no energy on the elbow control side I tried to get what my instructor wanted but to no avail how do I extend energy through the technique.thanks

[Ryan Seznee]

All aikido is a battle for the center. Kokyo is a common exercise in most classes (ether a warm up or a cool down) to emphasize exactly what you seek. If you want to understand it, work on kokyo, that is the most basic aikido principle, but it is also one of the hardest.

You have to push forward, always, but don't make it a confrontation. Ideally, you want to approach the attack like a blind man approaches a wall. He does not try to break through it, but feels his way around it. He pushes against the wall, not to try to move it, but to try to feel it so he can find a way around it. All that is left after that is to choose the easiest path.

Was that helpful? :confused:

[Janet Rosen]

There are a variety of metaphors different instructors will use (extending energy through pinky or past fingers, blowing up a huge beach ball, etc.) From a body use perspective, in terms of moving the arms, the two most helpful things I've learned are:
1. engage the triceps rather than the biceps
2. use the Pilates concept of "move down in order to move up": let your shoulder blades sink down and back, let the tops of your shoulders follow them down, and your arms should naturally rise in a relaxed, extended manner via the engagement of the latissimus dorsi.

[tim evans]

All aikido is a battle for the center. Kokyo is a common exercise in most classes (ether a warm up or a cool down) to emphasize exactly what you seek. If you want to understand it, work on kokyo, that is the most basic aikido principle, but it is also one of the hardest.

You have to push forward, always, but don't make it a confrontation. Ideally, you want to approach the attack like a blind man approaches a wall. He does not try to break through it, but feels his way around it. He pushes against the wall, not to try to move it, but to try to feel it so he can find a way around it. All that is left after that is to choose the easiest path.

Was that helpful? :confused:
Very helpful ryan thanks I will definetly work on my kokyo technique thanks:)

[tim evans]

There are a variety of metaphors different instructors will use (extending energy through pinky or past fingers, blowing up a huge beach ball, etc.) From a body use perspective, in terms of moving the arms, the two most helpful things I've learned are:
1. engage the triceps rather than the biceps
2. use the Pilates concept of "move down in order to move up": let your shoulder blades sink down and back, let the tops of your shoulders follow them down, and your arms should naturally rise in a relaxed, extended manner via the engagement of the latissimus dorsi. Janet when you say engage the tricep do you mean roll it over thanks for the help.:)

[SeiserL]

IMHO, energy follows the mind.
Don't extend with muscle, extend with focus/intent.
Mentally focus through and behind the direction you are going/aiming. Exhale.
IMHO, that may get you started.

[Shadowfax]

What Lynn said is pretty much what I have always found to work best. Focus on the end result not the action. Energy really is a mental thing. I agree that Kokyo techniques are great for practicing that.I really enjoy them when we do them as a warm down in class. Finally beginning to find that feel myself.

[rob_liberti]

There is a lot to this stuff.

My opinion is that it really has to be felt, but I can give you a hint that I wish I started out knowing. Don't extend at all. Expand and contract up and down the spine to get started. If, as nage, you can expand such that you can keep uke extending, you'll get desirable results.

Rob

[dps]

Understanding extension or projection of energy.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-282363872722047284&ei=vv5qSoH-FZXwqwLtwPjSCA&q=walking+through+screen+door&hl=en

http://www.videojug.com/film/golf-swing-instead-of-hit

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=follow+through+on+golf+swing&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#q=follow+through+on+hiting+baseball&hl=en&emb=0

David

[dps]

Understanding extension or projection of energy.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-282363872722047284&ei=vv5qSoH-FZXwqwLtwPjSCA&q=walking+through+screen+door&hl=en

http://www.videojug.com/film/golf-swing-instead-of-hit

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=follow+through+on+golf+swing&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#q=follow+through+on+hiting+baseball&hl=en&emb=0

David
I am sorry, The last link is suppose to be http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GLqN9yeE8s.

David

[Janet Rosen]

Janet when you say engage the tricep do you mean roll it over thanks for the help.:)

No, to engage a muscle means to USE it. Make it fire and contract.

[Janet Rosen]

To clarify: I agree with those who talk about expansion and focus on energy, and am not advocating a pure "muscle use" practice.

Seems to me that some folks, especially newbies who come in without a lot of mind-body connection already happening (you know - the ones who seem to be walking through life 3" away from their bodies...), seem to find it easier if they are given a hint of a different way to actually use their bodies, and in my experience there is a hugs overlap between the energy and expansion being discussed and the postural and efficient body use that comes from using the body as described. Can't speak as to "which comes first" but I know that whichever I focus on doing first, the other happens.

[Abasan]

There is a difference between extension with an extended arm and extension with a relaxed arm. In both sense you'll be doing extension from your center but in the latter you'll be using more of your mental focus rather then physically trying to extend.

Its harder to perceive if you're doing it right but that's why you practise.