Suwari Waza

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[drdan]

I wanted to know if the training method of suwari waza is found in other disciplines? I think it is quite ingenious to develop the power of the technique from the knees. I can't say I enjoy the training just yet since I do find it hard on my knees.

So a second question is Have you found any ways to make suwari waza training less stressful to the knee joint?

I am a little focused on knees this week. I sprained my knee pretty bad playing ice hockey last week. :( I will be out of action for a few more weeks unfortunately. Probably longer before I get back to suwari waza. :grr:

Dan

[Tony Wagstaffe]

Play it by ear, some can do it easily, some can't....
It seems to be a koryu or old style tradition to do suwari waza...
One doesn't seem to see it in judo so much or in the striking arts...?
Practice it but don't over do it is my belief. My shikko it not so good now, so I don't do it, but still practice my suwari waza....
I make up for it by doing squats slowly to keep my leg and knee strength...

[Hanna B]

It seems to be a koryu or old style tradition to do suwari waza...

Imagine a samurai sitting on the tatami and eating his dinner, or serving his daimyo tea, while suddenly the noble guest - who obviously is not so noble - attacks! The samurai might not be wearing his swords, and if he is there is not space enough to draw them. What should he be do, to protect himself and his daimyo?

Or perhaps you sometimes need to "take care of" your daimyo's guest. Where did I read about someone pracising a "surprise attack while serving tea"? Clearly an attack form missing in today's aikido :D


So a second question is Have you found any ways to make suwari waza training less stressful to the knee joint?


If your knee is injured you should probably stay away from suwariwaza altogether, for a while. Other than that, the most common mistake in suwariwaza probably is letting the foot lag behind. The foot should never be behind the buttock, but below it or in front.

[mrlizard123]

So a second question is Have you found any ways to make suwari waza training less stressful to the knee joint?

Hi Dan,

I found that if your suwari waza is causing pain in your knees it is often caused by ones weight being lifted up and forward rather than kept low and settled over your heels/feet.

If you keep your buttocks and feet aligned as much as possible as mentioned by Hanna as much as possible since this lifts weight off of the knees, reducing stress on the joint and allowing the knee to move with greater freedom.

Hope that makes some sense...
Cheers
Rich

[James Edwards]

Strong thighs usually help. When you advance, don't just crash your knees onto the mats. Place them down with control at every step. Then you'd get less impact on your knees.

[grondahl]

Ice hockey players often have very tight hamstrings.

Increasing mobility in my hamstrings and calves along with the quadriceps and hipbenders has done alot to make seiza and suwari waza a more joyful experience.

[mickeygelum]

Suwari waza develops the center/hips...if you are concentrating on knees, you are wrong.

...Oh, and Shodokan has EXCELLENT suwari waza....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0RgPffuhoo

Courtesy of Ms. Danielle Jones and Mr. Chris Moran of the British Aikido Association..

[drdan]

Hey folks. Thanks for all the responses.

My first question didn't really get addressed much. Do any other styles of martial arts practice their techniques from their knees? I have only seen it in Aikido.

Dan

[dps]

Iado.

Every chance you get sit seiza. At home watching tv or if possible at work.

I did this at home and was fortunate to have several jobs where I could sit in seiza. The amount of time added up to several hours a day. It increased the flexibility in my knees incredibly.

At first I would use something like a folded pillow to sit on until my knees were flexible enough to not need the pillow.

dps

[Flintstone]

My first question didn't really get addressed much. Do any other styles of martial arts practice their techniques from their knees? I have only seen it in Aikido.
Many styles of traditional jujutsu, plus I believe Wado Ryu Karate...

[jbblack]

Iaido has many Suwari Waza techniques.

[niall]

Suwari is used in judo in kata. For example in Kime no Kata tori uses shikko extensively. In judo your rear foot doesn't swing under your body. In Kime no Kata the first group of techniques, Idori, is suwari waza.