tenken getting lost

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[Mary Eastland]

Often when a nage gets their hands on an uke, nage’s energy changes. For example, tenkan starts out pure and then as uke turns with nage, nage gets flustered with the received energy and loses their own direction. The tenkan gets lost in a flurry of small steps and the drama seeps out of the original movement.

Nage’s challenge is to offer good energy and receive good energy. As we develop strong mind body co-ordination and good posture we can trust our technique as nage and guide our ukes with correct motion. Courage comes into play when we let go of what we are try to control and just let. Let the connection happen, let the energies blend, let uke follow by leading not controlling. Practice good form and a good finish on your tenkan and then work to keep that form when you do kokyu nage. Small steps in the second turn of tenkan in a kokyu nage are a habit that can be broken by noticing, accepting and then changing the movement. The payoffs are better technique, an uke that loses their balance and a very good feeling for both uke and nage. Dare to tenken. Dare to enjoy blending, Dare to excel.

[jurasketu]

*Like*

One of my observations that I share with my fellow students is that I have long noticed that Rokudans and above always seem to do FULL tenkans. :)

[Mary Eastland]

Thank you for reading.

[Peter Goldsbury]

Often when a nage gets their hands on an uke, nage's energy changes. For example, tenkan starts out pure and then as uke turns with nage, nage gets flustered with the received energy and loses their own direction. The tenkan gets lost in a flurry of small steps and the drama seeps out of the original movement.

Nage's challenge is to offer good energy and receive good energy. As we develop strong mind body co-ordination and good posture we can trust our technique as nage and guide our ukes with correct motion. Courage comes into play when we let go of what we are try to control and just let. Let the connection happen, let the energies blend, let uke follow by leading not controlling. Practice good form and a good finish on your tenkan and then work to keep that form when you do kokyu nage. Small steps in the second turn of tenkan in a kokyu nage are a habit that can be broken by noticing, accepting and then changing the movement. The payoffs are better technique, an uke that loses their balance and a very good feeling for both uke and nage. Dare to tenken. Dare to enjoy blending, Dare to excel.

Hello. Is this a problem in your own dojo?

[Mary Eastland]

Hello: In the whole dojo no...but with couple of individuals.

[Currawong]

Good thoughts! I have been thinking about this very issue quite a bit. I'm finding a lot of people (and this included myself years ago) were not extending out with their rear leg in balance to their forward arm, resulting in imbalance when doing techniques. There's a great video of Morihei Ueshiba doing shinonage, which exemplifies this, where you see him turn with perfect balance. If I find it I'll post it here.

However, I'd add that, alongside body/mind co-ordination (and integration/Aiki), that developing a reflexive instinct for distance and timing -- automatically doing the necessary amount of taisabaki, is fundamental as well. Practicing turning in small circles and big circles by oneself, especially focussing on maintaining a good internal structure, I found helped me a lot in this regard. From there, practicing the techniques to get a feel for the right amount of movement while maintaining one's internal posture then becomes easier.

Eventually I feel one will pass through the need to practice big movements and will do them in a more compact and efficient manner, but in teaching I believe it's important to focus on doing full movements, visibly balanced in all (6) directions.