Shumatsu Dosa - Fixing movement

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[Alain Pitre]

Hello, in class the other day, someone asked why shumatsu dosa was called fixing movement. I know that I'll get an answer on this forum.

Thanks

[Ron Tisdale]

I think you'll find the best answer in any of Gozo Shioda's books. I believe he said the idea was to "fix" uke. To freeze them in place while you do the turning movement of shihonage. My teacher describes shiho (usually) as uke being frozen or locked, and shite doing the movement. There are, of course, other ways. Read Shioda Kancho's books for a better description.

Ron Tisdale

[Steven]

The translation, in Total Aikido is "After class exercise" and in the Intro. to basic techniques, it is "Finishing Movement". I asked Parker Sensei about this and he indicated that "FIXING MOVEMENT" is not correct.

After class or Finishing movement (which "I" read the same) is correct per Shioda Kancho's and Inoue Sensei's books.

As Ron said, read either of these two books or talked to Parker Sensei who will be in your neighborhood soon, if not there already.

/sm

[Ron Tisdale]

Well, I finally got the time to do some checking.

From "Total Aikido, the Master Course", by Gozo Shioda [Kodansha, 1996]:
To fix

"Fix your power," "the energy is fixed." Lead uke's power so that it reaches its full extent of movement, at which stage uke loses his ability to pull back or withdraw. By fixing the energy, uke is not able to let go of the hand he has grasped.
page 28.

In "Dynamic Aikido", by Gozo Shioda [Kodansha, 1977] on page 36 and again on 38, Shumatsu Dosa is refered to as "Fixing Movement" as opposed to the more commonly used "Finishing Movement" or "After Class Exercise" noted in the sources Steven sited above.

While possibly a mistake in translation in the one source, I think the definition given of "fixing" in "Total Aikido" is very telling; I believe it bears some serious thought.

Ron Tisdale