An uke class--is it 'done'?

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[Suzanne Cooper]

Uke, although it is my current favorite, doesn't come naturally. It is natural for my younger child, but not for me.

It hit me over the weekend (no pun intended!) that a 'class' in how to be a good uke might be interesting. I'd certainly enjoy it!

Is that 'done'? I'm picking up bits and pieces as we train, but I'd love a chance to concentrate on learning to be a good uke.

(:freaky: me after I've hit the mat 15 or more times)

[Clayton Kale]

We have a class taught on Saturday mornings by a sempai on falls and rolls. (it's a nice warm up to regular class :D)I don't know if that's exactly what you mean.

Otherwise, I've learned to have a firm grip but a loose arm when you grip your nage's wrist. That takes some of the bite out of breakfalling. Also, Breathe in your rolls and kiai in your falls. I'm sure you already knew all this, but I'm finished at work and they won't let me leave. I've gotta do something, right? :)

[Suzanne Cooper]

'Firm grasp but loose arm'--that'll help. Now that you mention it, the higher kyu do exactly that and I never noticed.

The 'rolls and falls' class you mention sounds like something I'd like. I hope I can go up to the dojo tomorrow during free gym time and I plan to practice falls and rolls.

[Nafis Zahir]

Every Dojo should have ukemi classes. I know someone who has natural ukemi. But for me, it has been a struggle. I have taken private lessons to get better. Being a Shodan, I often get thrown hard because people think I can take it because of my rank. I am able to deal with it most of the time, but it can be taxing on the body. I am getting alot better, but I have to "go and get it." And by ukemi, I don't just mean breakfalls. I'm talking about the attack to the fall and everything in between. Yes, there should be ukemi class or at least sometime devoted to it.

[PhilJ]

I think she was talking about being uke, right? I'll share my opinion on that one. :)

Being a 'good uke' is pretty important, and so devoting entire classes might not be a bad use of time. I do see benefits that classmates get when a class like that is done, although over time they fade away as we forget.

But I like it, and enjoy that kind of class.

*Phil

[akiy]

Is that 'done'?
I lead a class on ukemi at our dojo...

-- Jun

[Largo]

I wish we did that. We're just supposed to grab a sempai and ask them to toss us around for a bit. (or, ocassionaly someone will ask you to "come play" once you're done folding your hakama)

This is kinda tough when you have to take a couple of trains home.

[indomaresa]

our dojo spent the first half hour of each practice for warming up if there are beginners in the class

but there's always time for beginners to learn ukemi, rolling, etc after the training ends. I think the beginners should be encouraged to do so.

Advanced ukemi will come as the needs arise (guaranteed)

[JMCavazos]

We have an ukemi class once a week. All new students are required to attend this class. It is also open to any other student who feels he/she needs more work in this area.

[akiy]

We have an ukemi class once a week. All new students are required to attend this class. It is also open to any other student who feels he/she needs more work in this area.
Which reminds me -- there's also another class on Sunday (which I don't lead) which has an "ukemi clini" for people who want to get practice on learning the falling and rolling parts of ukemi. It goes on at the same time as another class with a yudansha from the dojo supervising and helping people out.

The ukemi class that I lead is for people who are already comfortable with basic falling/rolling skills (eg forward roll, backfalls, etc).

-- Jun

[Chuck Clark]

Every class we do is half uke and half tori.

Giving and receiving. You can switch the roles around and it's still about giving properly and receiving properly.

[ian]

As a student club we get an annual influx of beginners. Many people (esp. females) seem to be put off by ukemi initially so I start with techniques which don't involve forward ukemi and do them slowly (ikkyo, kokyu-nage).

I think beginners also benefit from an intensive ukemi session, and to keep the pace of the class going I do 1 or 2 sessions which are ONLY ukemi in addition. Then I introduce ukemi into the normal warm up and training.

As far as other aspects of uke go I don't like to set a fixed uke pattern. Although some dojos work from stationary, some have uke running in, some have firm grips, some light, I think ALL should be practiced.

We start with stationary firm grips to develop body mechanics and to enable people to understand that you can move someone much stronger than you if you use your body correctly.

Then we gradually go on to timing, blending and distance. Finally we work on spontaneous response of nage (technique to fit the uke movement) and multiple attack.

All of these require a 'different' type of uke. I try to explain before the technique what uke is doing so it doesn't become competitive (e.g. push through, pull back, stay locked, relax, fast, slow). I worry that 'training' ukes in a certain way all the time would delude the practioners into believing everyone attacks in that way, and it may also cause difficulties when training with aikido practioners from other clubs. However for me, uke is a live training dummie, so whatever way you feel best promotes good training is good.

Ian