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Blending, continuous and adaptive, combined with continuous repositioning, eventually followed by extension and "throw or wristlock".
That's the only way to deal with an attacker. Playing the macho "i'm tough" game or "who outsmarts whom" game is a path to defeat.
O Sensei was right on the money, as always, when he said something akin to "When you're not on the path, you're far, far away from the path".
I immediately establish connection by rotating clockwise/entering while extending his arm and taking his balance.
At that point his elbow is naturally brought into a position where I take a step forward with left foot and my left arm with entire body weight behind it does a sort of a reverse ikkyo, bringing uke effortlessly to the ground.
1) Blend with the motion. I'm not trying to get attacker to comply with my preconceived "blending motion", but adapt myself to blend with this movement with the least resistance, without trying to block it, but keeping the space between us open with optional atemi-to-ukes-face with my other hand, until the movement is complete, and his arm is extended at that key point where the technique can go into shihonage/hijiate kokyunage.
2) At that point where the movement is complete, the arm which is on the uke's wrist is directly in front of my center, and I move it with my center to expose the elbow, at which point my other arm goes under it, and also in front of my center, at which point I drive uke's elbow into uke's head by simply keeping my arm in front of me and walking forward. Uke will be dropped "diagonally".
Beginner uses concrete, stiff associations.
Intermediate student uses abstract visualizations, concerned not so much with what they see, but with what they feel.
Beginner thinks "Ok, I step here and move my arm here..."
Intermediate student thinks "In a natural, free motion, the energy will find it's way... like a powerful ocean wave" <--- only less FRUITY
All the little resistance tricks that the uke may put up will be overcome be the completely free, all enveloping movement. Like water goes around the rocks.
Don't move the arm, move the body which will move the arm.
Try and do it with the least effort possible, as if very tired.
The arm's connection to the center is what makes this work. The movement is natural, you do not need to remember it, for it will draw it's pattern in the air by itself, and it will end up looking like... the kokyunage as was shown by instructor !
Remember, always guide uke by the edges of his sphere of strength.
During YOKOMEN version, meet uke at the very edge of his sphere, without stopping him, but disbalance him to the outside as much as possible, the rest of the movement should proceed naturally.
Keep at the outside of the sphere !
The only way to do Aikido correctly, is to go around power, guide uke from the very outside of his "sphere".
IKKYO note from today - move from the balls of your feet, don't overextend forward.
Provides a powerful motion, especially combined with the fact that I don't SLAM into incoming power, but go around it.
06-24-2004 10:21 PM 