senshincenter

Hi Rupert,

Let me see if I can fill in some of the variables with actual examples. Maybe that might help things. Maybe not.

I stuck with the topsy-turvy effect because I think it is quite representative of both Aikido pins and throws. We are looking for the feet and head to exchange their positions -- either in part or in full. This is how we can understand both Kuzushi and the tactical completion of Kuzushi. There are only so many ways that human body can do this. Two very common ways, which are actually just one way being represented in forward and reverse motion, is what you see in the forward and backward roll (whether that be homo-lateral or cross-lateral). Now, in Aikido, we want to generate these physical geometries by some very specific means. First, we want to utilize the opponent's energy. Second, we want to be at the center of that geometry. Third, we want to neither clash with and/or be subject to the opponent's attacking energy. These things have us generating a topsy-turvy effect in one way and not in another.

When we enter, it is tempting to see Irimi like some sort of a piercing instrument. Under such an assumption, we often push our opponent ahead of us, or we are seeking to slice our way through his/her various offensive and/or defensive aspects. However, pushing instruments (when they are singular in nature) and piercing instruments do not generate true topsy-turvy effects. This is one reason, because of how common this understanding of Irimi is, that most topsy-turvy effects in Aikido practice are often only choreographed effects -- not genuine.

Moreover, topsy-turvy effects aside, pushing instruments are going to require that we have greater mass at impact and/or that we can generate more power at impact than our opponent if we are not going to clash with our opponent and/or be subject to his/her attacking energy. Piercing instruments are going to require that our attacker's openings be greater than the leading edge of our Irimi. These are not what we should base our tactical responses on. We should not require that we be bigger and/or stronger than our opponent or that he/she attack us with huge enough opening for our body to enter. So, what do you do?

You do Aikido. You effect only a small portion of the attacker's energy and use the remainder of his/her attacking energy (e.g. body mass) to actually assist you with affecting the part you are opting to determine. What is the best way of doing this? Establish a topsy-turvy geometry. How do you do this? Bring the two parts of the attacker's body (i.e. the smaller portion you are opting to determine directly, and the larger portion you are using to assist you with determining the smaller portion) into an orbital relationship. What does an orbital relationship require? That some things are going around something else. How does one fulfill this? By having one's body be the center around which both the smaller portion of the opponent's attacking energy (the one you are directly effecting) and the larger portion (the one you are using to assist you) travel. Again, we need to ask; can this be achieved with a (singular) pushing energy and/or with a piercing energy? Answer: no. Can this fulfill the three required means by which Aikido seeks to generate a topsy-turvy effect? There is no other way to do this, in fact. So what do you do? You have to find a way of entering that is not just pushing and/or piercing. You have to find a way of having your Irimi function so that it establishes an orbit. Thus, there has to be some sort of turning and/or circularity to your Irimi; hence, my suggestion, "find some way of spinning your triangle." We all know, when a triangle gets spinning fast enough it appears to be circular.

In the video, in the omote version, you can see me seeking to determine the smaller energy of uke's hand. Here, I do not seek to push it in the opposite direction from whence it came. Rather, I only seek to move it over enough to have it go around me -- still having it remain oriented along its initial trajectory. This creates the triangular opening for Irimi; it exists between the arm/shoulder and the hip. However, if I do not want to push against the remainder of Uke's attacking energy, which is the larger portion mind you, I have to find some way of generating an orbit, such that Uke's smaller and larger portions of energy start to work for me and against him/her. To do this, I cannot just enter and seek to push or pierce. There must be some rotational element or aspect to my Irimi. Hence, the triangle must spin; Irimi must include Tenkan. When I enter, you can see that I do so in a way that Uke's energy actually wraps itself around me, with one side effecting and being effected by the other. In turn, this allows me to pin inwardly (as opposed to pinning outwardly -- which never works under real conditions).

All of this happens inversely in Tenkan. In Tenkan, we use a circle. We move that circle so that at any given moment in time/space it can actually trace out a line (like in a push or a pierce). However, because it is a circle that is tracing out this line, and unlike a push or a pierce, Tenkan can generate the same kind of orbital relationship that is necessary to generate a topsy-turvy effect in an Aikido-like fashion (just like in Irimi). If you look at the slow motion of the Ura versions of Ikkyo, you will see a frame that ends up looking just like what you see in the Omote versions (i.e. Uke going topsy-turvy, traveling around Nage in an orbital manner.). The best place to see this circle acting like a line is in the front foot of Uke. Pay attention to how small a step Uke is able to take around Nage in the ukemi. As I am still doing Tenkan better with my left foot than with my right foot (damn it!), Uke actually isn't able to take any step around me when I offer my right hand (which is the what I'm going for with having this circle act like a line).

thanks,
david