Quote:
Antonio Hudson wrote:
im a most of the time reader, seldom poster, but i wanted to hear peoples opinions when it comes to ukemi. The way I see it ukes go from light footed (high centered) to near immovable, from extremely pliable and cooperative to uncooperative, from mindless to self aware.
So according to you guys who have been around a while, what makes a good uke good? is part of it the fact that he is "bad" (ie not perfectly cooperative)? is it his ability to take ukemi? is it his ability to move ahead of the technique? Is it his ability to gauge nage?
I know this subject has been touched upon plenty in several threads but I still feel that not enough people pay attention to the intricacies of being a good uke so I was hoping I could get some input. I at times feel as uke I should be nages conscience (letting him know when technique is "right" or "wrong"), but then again how can i be sure myself all the time?
Peace
AHJ
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A good uke first and foremost attempts to retain their posture and find openings to counter attack relative to tori's skill level. The key to this isn't to co-operate with tori but in fact to use tori's power to move into a (seemingly) more advantagous position in an attempt to escape the technique.
So a good uke has to be able to feel where tori is going and move with them. If uke moves too fast (co-operation) or slowly (resistance) he defeats himself or gives away his intention to escape and counter attack, his survival is predicated on allowing tori to believe that he has got him which is accomplished by moving in perfect harmony with tori.
Of course a good tori can feel this and adjust his technique accordingly resulting in uke being thrown.
In an all out situation (like a brawl) the one who wins is the one who can harmonise best; if that's tori, uke is thrown, it it's uke then tori's technique is neutralised and the positions are reversed.
If an uke decides to be bad and resist the technique then he's only shooting himself in the foot as this invariably allows tori to retain the initiative and widens the opening through which tori is moving.
A stiff, static uke who is clamping down is, in my experience, open to being quickly finished off with atemi.