Funnily enough, it was the
kihon dosa that inspired a training method I used to improve my, and subsequently other people's
tasabaki.
Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote:
Part 1: practice tai sabaki (footwork). Start with the basics. Every step you make, check and correct, check and correct. Are your feet where they should be, lined up as they should be? Is your weight where it should be? Are your hips oriented correctly? Check and correct. Do that until you are doing the basic tai sabaki correctly, then start to combine them. Irimi tenkan. Irimi kaiten. Et cetera. Again, check and correct, check and correct.
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To add to this excellent advice, here is what I practice:
As we tend to over-focus on our arms, I first start
taisabaki practice by sticking my thumbs in my belt (or pants) and then practicing. As my hands are in front of my center, they can't screw up my focus.
Second, I take my hands out and relax them 100% and practice again. They must be relaxed 100% and the speed and rhythm of one's movement will be entirely related to that of one's arms.
Third, I practice the same but with movements from incoming attacks (
shomen-uchi, tsuki), using my arms in the most relaxed way possible, the focus entirely on my center body. The aim is to have one's arms not interfering with the turning movement, so requires some experimentation with finding the ideal, and most relaxed movement.
I also extend this with longer or shorter steps and slower and faster turning around my center line. I've also found that any movement practice based on a technique, or parts of it to be very helpful.
I now also practice some of the drills on
https://trueaiki.com and various methods documented on pages such as here:
http://www.aikidosangenkai.org/blog/...-ryu-aikibudo/