Thread: Hand Work
View Single Post
Old 03-29-2005, 09:38 AM   #14
RonRagusa
Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 824
United_States
Offline
Re: Hand Work

Quote:
Jun Akiyama wrote:
Back to "hand work," I think that you can use your hands and arms separately but not independently of your "center" (if that makes sense). In other words, they might not move exactly in one mannequin-like motion in relation to one's center, but they still have to be connected. I've felt wave-like motions (hi Ellis!) and cyclic motions through the hands and arms that were propagated through the body. Although the hands/arms did not move in "one piece" with the "center," I'd say they were certainly connected to them...

-- Jun
I have been exploring this concept using both bokken and jo staff. Briefly, my aim is to be able to block and strike with the weapon using my center (hit with the body) and have the arms and hands act as the vehicles by which the force of the blow is transmitted. After much practice I am now able to execute strikes and blocks of surprising power without much in the way of arm movement.

The same idea applied to technique results in the "hands/center" connection you are referring to.
  Reply With Quote