Thread: Atemi
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Old 08-28-2003, 02:48 PM   #15
Don_Modesto
Dojo: Messores Sensei (Largo, Fl.)
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,267
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Re: Atemi

Quote:
Bryan Benson (Thor&#039s Hammer) wrote:
Here is something I don't understand. How is Atemi 99% of aikido, but only practiced in technique?

DJM: As opposed to what?

I have reason to believe that technique is not meant to be used outside of the dojo anyhow... give an honest punch, as fast as you can. Blink. I bet you noticed it takes about the same amount of time. Excuse me when I don't understand how I am supposed to tenkan and grab and turn and throw before that punch is retracted.

DJM: I do ATEMI precisely for these times. Aikido isn't only technique, it's intuition, too. Knowing when UKE is to attack helps. Applied just as UKE is about to move, ATEMI can induce and slow UKE's attack.

Aikido must then be about moving to evade when under attack. All the techniques are built on the foundation of "if you don't comply, I hit you here, here here, here etc." So where's the atemi class?

DJM: In one of Saito's Traditional Aikido books he demonstrates where you can use ATEMI in a typical SHIHO NAGE. It involves a backfist, a knee kick, and an elbow to the ribs.

DJM: See Osensei's 1933 Budo (the cartoon format) for lots of ATEMI before aikido became politically correct.

Don J. Modesto
St. Petersburg, Florida
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