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Old 07-18-2005, 08:23 PM   #131
maikerus
Dojo: Roppongi Yoshinkan Aikido / Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
Location: Tokyo
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 571
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Re: BS in fellow aikidoka

Quote:
Brett Charvat wrote:
--I hope I'm not the only one who feels that Paige's uke doesn't need any adjusting whatsoever. He clamped down hard. Isn't that his job? I'm not sure where this idea about aikido being "cooperative" comes from. I've always been taught that uke's job is to attack in a prescribed manner, period. If Paige is unable to perform the specified technique, I would hardly lay the blame at her uke's feet. Struggling to perform a technique against a strong, large opponent is what studying aikido is all about, in my opinion.
Hi Brett...I think you have a good point. I don't think you can blame uke or adjust uke unless their intent is malicious. If they are just attacking the very best that they can and shite can't deal with it then shite needs to get better. I also believe that it always shite's responsibility to put uke where they want them...not uke to move themselves.

However, I do think that Paige (or anyone else in this situation) is within their rights to say something like "Okay. I can't do this with you being that strong. Can you perhaps hold me at 75% power or 50% while I try and do my best from that grip.

The idea in a dojo is to train and if someone holding as hard as they can intereferes with your training - because you can't move and don't know how to start - and with their own training - because they can't learn breakfalls or to learn what the movement should feel like. Interfering with training is bad.

There are definately times to train at full resistance. There are also times to train at no resistance. I prefer the 50 - 75% resistance or resisting to the point where you can feel the direction is right and then move before you actually get injured.

There are times for all kinds of resistance and speeds. If your instructor doesn't set the pace then you and your partner have to decide which kind of training you are going to do right then. It can't be one person wanting to resist strongly while shite wants to figure out where that circle is without any resistance.

Communication between partners is important and that failed in Paige's case. Most of the advice here is how to re-engage that communication.

FWIW...

--Michael

Hiriki no yosei 3 - The kihon that makes your head ache instead of your legs
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