Thread: Nage vs Tori?
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Old 09-01-2012, 09:33 AM   #5
Tom Verhoeven
Dojo: Aikido Auvergne Kumano dojo
Location: Auvergne
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 295
France
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Re: Nage vs Tori?

The way this was explained to me long time ago by several of my sensei was that nage and uke described a situation of something that has happened. So if we look at a contest we do not know in advance who is nage or uke. Only after the contest can we say mr. A was nage and mr. B was uke.
In a kata we already know who will take which part. So it is determined in advance who is nage and who is uke. Even though we do not have real formal kata in Aikido, the techniques do tend to have a fixed form and we do know in advance who is taking the role of nage or uke.
But if we leave that approach behind and practice more free, then we can no longer say in advance who will be nage of uke. It depends on the outcome - there may not even be a throw or immobilisation in the end.
In that way of training the words Shite and Aite seem to be more appropriate. The words come from the Japanese theater (Zeami - the Japanese "Shakespeare" emphasized them) and express equality of both opponents (in and yo). It is said that O Sensei preferred Shite and Aite instead of Nage and Uke.
Tom
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