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Old 08-24-2002, 10:26 AM   #13
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
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Hi Jun,

We were doing the role reversal in some exercises my teacher brought back for the New England summer camp from Kanai Sensei, outside Boston, Mass.

Each thrust or movement of the jo, is countered so that Uke and Nage's roles seem to blend into the fabric of blurring the lines until the seventh or eight movement where we usually stop cause everybodys head is spinning from switching so much.

It does take away from the mind set of domination by nage, and continual attack by uke. Although we do slow down some of the strikes so the response is within a larger margin of safety, Sensei Griffin did get to a point where we worked on the point of missing a strike, or slight variations that would maintain roles for another movement or once again blurr the lines.

We don't often get into the longer versions of some forms, such as the 75 count jo form Sensei John Stevens works on each year, but working on putting the many short practice forms that are introduces to most practices, and finding offensive/ defensive roles that switch .... it really heightens the opportunity to act/react without thinking.

The obvious possibilitys for variation and changing roles .... I enjoy it so much when it works, I usually laugh out loud.

If you get to the East Coast, you have to come practice with us sometime.
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