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Old 12-28-2006, 09:25 AM   #372
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: How to teach and train relaxation

Yea I understand, but how long should it take to learn to roll and fall down? I mastered those skills long ago.

I get the whole dynamic of ukemi and the nage/uke relationship. Also that Aikido is designed primarily to teach principles. got it.

Also, Ukemi done the way I was taught is about self preservation and recovery to a position of dominance and balance again.

It ain't about bailing out or falling down or tanking done correctly.

In BJJ we typically start one person in a dominant and one person in a submissive role and then say go. No issues there.


I think though at some point we need to deal more with non-compliant ukes where the dominant/submissive role is not so clear cut. That said, many at that point say, whoa...we are getting too competitive and what are we really learning? How to struggle and use strength.

Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe we are learning how to confront reality and to fight through this to a point of relaxation and balance where we can once again learn to apply the principles. I don't know.

I see Dan's point though, if you are simply learning how to fall down, that ain't gonna help you grow. That is not how I typically do ukemi though.
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