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Old 07-06-2010, 05:10 AM   #19
Amir Krause
Dojo: Shirokan Dojo / Tel Aviv Israel
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 692
Israel
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Re: Aikido - Is there Randori? Is Aikido a Workout?

Quote:
Michael Gelum wrote: View Post
Mr Krause ,

Would you please elaborate on this statement,
Quote:
we do not use full force, but do use variations disallowed in Shodokan \ Tomiki. Similarly to your style
Mickey
Before I write, I would like to clarify my context again (I believed it was clear enough in the previous post). I never trained in Shodokan \ Tomiki, I know about it from discussions with others who did. Particularly the person with whom I played when he came and visited.

The Korindo Randori is not a competition nor a , rather as a crucial part of the learning process. There is no winner nor loser and no points. The purpose of training is mostly to learn the Aikido between the techniques -- movement, timing, opportunities identification, Kuzushi. Hence, when practicing Korindo Randori in most cases (there are exceptions), one should not force a technique, neither by force nor by speed.
The same reasons let the technique variations used in the Randori, are the same techniques as normally trained. These technique variations often cause damage when utilized full force and speed, and the Randori intensity (speed/power) should match the ability of the partners to safely receive the techniques.
As far as I was told and shown, the Shodokan \ Tomiki choice of Randori type was different, they preferred to train at full power and speed, and for safety reasons, limited the techniques allowed in this type of training to a specific list of "safe techniques".
Take Shiho-Nage as a simple example, we practice it with the hand angled slightly outside of the body and further from it. My friend knew this variation but immediately labeled it as an "offence" in Randori (points reduction or so), since if Uke resists you with full speed and power, the hand will be dislocated. Instead, they keep the hand nearer to the body and in line with it, we teach beginners this way because if they use excess force, it may stretch and heart, but does not create damage.
I think the same issue was raised about head locks, and some other techniques when I used them in the randori. Where as I had to adjast to his trying to muscle a technique on me (same Shiho-Nage mentioned above) repeatedly with increasing speed and force (because it was the non-damaging variation and he did not get Kuzushi, I felt I could evade it and did eventually).

Hope this answers your question, at least to some point. I guess a Shodokan \ Tomiki trainee could add much more information.

Amir
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