Thread: Ukemi 101
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Old 11-21-2001, 05:49 AM   #14
ian
 
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Dojo: University of Ulster, Coleriane
Location: Northern Ireland
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,654
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The mistake I made when first teaching people to ukemi was thinking that it was either a technical or a psychological problem - its usually both. Forget about crash mats and visualisation for the start. Develop people slowly (there were some injuries in my dojo from people being encouraged to roll when they were not able to). So, in steps (over time):

1. get them to do a forward roll (most people have done this as kids). Embarrasing at first, but gets them used to turning over which many older people have not done for many years. The roll can be done from kneeling if necessary.

2. get them to sit down and tuck one leg in to the groin. Then get them to rock on their back and forwards until they are kneeling. Then they rock backwards onto their back.

3. Then get them to rock forwards harder, until they can rise forward from kneeling to a standing position. Then allow them to rock back down to their back.

4. Based on excercise 2 & 3: as they rock back onto their back, get them to rock right over their shoulder , like a reverse ukemi. This should enable them to do reverse ukemis (far easy for beginners to start with than forward ones).

5. Another excercise (which can be used in combination): One partner stands with feet shoulder width apart. Other partner lies on back, grabbing partners ankles. Person lying down lifts legs towards standing partner, then swings legs over to one side. They can then roll over this shoulder (backwards) with outside leg propped up on knee and foot, and inside leg stretched straight behind standing partner. (back straight, hands still on ankle, lookinh forward). Then they roll back again (over the same shoulder).

This gets them used to rolling over a particular shoulder and getting their balance. It also enables them to do it from a low position, but to use their arms and legs to get enough push to go over.

6. Practise reverse ukemis.

7. Practise forward ukemis from kneeling

8. Practise forward ukemis from kneeling height, but knees are actually held off the ground (then eventually they can do it standing).

9. Get them to do lots of reverse ukemi, then let them do a reverse followed by a forward ukemi (so they understand that they are just the same!)

Important is to tell students that they are going ACROSS the mat and not down into the mat. Shifflets book (Aikido - Excercies and Practise?) has a chapter on ukemis which is very useful, and is a good back anyway (esp. for instructors).

Ian
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