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Old 08-02-2008, 09:20 AM   #10
MM
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Re: ukemi of the Russian Video Clips

Quote:
Matthew Gano wrote: View Post
That makes sense, i was just mentioning that part as an example of why Don might have made the assumption he did. Do you view the throw resistance you described as being more a product of being grounded/"immoveable" or of being able to "roll with the punches," as it were? Or is it a fusion of the two?
Hi Matthew,

Here's my thoughts ...

"Grounded" and "resistant" seem to be terms that are taken various ways.

The "grounded" I'm working on is like this:

Instead of my body offering any resistance (remember Ueshiba's no resistance thing?) to someone trying to throw me, I have a pathway set up in my body that takes the incoming force and allows it to go to the ground -- no matter what position or placement my body is in. The person trying to throw feels like they are actually pushing the ground. No matter where I move or how I move, I have no internal resistance to the force coming in. It goes to ground.

"Grounded" to me does not mean "planted" or "immovable". Ever.

The "resistant" I'm working on is to not be easily thrown or my center captured. Even when I bring the ground back out and into the person, I am still not using resistance.

"Resistant" to me does not mean fighting or using muscle. On the flip side being "non resistant" does not mean tenkan out of the way of an attack.

Mark