Derek

I'll agree with Rupert and Ellis and go on step further. I really feel that to understand and perfect the technique being done as Nage (or tori) you have to first master the ukemi side. We (the royal "we" here) tend to forget the uke side after somewhat minimal training. After a few months of learning to roll we say "Check! learned that" and don't really put much thought into it. We spend our time as uke thinking, "soon it will be my turn to do Aikido" when in fact we should be doing it all the time. Savor your time a uke and work through the ukemi. In the beginning, think what is my role (or roll) in this technique. What is nage trying to do to me and had to I survive without resistance. Later perhaps think, how would I do that technique better to effect the uke in a different way and then perhaps where are the openings that nage gives me for reversal But these later steps are years down the path.