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Ray Kissane · 07-16-2002, 08:23 AM

Ma-ai this is the start of your best defence.

Try a drill in the dojo where you and uke are half the distance of mi-ai. Try and defend yourself. You are going to get hit alot.

What this teaches is why we train at ma-ai. In all the potental encounters the best advantage is to be at proper mi-ai. This forces the attacker to have to enter and expose their attack.

You need to pratice ways of establishing mi-ai with out being overly obvious. This has to be done in a manner that does not esclate the situation any more. Look at the ways you can step to the side or back to create distance based on the stance of the attacker. Backwards is not always the best direction, alot of times to the side of the attackers lead side is better. This cause the attacker to have to turn towards you creating more time for you to create a better distance.

With correctional officers they maintain a distance from the inmates except when they are handling them. The distance allows them to watch the inmates and to be able to react to any potentail problems. Sounds alot like why we have ma-ai.

Ray Kissane

07-16-2002, 08:23 AM	#14
Ray Kissane Dojo: Nihon Goshin Aikido Location: Middletown NY Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 24 Offline	Ma-ai this is the start of your best defence. Try a drill in the dojo where you and uke are half the distance of mi-ai. Try and defend yourself. You are going to get hit alot. What this teaches is why we train at ma-ai. In all the potental encounters the best advantage is to be at proper mi-ai. This forces the attacker to have to enter and expose their attack. You need to pratice ways of establishing mi-ai with out being overly obvious. This has to be done in a manner that does not esclate the situation any more. Look at the ways you can step to the side or back to create distance based on the stance of the attacker. Backwards is not always the best direction, alot of times to the side of the attackers lead side is better. This cause the attacker to have to turn towards you creating more time for you to create a better distance. With correctional officers they maintain a distance from the inmates except when they are handling them. The distance allows them to watch the inmates and to be able to react to any potentail problems. Sounds alot like why we have ma-ai. Ray Kissane Last edited by Ray Kissane : 07-16-2002 at 01:18 PM.
	Ray Kissane