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Old 01-19-2011, 06:07 AM   #19
Eva Antonia
Dojo: CERIA
Location: Brussels
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 211
Belgium
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Re: Beginner - Randori/Jiyu-waza

Hi all,

I always translated "randori" unconsciously with "random"; sounds similar, means the same. That may not be a correct translation, but I think it comes near to what it is - you get a random attack by a random number of persons and do what you can do with it.

In our dojo we also started early with randori, but then it is quite adapted at the lower levels. Like "attack XY with shomen ucho", so XY can already think what he'll do about this shomen uchi. Later on it becomes more complex, and for the higher kyu grades it is even part of many exams, even if it is not in the book.

I'm also not very proficient at randori, even if it is great fun. The problem is that I react too slowly, so until the moment I understand if uke comes with shomen uchi or yokomen uchi I either stand frozen (get slapped) or am already halfway doing the wrong defense (have anticipated). But I still hope this will improve. When there are two ukes, sometimes it is easier because one is in the way of the other, or they try to coordinate and that allows to see what technique they want to do. Or they are really good and I don't have a chance to defend myself...

I once saw a randori during a grading exam of a judo club in Abidjan (the judoka trained before the aikidoka, so we just could wathc before training). The person to be tested was a women of approximately my height and weight, and she fought against some tough guys who knew no mercy. I don't understand anything of judo, but at the end she fought them off (had one in a neck lock) and got her grade; it was very elating for a fellow woman to see that this is possible.

Best regards,

Eva
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