Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Training

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 10-02-2010, 12:47 AM   #1
tim evans
Location: The lake
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 203
United_States
Offline
blending with ukes energy....quietly

The past few classes you can hear the sound of my blend a renounding thud now I,m obsessed with trying to blend softer thoughts.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 07:28 AM   #2
RED
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 909
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

well...that sounds painful. o_o

MM
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 09:43 AM   #3
dps
 
dps's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,415
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Get a softer uke?

David
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 11:40 AM   #4
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Several 'drills' come to mind (I made these up from my own experience so good luck).

1) Go much slower, like impossibly slower. This takes a very helpful uke who is willing to 'play along' with the drill but not in the dive bunny sort of way. Slow helps by giving time to read and study all the nuance of movement.

2) Try doing the form without actually touching uke. This is an impossible drill so when you do touch keep the touch as light as possible.

3) Let uke use a live blade knife. Blending becomes really critical in this context. It is amazing how much things change when a sharp blade is thrown into the mix. This drill is best used in conjunction with the first two. This is not for the faint of heart I you are on your own. To 'warm up' to this drill first use a mock blade but put some lipstick on the blade edge and see just how much you get onto your self as a wake up call.

Of course, the first steps are to ask your teacher about it and run these drills by them before getting a bunch of blood clotting on the mat. As a former boy scout I suggest you be prepared (quikclot, bandages, etc) because there will be blood.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 12:23 PM   #5
WilliB
Dojo: Minato Aikikai
Location: Tokyo
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Japan
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Robert M Watson Jr wrote: View Post
2) Try doing the form without actually touching uke. This is an impossible drill so when you do touch keep the touch as light as possible.
Just to chime in, I visited a group here that does "Korindo Aikido". They do an exercise that is exactly like you describe every time, it is part of their standard routine. They call it "En Randori". Quite interesting, actually.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 08:24 PM   #6
tim evans
Location: The lake
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 203
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Willi Brix wrote: View Post
Just to chime in, I visited a group here that does "Korindo Aikido". They do an exercise that is exactly like you describe every time, it is part of their standard routine. They call it "En Randori". Quite interesting, actually.
Hey Will is there any videos of this?
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 09:48 PM   #7
WilliB
Dojo: Minato Aikikai
Location: Tokyo
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Japan
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
Hey Will is there any videos of this?
I donīt know. These days you find most everything on Youtube, so perhaps. Korindo Aikido seems to be a very small style though.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2010, 10:08 PM   #8
tim evans
Location: The lake
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 203
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Willi Brix wrote: View Post
I donīt know. These days you find most everything on Youtube, so perhaps. Korindo Aikido seems to be a very small style though.
very interresting style
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 05:25 AM   #9
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
The past few classes you can hear the sound of my blend a renounding thud now I,m obsessed with trying to blend softer thoughts.
What do you mean by "your blend"? Are you really slamming into your partner with a "resounding thud"? Or is that the sound you make when you hit the mat?
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 08:40 AM   #10
Amir Krause
Dojo: Shirokan Dojo / Tel Aviv Israel
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 692
Israel
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Willi Brix wrote: View Post
Just to chime in, I visited a group here that does "Korindo Aikido". They do an exercise that is exactly like you describe every time, it is part of their standard routine. They call it "En Randori". Quite interesting, actually.
Hi Willi

May I ask who did you visit and where exactly?
Which type of "en Randori" did they practice when you visited?
I am a Korindo practitioner myself, and have visited Japan once, so I look for updates.

Thanks
Amir

P.S.
Korindo people rarely put anything worthwhile on youtube, at least as far as I know. Korindo is much closer to the culture of Koryu in this (Blood Oaths were required until the 60s), information sharing with outsiders is rather rare. Even my Israeli (rather modern) teacher still forbids students from placing anything on the net.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 09:07 AM   #11
tim evans
Location: The lake
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 203
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
What do you mean by "your blend"? Are you really slamming into your partner with a "resounding thud"? Or is that the sound you make when you hit the mat?
The first movement of shomenuchi nikkyo ura I,m entering late and theres the thud just trying to enter quicker one uke will enter at half speed the other at warp speed (thud) it,s just maddning
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 09:38 AM   #12
WilliB
Dojo: Minato Aikikai
Location: Tokyo
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 143
Japan
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Amir Krause wrote: View Post
May I ask who did you visit and where exactly?
Which type of "en Randori" did they practice when you visited?
I am a Korindo practitioner myself, and have visited Japan once, so I look for updates.

Thanks
Amir

P.S.
Korindo people rarely put anything worthwhile on youtube, at least as far as I know. Korindo is much closer to the culture of Koryu in this (Blood Oaths were required until the 60s), information sharing with outsiders is rather rare. Even my Israeli (rather modern) teacher still forbids students from placing anything on the net.
It has been a while, but they used to train in the Fukugawa Sport Center. They also had another place in Shibuya, but I did not go there.
The "en randori" was a part of every training session. One at a time would get up, and take attacks from everybody. The idea was that the defender would kind of wrap himself around the attacker, without touching. Just as described here. Quite a good workout actually, as they speed it up according to abilities.

I did not get the feeling that they were as secretive as you said. I found them in the sports center catalogue, sent an e-mail. and they said sure I would be welcome to try. Simple as that.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 11:10 AM   #13
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
Hey Will is there any videos of this?
The AikiExpo 2002 part 1 DVD from aikidojournal.com has a segment with John Goss of Korindo Aikido.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 11:19 AM   #14
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
The first movement of shomenuchi nikkyo ura I,m entering late and theres the thud just trying to enter quicker one uke will enter at half speed the other at warp speed (thud) it,s just maddning
ma'ai is a wonderful combination of distance, speed, velocity and intent. You have stated your problem and it's solution: if you enter late, no amount of velocity on your part will compensate (rather, a different response is called for); therefore to do the technique as shown, work on entering earlier - suggest you ask fast uke to slow down, then focus on soft eyes and sensing his intent, moving the moment you feel/see his center begin to shift to move, matching his speed.

Last edited by Janet Rosen : 10-03-2010 at 11:20 AM. Reason: Spelling

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 11:52 AM   #15
dps
 
dps's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,415
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
The first movement of shomenuchi nikkyo ura I,m entering late and theres the thud just trying to enter quicker one uke will enter at half speed the other at warp speed (thud) it,s just maddning
Practice, practice, practice and practice some more.

David
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 12:24 PM   #16
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Tim Evans wrote: View Post
The first movement of shomenuchi nikkyo ura I,m entering late and theres the thud just trying to enter quicker one uke will enter at half speed the other at warp speed (thud) it,s just maddning
Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
focus on soft eyes and sensing his intent, moving the moment you feel/see his center begin to shift to move, matching his speed.
This is where the strength and weakness of the Iwama methods (as I understand them) is revealed. Bypass that hard part that Ms. Rosen mentions and just attack first! Take the initiative and make uke respond and there by be in control. This permits one to work on stuff without having to get the hard part right. In the end the ability to read or even direct the intent of uke is required for the mature expression of the art but it can take a while to develop.

The basic progression is to do the form kihon which is generally static and could be described as 1-2-3 y the numbers for each segment of the technique. Then ki no nagere - in motion - with the same exact form but no 1-2-3 'stilted' transitions but continuous smooth motion (no need to be fast, just smooth). As one improves then speed up as one is able (just not in kihon).

I think the ability to read intent is exactly the key to good awase (blending). If anyone has specific drills on how to develop the ability to read (I'll table directing for now) intent I'd love to hear them. At the recent TSYR seminar I asked Mr. Threadgill if there was such a drill in their art and, well, I'm hoping for a slightly different way. Repeated bokken strikes to the forehead by a master instructor reading ones intent may work wonderfully but I'm looking for a different way - I don't mind if it takes a bit longer to 'take'.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 02:49 PM   #17
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Robert M Watson Jr wrote: View Post
This is where the strength and weakness of the Iwama methods (as I understand them) is revealed. Bypass that hard part that Ms. Rosen mentions and just attack first! Take the initiative and make uke respond and there by be in control. This permits one to work on stuff without having to get the hard part right..
Excuse me? You are misreading my actual words. Where did I write anything about attacking first? I wrote one can start to move when one sees and feels the movement from uke. Uke's strike has already started at that point. I am talking about reacting to it earlier.

Now had I known you were talking about static practice, I would not have suggested this. You did not state it in your OP, or else I missed it. The fact that you later describe 1 partner as attacking slowly and 1 fast implied to me a dynamic practice.

Regardless your comments are unneccesarily snide and very much not appreciated. I will not be replying to you anytime soon. Best of luck in your training.

Last edited by Janet Rosen : 10-03-2010 at 02:51 PM. Reason: precision of language

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 06:00 PM   #18
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
David Skaggs wrote: View Post
Practice, practice, practice and practice some more.

David
Yeah, what David said. It ain't smooth? Don't look for a quick fix -- practice until it is smooth.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 06:39 PM   #19
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Excuse me? You are misreading my actual words. Where did I write anything about attacking first? I wrote one can start to move when one sees and feels the movement from uke. Uke's strike has already started at that point. I am talking about reacting to it earlier....
Regardless your comments are unneccesarily snide and very much not appreciated. I will not be replying to you anytime soon. Best of luck in your training.
Apologies to the OP - my consternation is to Rob's reply; I was guilty of sloppy "threading" this morning

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2010, 08:10 PM   #20
tim evans
Location: The lake
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 203
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Apologies to the OP - my consternation is to Rob's reply; I was guilty of sloppy "threading" this morning
Thats ok Janet mary and dave hit the nail on the head practice,practice,practice
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2010, 09:43 AM   #21
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Excuse me? You are misreading my actual words. Where did I write anything about attacking first? I wrote one can start to move when one sees and feels the movement from uke. Uke's strike has already started at that point. I am talking about reacting to it earlier.

Now had I known you were talking about static practice, I would not have suggested this. You did not state it in your OP, or else I missed it. The fact that you later describe 1 partner as attacking slowly and 1 fast implied to me a dynamic practice.

Regardless your comments are unneccesarily snide and very much not appreciated. I will not be replying to you anytime soon. Best of luck in your training.
Ms. Rosen, sorry, snide is not at all my intent. I simply started on my train of thought ... just happened to be right after your quoted section so it does look like I was more directly addressing your point. Sloppy writting style on my part. Please forgive me.

What I mean't about the quoted section regarding intent is that reading intent is the hard part that I suggest be bypassed. I just described the kihon and ki no nagare methods used in the Iwama method as I experience them. Kihon is static and ki no nagare is flowing in motion with matched speeds-never mentioned a speed differential as that would lead nowhere. In the Iwama method I know the tori initiates the attack not the uke. This way the need to read ukes intent is bypassed by taking the initiative.

I'm serious about the drills or methods for developing the ability to read intent. I find it to be very difficult so trying to do that in order to get the technique to work is going to be exceptionally difficult. Reading one moments from a very early stage is not so hard but getting dialed in on the intent of uke to move before the movement has begun is what I'm talking about.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2010, 09:56 AM   #22
Rob Watson
Location: CA
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 697
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote: View Post
Excuse me? You are misreading my actual words. Where did I write anything about attacking first? I wrote one can start to move when one sees and feels the movement from uke. Uke's strike has already started at that point. I am talking about reacting to it earlier.
Again, sorry. What I mean't regarding the weakness and strength of the Iwama method (I have no idea what methods of practice Ms. Rosen does so I'm not directing my comments at that despite my sloppily constructed reply) is that one is able to sidestep the need to read intent (an exceptionally valuable and critical skill) by initiating the attack. In the Iwama method I study this is the case. I see this approach as a weakness in that the direct development and need to read the uke intent is not practiced (as far as I can tell). The strength of the method is that once one is able to read intent it would basically proceed along the lines of regular practice in that tori would then appear to be in control of the movements and in effect making uke move as if tori had attacked first.

Really easy to show in 90 seconds on the mat but really hard to convey accurately in writing.

To recap: Ms. Rosen says read intent and catch the uke as they move their center (I paraphrase). I agree 100% but I find that exceptionally difficult to do. In the method I've experienced the issue is avoided by having tori initiate the technique.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

Ultracrepidarianism ... don't.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2010, 01:43 PM   #23
sorokod
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 841
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Quote:
If anyone has specific drills on how to develop the ability to read (I'll table directing for now) intent I'd love to hear them.
As an Iwama practitioner you do that already: Migi no awase and Hidari no awase.

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2010, 03:36 PM   #24
grondahl
Dojo: Stockholms Aikidoklubb
Location: Stockholm
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 601
Sweden
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

Iīm not at all sure that hidari/migi no awase is all that you need. While I see them as very important in getting a feel for awase the fact that you are locked down to a strict form based training makes it very easy to not learn reading intent at all . I think that slow focused training where uke just is doing different serious attacks (bukiwaza or taijutsu) and tori focuses on seeing the attack as it is and just avoiding it is the way to go, then of course incrementally increase speed and power as you get better.

Last edited by grondahl : 10-04-2010 at 03:38 PM.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2010, 04:09 PM   #25
lbb
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,202
United_States
Offline
Re: blending with ukes energy....quietly

I have to say, when I look at the title of this thread, I think of a librarian type hanging out in a dojo going "Shhh!" every time someone thumps on the floor.

(just like that other thread that makes me think, "Morihei Ueshiba's KUNG FU GRIP!!!")
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Correlation of Aikido and Daito-Ryu Waza John Driscoll Columns 30 10-15-2016 03:22 PM
Uchikaiten Sankyo dalen7 Techniques 10 05-21-2008 12:18 PM
The Meta-Physics of Aikido R.A. Robertson Columns 0 04-13-2007 08:26 AM
What is "Aikido"? Mike Sigman Training 137 10-12-2006 08:06 PM
traditional yokomenuchi sankyo rob_liberti Techniques 11 12-13-2004 10:18 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:29 PM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate