Aikido "party tricks"

Hi!

One cool thing is when you sit in seiza and stand up on your knees, hands down along side your thighs, heels/feet against a wall. Another person tries to push you towards the wall behind you, and you try to push back. It doesn't work. Then you put your palms against his elbows, palms up (no grabbing). Then he tries again to push you, it is much harder for him! Pretty cool.

Anyone else got cool party tricks from Aikido? Nikkyo from a handshake is also a bit cool... Try it on your boss.


/Patrik

For those of you who love to misinterpret things: I'm not saying go out and missuse aikido by making your self look cool using it, but there are quite a few cool "party tricks" in there. Besides, these things can be tested in the dojo after class or at an Aikidoka-only party.

I find that people always ask to see something. Hopefully, the "tricks" will peak someone's interest and maybe get them to try a class.



Peace.

Unliftable body is fun and you can get others to participate. Often you can show them how to do it and they get it right after a few tries. Failing to be able to hold yourself down is also enlightening and funny.

From a handshake the most reliable things to do are shihonage and sankyo.

For me, at least.

Do ukemi and get back up... while drunk...

Well... or you could do this... hold your left ear with your right hand going through under the armpits of your left arm. Have the finger of your left arm point down, and then spin around. I would say a minimum of 10 times, some do it up to 25.

This will have the same effect as if you are drunk. Ask the other people to walk on a straight line, or just keep oneself standing up and have others push or lightly tap to get you off balanced a bit.

I did this exercise once in the dojo, only 10 times around though. And then I asked them to do ukemi twice and then stand back up. Some made it, some stayed on the ground after one.

Unliftable body is fun and you can get others to participate.

Sensei tells a story about how he had some fun with a guy (we'll call him Bob)he works with. The guy had a leather hat that was quite heavy. Sensei told the guy that he was willing to bet the if he (sensei) wore the hat it would push him over the weight limit that Bob could lift. So sensei has Bob lift him without the hat and he's just able to get him off the floor. Next sensei puts the hat on and does unliftable body, Bob strains and strains but can't get him off the floor. I believe that to this day Bob thinks it was the hat that did it.

Another cool one is to have somebody put there arm straight out to the side. You tell them to "lock" the arm there while you apply a gentle, even push straight down on the wrist. Usually nice and strong. Now have them say any word that has a "negative" connotation. Words like don't, hate, can't, won't. Then apply the same pressure to the wrist. The arm usually goes down. You can do the opposite by using the "positive" opposites of those words. A lessson in the power of positive thought? Eventually with a little practice you can get the arm to relax and go down just by the way you touch it.

Bronson

Bronson, that sounds EXACTLY like something Crapo sensei would do, I love the hat story.

About your negative words example, that's a really good one -- K. Tohei sensei often talked about the inherent failure bound within negative actions and thoughts. I found a really good (and long) speech by one of his students about that, quite interesting.

Another fun one Guldbrandsen sensei would show is to tighten your body up -- first your toes, then calves, thighs, etc. working all the way to the rest of the body. Now jump to the left!

Not much hocus-pocus, but the people involved get the idea and a giggle too.

*Phil

Aleksey S (shihonage) wrote: From a handshake the most reliable things to do are shihonage and sankyo. For me, at least.

I find the most reliable thing to do is simply shake hands.

For me, at least.

"I find the most reliable thing to do is simply shake hands."

HaHa! Fantastic

Bronson, I had a college teacher do this with me in front of a Human Relations class, with a cigarette© It really surprised the crap out of me, and the rest of the class© I don't smoke anymore, but you can do it with other addictive objects, chocolate coming to mind and also caffeine and such© Really reminds you how much those things control you©

Si Wilson (siwilson) wrote: I find the most reliable thing to do is simply shake hands. For me, at least.

You consider handshake to be a party trick ?

Boy, you must be a boatload of fun to be around !

A handshake is a trick the way I do it.

If you turn around to talk to someon behind your while maintaining the hand shake, it is nikkyo ... which drops the reciever to their knees while you talk to whoever is in front of you. You have to use someone who has some training, or they resist and get violent.

Pushing someone over with one finger?

Moving three people with one hand?

How about simply explaining the use of manipulations and the activation of pain from those manipulations?

The fact that Aikido leaves no marks if done correctly?

How about lifting the sensei that roots himself as if he were a feather?

If I get enough people who are interested, I might let you in on that little trick.

It really makes jaws drop when you get people who are expereinced in rooting, and you lift them like a feather.

Any of you do finger lock tricks yet?

Aleksey S (shihonage) wrote: You consider handshake to be a party trick ? Boy, you must be a boatload of fun to be around !

You haven't felt my handshake!

Do Widzenia!

Si Wilson (siwilson) wrote: Do Widzenia!

Sounds Polish.

I suppose that a Russian version would be "Do Svidania".

Well done!

My wife, also an Aikidoka, my student, and on the road to Shodan, is Polish. Anyway, that won me a bet.

Best wishes