Bieng Fluid...

Hi, I just wanted to know how you felt when you first started feeling when your were capable of "blending-in" and of bieng "fluid". How hard was it for you. I know this is a process done through training and training... and yes, some more training!! Did you do any personal tricks or follow some advice also?
For me bieng capable of "blending-in" and of bieng "fluid" is a major struggle. I used to train kyokushin so I am very rigid, also my kamae is off, I tend to stand presenting the minimum front (don't know the thechnical term??) so my left ukemi sometimes comes crooked... But that's what training is for!
Regards
Gabriel

Relax, breathe, and enjoy the dance. Hum a rhythm in your head.

Lynn Seiser wrote: Relax, breathe, and enjoy the dance. Hum a rhythm in your head.

.. humming never so that one coming!!! Thanck you Lynn, I''l give it a try, I appreciate your help.
Regards
Gabriel

Lynn Seiser wrote: Relax, breathe, and enjoy the dance. Hum a rhythm in your head.

So I'm not the only one thinking about dancing when blending!

Try to imagine yourself as being made of water. Watch how water flows around and between obstacles in it's path. Now try to imagine yourself "flowing" like water into the opening, "hole", and/or space left by Nage.

One of the best tools I have used in working on my blends is to imagine that I'm "drawing" (pulling, sucking, etc.) the attack out of uke.

Hello Gabriel,

...I don't know about any personal tricks ...but you could turn this whole thing around and use your past training by employing atemi to get your attacker to soften up & blend with you instead! I know many aikido-ka of softer styles will gasp at this response, but you have to go with what works for YOU! ...hey, give it a try!

Gabriel Arias wrote: Did you do any personal tricks or follow some advice also? For me bieng capable of "blending-in" and of bieng "fluid" is a major struggle. I used to train kyokushin so I am very rigid...

Joep Schuurkes wrote: So I'm not the only one thinking about dancing when blending!

My teacher, a Japanese 7th dan, makes the connection explicitly in the middle of demonstrating. He said: "Is like dancing: 'Shall we dance, shall we dance, shall we dance?'" to the tune from The King and I. He was demonstrating a henkawaza from ryotedori tenchi nage to udekime and wanted to stress that the transition had to be smooth, like dancing. One day I will rewrite the lyrics of Shall We Dance to make it about aikido, it will give me something to hum while practicing.

in our dojo we do exercises sometimes that is just striking and blocking and stiking and blocking and while we are doing that with our arms we are doing a 90 degree turn(tenkan) with our legs corresponging to which arm we are striking with, and we do that until both the people feel very comfortable with the movement and then we move on to something more complicated

and it is a lot like dancing!

Brian, that advice sounds good!! but I guess i still need a little more skill to actually
integrate that or to develop my own style.
Regards
Gabriel

The biggest thing to remember is to have a blank mind. Not an empty mind, but to not think about your motions as you run through them. Focus solely on existing now. Any other thoughts will distract you. If you are stressed and stiff or rigid, your tech will suffer.

As to how exactly you accomplish this... I guess it just takes time. I suggest taking at least 20 minutes to stretch and meditate before every class. You may consider taking Tai Chi as a supplement to help you develop your balance and fluidity.

Gabriel,

One thing that works for me is paying attention to how a technique feels when you are an uke for a higher grade.

Rob thanx for your post! I will look into this and see if I ca manage that, sounds like a good challange.
Regards
Gabriel

Taras, I'm not sure I follow your thought on that post...
Regards
Gabriel

I found this article in Bujin page, I found reallyy good! I hope you guys like too...
http://www.bujindesign.com/newslette...rt_empty.shtml
Regards
Gabriel

that article was really good.... it really puts things into perspective for me

Yeah I thought so too!! I even printed it out!
Regards
Gabriel