Article: The Nature of Ukemi by George S. Ledyard

Discuss the article, "The Nature of Ukemi" by George S. Ledyard here.

Article URL: http://www.aikiweb.com/columns/gledyard/2004_10.html

I love this bit:

If uke is adjusting constantly to nage's energy and nage is adjusting to uke's energy, who controls the interaction? This is the essential koan of Aikido.

This sounds like so much fun....

and this:

Ukemi is quite a bit like surfing. As one perceives the energy of the technique one moves with it, never resisting.

I came up with a theory once that every pleasurable, wonderful thing in life has something of this feel of which I think surfing provides the best analogy -- which is why I really want to learn how to surf! Too bad about the cold water around here though, and the sharks, can't forget those.

=wl

Willy Lee wrote: I came up with a theory once that every pleasurable, wonderful thing in life has something of this feel of which I think surfing provides the best analogy -- which is why I really want to learn how to surf! Too bad about the cold water around here though, and the sharks, can't forget those. =wl

So if we can get a thread started about aikido on sharks, you're halfway there!

Great article! It happened to apply to a conversation I was having with a Hapkido teacher. He didn't understand that ukemi was not only rolling. Thanks for posting it.
Dr. B
p.s. a sempai of mine has switched to surfing these days!

If uke is adjusting constantly to nage's energy and nage is adjusting to uke's energy, who controls the interaction? This is the essential koan of Aikido.

The moment nage and uke connect their energies combine and the interaction becomes simply action. In the absence of control the action is allowed to unfold naturally to its logical conclusion.

Ron

The other 50% of ukemi is the ability to receive the technique which results from the interaction between the uke and the nage.... No one goes into a fight thinking he is uke.

Right again, George:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6d6_1300111637

The article fails to mention what i think is one of the more obvious flaws in Aikido training. Ledyard Sensei goes on at great length about the importance of Uke's role, and yet I am willing to go out on a limb and say that in the overwhelming majority of dojo in the US. The primary Uke for taijutsu waza is the junior of the pair. Contrast that to Koryu arts, where the senior is the Uke. This is a mentality that we need to shift back into.

Allowing the lead Uke to be the sempai in the relationship in order to provide the context that allows the kohai the advantage of learning with a committed "true" attack, and all the benefits that Ledyard Sensei mentioned. This to me, allows a greater sacrifice of the sempai's time and energy, but fosters a more caring attitude towards the learning process, vs. Sempai throws kohai around, and kohai still struggles with their repetitions. That relationship that one sees in Koryu arts, to me should be re imported back into Aikido training.