Saturday, March 24, 2007
A Randori Workout at Shodokan
During the one-hour randori workouts at Shodokan, the following sequence of drills is typical. The person holding the knife is called the tanto (after the fact that a dagger in Japanese is called a tanto.) The unarmed person is referred to as the toshu (literally unarmed) player.
1) One-on-one taisabaki. Each person in a pair takes turns stabbing at the other. Maybe 30 seconds each. Overhand as well as normal stabs. Several rounds are played. In the first, tanto cannot feignt, and toshu cannot use his arms to help block. In the next, tanto is still prevented from feignting, but toshu can uses his arms to block. In the third, the intensity and reality of the drill are kicked up, with tanto allowed to feighnt and do multiple stabs and toshu allowed to block.
2) Two-on-one taisabaki. Here, groups of three are formed. Two get knives and take turns stabbing at the third person. Little time should elapse between sucessive stabs so that toshu really has to dance, constantly having to face a new attacker just after having avoided the previous one. This is done for maybe 45 seconds before the players rotate rolls.
3) The two tanto hijimochi no tsukuri drill. Here pairs are formed. But one person is given two tantos, one for each hand. They then face off and the person with the tantos stabs. The other grabs one arm, and attemps one of the hijimochi no tsukuri grabs (elbow control grabs) against that arm. Not only is the grab made and a hijimochi no tsukuri attempted, but the attempt is also made to use the drip to drive the stabber off the mats. The stabber is required to push back, constantly trying to circle back towards the center so as to not be driven off of the mats. He can also after a few seconds attempt to put the other tanto onto toshu's chest. If this happens, toshu is to quickly switch arms and do a hijimochi no tsukuri against this other arm. This is done for maybe one minute before the two people switch rolls.
4) Kakari geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is essentially sparring with no resistance.
5) Hiki tate geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is light sparring with moderate resistance. Tanto only goes down if good aikido is being done (good posture, good timing, etc.) This drill can be repeated so that renzoku waza (multiple techniques in sequence) are practiced. If so, then tanto never goes down on the first technique that toshu attempts, thereby forcing toshu to try a second or even a third technique so as to practice combinations.
1) One-on-one taisabaki. Each person in a pair takes turns stabbing at the other. Maybe 30 seconds each. Overhand as well as normal stabs. Several rounds are played. In the first, tanto cannot feignt, and toshu cannot use his arms to help block. In the next, tanto is still prevented from feignting, but toshu can uses his arms to block. In the third, the intensity and reality of the drill are kicked up, with tanto allowed to feighnt and do multiple stabs and toshu allowed to block.
2) Two-on-one taisabaki. Here, groups of three are formed. Two get knives and take turns stabbing at the third person. Little time should elapse between sucessive stabs so that toshu really has to dance, constantly having to face a new attacker just after having avoided the previous one. This is done for maybe 45 seconds before the players rotate rolls.
3) The two tanto hijimochi no tsukuri drill. Here pairs are formed. But one person is given two tantos, one for each hand. They then face off and the person with the tantos stabs. The other grabs one arm, and attemps one of the hijimochi no tsukuri grabs (elbow control grabs) against that arm. Not only is the grab made and a hijimochi no tsukuri attempted, but the attempt is also made to use the drip to drive the stabber off the mats. The stabber is required to push back, constantly trying to circle back towards the center so as to not be driven off of the mats. He can also after a few seconds attempt to put the other tanto onto toshu's chest. If this happens, toshu is to quickly switch arms and do a hijimochi no tsukuri against this other arm. This is done for maybe one minute before the two people switch rolls.
4) Kakari geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is essentially sparring with no resistance.
5) Hiki tate geiko. Maybe 60 seconds each side. This is light sparring with moderate resistance. Tanto only goes down if good aikido is being done (good posture, good timing, etc.) This drill can be repeated so that renzoku waza (multiple techniques in sequence) are practiced. If so, then tanto never goes down on the first technique that toshu attempts, thereby forcing toshu to try a second or even a third technique so as to practice combinations.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The Tanto Ura Waza
Within the last year or so, a new set of kata has been added to the Shodokan curriculum. It is called the Tanto Ura Waza and it is a set of 10 counter techniques (ura waza) that can be used during tanto randori.
As such, they must conform to the two basic rules regarding counter techniques during tournament matches:
1) The tanto (dagger wielding) player can only counter with the five atemi waza techniques.
2) The tanto player can only counter when the toshu (unarmed) player is grabbing one of tanto`s arms with both of his (toshu`s) own hands.
The 10 Tanto Ura Waza are described below. For each entry, I first give the name of the technique that toshu is attempting to execute against tanto. Then I give the name of the technique that tanto uses as a counter. In all cases, toshu grabs tanto`s knife holding arm with both of his own hands before being countered as described.
1) Oshi Taoshi countered by Ushiro Ate. Tanto uses his tanto holding arm to execute the throw. Tanto runs backwards circling around toshu. This is done one handed. Tanto uses his knive holding hand to make a one-armed ushiro ate, with the stabbing arm being draped over toshu's shoulder and down his chest. If tanto is stabbing right handed, then he ends up behind and to the left of toshu, with tanto's right armpit resting over toshu's left shoulder, and the rest of tanto's right arm running vertically down the left hand side of toshu's chest.
2) Hiki Taoshi countered by Shomen Ate. Tanto uses his tanto holding arm to execute the throw. It is shomen ate against the chest since you cannot legally shove the tanto towards toshu`s face in a match. Tanto first drops his weight and stiffens his stabbing arm to squelch the momentum of toshu's attempt at hiki taoshi. They get to a moment of a tug of war and then tanto shoots forward to execute the shomen ate. This is very much like the 8th kyu shomen ate done against an aigamae katate dori grab.
3) Waki Gatame countered by Gyakugamae Ate. Tanto stiffens up, drops his weight, and keeps his elbow in (waki o shimeru) to stop the waki gatame before hitting toshu with an off-hand gyakugamae ate. That is, if tanto stabs with the right hand and toshu grabs that arm and tries to do waki gatame against that arm, tanto does gyakugamae ate with his left arm.
4) Kote Gaeshi into Ushiro Ate. Here, just after toshu has broken tanto`s balance forward along tanto`s weak line and just as toshu is begining to bend tanto`s elbow back to execute the kote gaeshi, tanto swings his knife holding arm down vertically past his hip, pulling toshu past his center, and twisting him around into position to do ushiro ate. This is the same as a technique seen in one of the Oyo Waza (application techniques) done from an Aigamae Katate Dori Jodan no Kuzushi.
5) Kote Gaeshi into Gedan Ate. Here, just after toshu has broken tanto`s balance forward along tanto`s weak line and just as toshu is begining to bend tanto`s elbow back to execute the kote gaeshi, tanto drops down and does gedan ate with his free (opposite) arm. That is, if tanto is stabbing right handed, he ends up doing gedan ate with his left side forward, attacking toshu's right leg (toshu should be in a right foot forward posture at this moment after having broken tanto's balance forward onto tanto's weak line.)
6) Tenkai Kote Hineri into Ushiro Ate. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu grabs that arm from the inside and tries to spin under that arm to execute the tenkai kote hineri technique. As toshu steps forward to move under tanto's armpit, tanto slides forward and traps toshu against his chest. They are now both facing the same direction, with tanto behind toshu,with tanto essentially hugging toshu from behind, with tanto's right (stabbing arm) over toshu's right shoulder and down that side of toshu's chest and the free (non-stabbing) arm over toshu's left shoulder, with the shote of the left hand around the upper pectoral muscle area, just below the collar bone (as per usual). It is crucial that the hug be snug as it prevents toshu from continuing to spin and thereby stops him or her from executing the tenkai kote hineri. Tanto then does ushiro ate to throw toshu onto his back.
7) Tenkai Kote Gaeshi (Shiho Nage) into a Gyakugamae Ate done with the stabbing arm. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto counters by doing gyakugamae ate with his stabbing arm. This should catch toshu in mid stride, as toshu must step forward with his left leg in order to prepare to turn around (the turning being necessary to complete the tenkai kote gaeshi that he is attempting.) When comparing this counter with the next, this one is executed a moment later than the next one, as this one assumes that uke has done more of the arm swing and has started to step forward with his left leg in preparation for turning around.
8) Tenkai Kote Gaeshi (Shiho Nage) into a Gyakugamae Ate done with the non-stabbing arm. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu does this, he moves into a right foot forward stance. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto first prevents uke from being able to swing the right arm far enough by dropping his weight and pulling in his own stabbing arm elbow into his side (waki o shimete.) This should be done abruptly so as to bring everything to a (very short) momentary stillness. But since this stops toshu from completing the swing, toshu should still be in a right foot forward stance, so that the correct gyakugamate ate to do would be the one involving tanto's left arm.
9) Mae Otoshi into Gedan Ate. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto counters by dropping down and doing gedan ate with his stabbing arm. This should catch toshu in mid stride as toshu must step forward with his left leg in order to prepare to execute mae otoshi. As tanto drops down to do the gedan ate, his stabbing forearm should spin so that his own thumb goes from facing away from him to facing towards his own belly button. Doing this sharply will tend to break toshu's grip.
10) Sumi Otoshi into Shomen Ate. Imagine that tanto stabs with his right arm. Toshu avoids to the outside (to the right from tanto's perspective) and beings to attempt sumi otoshi by grabbing the stabbing arm and begining to lunge forward while holding it. Tanto counters by turning 90 degrees to his own right so as to face toshu while simultaneously switching his stance so that while turning tanto goes from right foot forward (which is how tanto stabbed) to left foot forward. At the same time, tanto's free left hand comes up his center to uke's neck/chin so as to be in position for a left foot forward shomen ate.
As such, they must conform to the two basic rules regarding counter techniques during tournament matches:
1) The tanto (dagger wielding) player can only counter with the five atemi waza techniques.
2) The tanto player can only counter when the toshu (unarmed) player is grabbing one of tanto`s arms with both of his (toshu`s) own hands.
The 10 Tanto Ura Waza are described below. For each entry, I first give the name of the technique that toshu is attempting to execute against tanto. Then I give the name of the technique that tanto uses as a counter. In all cases, toshu grabs tanto`s knife holding arm with both of his own hands before being countered as described.
1) Oshi Taoshi countered by Ushiro Ate. Tanto uses his tanto holding arm to execute the throw. Tanto runs backwards circling around toshu. This is done one handed. Tanto uses his knive holding hand to make a one-armed ushiro ate, with the stabbing arm being draped over toshu's shoulder and down his chest. If tanto is stabbing right handed, then he ends up behind and to the left of toshu, with tanto's right armpit resting over toshu's left shoulder, and the rest of tanto's right arm running vertically down the left hand side of toshu's chest.
2) Hiki Taoshi countered by Shomen Ate. Tanto uses his tanto holding arm to execute the throw. It is shomen ate against the chest since you cannot legally shove the tanto towards toshu`s face in a match. Tanto first drops his weight and stiffens his stabbing arm to squelch the momentum of toshu's attempt at hiki taoshi. They get to a moment of a tug of war and then tanto shoots forward to execute the shomen ate. This is very much like the 8th kyu shomen ate done against an aigamae katate dori grab.
3) Waki Gatame countered by Gyakugamae Ate. Tanto stiffens up, drops his weight, and keeps his elbow in (waki o shimeru) to stop the waki gatame before hitting toshu with an off-hand gyakugamae ate. That is, if tanto stabs with the right hand and toshu grabs that arm and tries to do waki gatame against that arm, tanto does gyakugamae ate with his left arm.
4) Kote Gaeshi into Ushiro Ate. Here, just after toshu has broken tanto`s balance forward along tanto`s weak line and just as toshu is begining to bend tanto`s elbow back to execute the kote gaeshi, tanto swings his knife holding arm down vertically past his hip, pulling toshu past his center, and twisting him around into position to do ushiro ate. This is the same as a technique seen in one of the Oyo Waza (application techniques) done from an Aigamae Katate Dori Jodan no Kuzushi.
5) Kote Gaeshi into Gedan Ate. Here, just after toshu has broken tanto`s balance forward along tanto`s weak line and just as toshu is begining to bend tanto`s elbow back to execute the kote gaeshi, tanto drops down and does gedan ate with his free (opposite) arm. That is, if tanto is stabbing right handed, he ends up doing gedan ate with his left side forward, attacking toshu's right leg (toshu should be in a right foot forward posture at this moment after having broken tanto's balance forward onto tanto's weak line.)
6) Tenkai Kote Hineri into Ushiro Ate. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu grabs that arm from the inside and tries to spin under that arm to execute the tenkai kote hineri technique. As toshu steps forward to move under tanto's armpit, tanto slides forward and traps toshu against his chest. They are now both facing the same direction, with tanto behind toshu,with tanto essentially hugging toshu from behind, with tanto's right (stabbing arm) over toshu's right shoulder and down that side of toshu's chest and the free (non-stabbing) arm over toshu's left shoulder, with the shote of the left hand around the upper pectoral muscle area, just below the collar bone (as per usual). It is crucial that the hug be snug as it prevents toshu from continuing to spin and thereby stops him or her from executing the tenkai kote hineri. Tanto then does ushiro ate to throw toshu onto his back.
7) Tenkai Kote Gaeshi (Shiho Nage) into a Gyakugamae Ate done with the stabbing arm. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto counters by doing gyakugamae ate with his stabbing arm. This should catch toshu in mid stride, as toshu must step forward with his left leg in order to prepare to turn around (the turning being necessary to complete the tenkai kote gaeshi that he is attempting.) When comparing this counter with the next, this one is executed a moment later than the next one, as this one assumes that uke has done more of the arm swing and has started to step forward with his left leg in preparation for turning around.
8) Tenkai Kote Gaeshi (Shiho Nage) into a Gyakugamae Ate done with the non-stabbing arm. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu does this, he moves into a right foot forward stance. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto first prevents uke from being able to swing the right arm far enough by dropping his weight and pulling in his own stabbing arm elbow into his side (waki o shimete.) This should be done abruptly so as to bring everything to a (very short) momentary stillness. But since this stops toshu from completing the swing, toshu should still be in a right foot forward stance, so that the correct gyakugamate ate to do would be the one involving tanto's left arm.
9) Mae Otoshi into Gedan Ate. Suppose that tanto stabs with his right hand. Toshu will move to the inside of that arm, grab it with both hands and try to swing it past tanto's center. As toshu tries to swing the right arm past tanto's center, tanto counters by dropping down and doing gedan ate with his stabbing arm. This should catch toshu in mid stride as toshu must step forward with his left leg in order to prepare to execute mae otoshi. As tanto drops down to do the gedan ate, his stabbing forearm should spin so that his own thumb goes from facing away from him to facing towards his own belly button. Doing this sharply will tend to break toshu's grip.
10) Sumi Otoshi into Shomen Ate. Imagine that tanto stabs with his right arm. Toshu avoids to the outside (to the right from tanto's perspective) and beings to attempt sumi otoshi by grabbing the stabbing arm and begining to lunge forward while holding it. Tanto counters by turning 90 degrees to his own right so as to face toshu while simultaneously switching his stance so that while turning tanto goes from right foot forward (which is how tanto stabbed) to left foot forward. At the same time, tanto's free left hand comes up his center to uke's neck/chin so as to be in position for a left foot forward shomen ate.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
An Atemi Waza Timing Drill against a Tanto Stab
This drill is to develop timing for atemi waza strikes. It is done in itterations, each building upon the previous one.
For instance, suppose that tori wants to practice his timing for shomen ate.
Uke and tori start at proper distance (ma-ai.) They are both standing in neutral posture (shizen-tai), with neither foot forward--that is, in neither a left-foot-forward nor a right-foot forward stance.
Suppose that uke has the knife in his right hand. He first pounces down into a right-foot-forward stance (migi-gamae). He lower his center and prepares to spring forward and stab. He is ready like a cat about to pounce!
He then springs forward and stabs. Tori just stands there and gets stabbed with the rubber knife.
This first itteration is just so that tori can get used to the timing of a stab.
On the second itteration, uke goes into the pounce but does not get the chance to stab, because as uke is going into the right-foot forward pouncing position, tori slides forward into the right-foot-forward position for shomen-ate. Tori enters and just barely touches uke. There is no throw on this itteration. But the timing must be right: tori slides forwars as uke is transitioning from the neutral stance into the pounch. That is, tori enters as uke is preparing to stab. This is sen no sen.
On the third and final itteration, tori not only slides forward for shomen-ate as uke transitions into the pouncing position, he also finishes the technique and throws uke.
So on the first itteration, tori stands there and gets stabbed, learning how uke moves. On the second, tori slides into position for shomen ate as uke goes into the right-foot-forward pouncing position (knees bent, center lowered.) And then on the third itteration, tori not only moves forward as uke goes into the pouch but finishes things up but completing the throw.
Naturally, this three-itteration drill can be done for any of the atemi waza.
But notice that the version I just described involves sen no sen, or tori moving simultaneously with uke. You can also practice this drill as a go no sen drill, or one in which tori moves second.
In this version, tori moves in for the technique after doing a tai sabaki to avoid the stab. So the order is uke stabs, tori moves out of the way using good taisabaki, uke pulls back (after stabbing) and then tori moves in towards uke as uke pulls back and then throws uke at that point in time. This is go no sen because tori definitely moves second, after uke stabs.
This drill is also done using three itterations.
First, uke stabs and tori just does a taisabaki to get out of the way and then stays still as uke pulls back after the stab. Uke should not only pull is arm back, but should also slide backward with his feet as well. (But keeping the same stance, so that if he is in a right foot forward stance after finishing the stab, he slides backward still in a right-foot-forward stance.) The pouncing routine is also the same. Both start in shizen tai, uke goes into a right-foot-forward pouncing position, and then stabs. But now, after stabbing, uke pulls back.
On the second itteration, uke stabs, tori gets out of the way, but then follows uke in as uke slides back. As tori slides forward, he moves into the proper position for an appropriate atemi waza technique. But he does not finish the throw.
On the third itteration, tori finishes the throw, with the proper timing being that tori adds to uke`s backward sliding motion, so that the atemi waza is very easy to apply effectively.
A final version of this drill involves second stabs. That is uke stabs straight forward at tori, tori does a taisabaki, uke points his center at wherever tori is now standing, goes into a pouncing position and then takes a second stab at him.
On the first itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab but not the second.
On the second itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab, and then enters to do an atemi waza as uke gets ready to pounce for the second stab. Uke never gets the second stab off because tori is already coming in at him. But there is not throw on this second itteration.
On the third itteration, the throw is made.
For instance, suppose that tori wants to practice his timing for shomen ate.
Uke and tori start at proper distance (ma-ai.) They are both standing in neutral posture (shizen-tai), with neither foot forward--that is, in neither a left-foot-forward nor a right-foot forward stance.
Suppose that uke has the knife in his right hand. He first pounces down into a right-foot-forward stance (migi-gamae). He lower his center and prepares to spring forward and stab. He is ready like a cat about to pounce!
He then springs forward and stabs. Tori just stands there and gets stabbed with the rubber knife.
This first itteration is just so that tori can get used to the timing of a stab.
On the second itteration, uke goes into the pounce but does not get the chance to stab, because as uke is going into the right-foot forward pouncing position, tori slides forward into the right-foot-forward position for shomen-ate. Tori enters and just barely touches uke. There is no throw on this itteration. But the timing must be right: tori slides forwars as uke is transitioning from the neutral stance into the pounch. That is, tori enters as uke is preparing to stab. This is sen no sen.
On the third and final itteration, tori not only slides forward for shomen-ate as uke transitions into the pouncing position, he also finishes the technique and throws uke.
So on the first itteration, tori stands there and gets stabbed, learning how uke moves. On the second, tori slides into position for shomen ate as uke goes into the right-foot-forward pouncing position (knees bent, center lowered.) And then on the third itteration, tori not only moves forward as uke goes into the pouch but finishes things up but completing the throw.
Naturally, this three-itteration drill can be done for any of the atemi waza.
But notice that the version I just described involves sen no sen, or tori moving simultaneously with uke. You can also practice this drill as a go no sen drill, or one in which tori moves second.
In this version, tori moves in for the technique after doing a tai sabaki to avoid the stab. So the order is uke stabs, tori moves out of the way using good taisabaki, uke pulls back (after stabbing) and then tori moves in towards uke as uke pulls back and then throws uke at that point in time. This is go no sen because tori definitely moves second, after uke stabs.
This drill is also done using three itterations.
First, uke stabs and tori just does a taisabaki to get out of the way and then stays still as uke pulls back after the stab. Uke should not only pull is arm back, but should also slide backward with his feet as well. (But keeping the same stance, so that if he is in a right foot forward stance after finishing the stab, he slides backward still in a right-foot-forward stance.) The pouncing routine is also the same. Both start in shizen tai, uke goes into a right-foot-forward pouncing position, and then stabs. But now, after stabbing, uke pulls back.
On the second itteration, uke stabs, tori gets out of the way, but then follows uke in as uke slides back. As tori slides forward, he moves into the proper position for an appropriate atemi waza technique. But he does not finish the throw.
On the third itteration, tori finishes the throw, with the proper timing being that tori adds to uke`s backward sliding motion, so that the atemi waza is very easy to apply effectively.
A final version of this drill involves second stabs. That is uke stabs straight forward at tori, tori does a taisabaki, uke points his center at wherever tori is now standing, goes into a pouncing position and then takes a second stab at him.
On the first itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab but not the second.
On the second itteration, tori gets out of the way of the first stab, and then enters to do an atemi waza as uke gets ready to pounce for the second stab. Uke never gets the second stab off because tori is already coming in at him. But there is not throw on this second itteration.
On the third itteration, the throw is made.
Back in Japan
Got into Osaka two days ago. First practice last night at the expanded Shodokan dojo. Very nice. Sakai Sensei led. Lots of high ranking gaijin including Cameron and Higgs. It is good to be back. I`ll be posting about what I pick up during the next two weeks.
I`m staying at Orange House, which is 5 minutes walking to Shodokan and isn`t half as bad as some said. But other gaijin are at the Chu-o Hotel near Tennoji Station. It is apparently nicer, and runs about 2,500 yen per night. The place I`m at runs half that, though. Very cheap. But toilets and showers down the hall. Some people can`t deal with that. I`m fine with it. But squat toilets only---that`s annoying.
UPDATE: I was wrong. There is a western style (sit down) toilet on the third floor. It is popular.
I`m staying at Orange House, which is 5 minutes walking to Shodokan and isn`t half as bad as some said. But other gaijin are at the Chu-o Hotel near Tennoji Station. It is apparently nicer, and runs about 2,500 yen per night. The place I`m at runs half that, though. Very cheap. But toilets and showers down the hall. Some people can`t deal with that. I`m fine with it. But squat toilets only---that`s annoying.
UPDATE: I was wrong. There is a western style (sit down) toilet on the third floor. It is popular.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Blink, Don't Think!
More evidence is in that our subconscious minds can do certain things better and faster than our conscious minds. This compounds similar evidence put forth by Normal Gladwell in his bestseller Blink. All this science emphasises how correct Tomiki Sensei was to stress Mushin Mugamae--the mental and physical state of being "Without Emotion, Without Stance." If you are on neutral and not consciously trying to do techniques, your subconscious will do them for you much faster than you could if you were consciously trying.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Uno Sensei on Oshi Taoshi
I was in Imabari, Japan, for the Equinox (the Shunbun no Hi holiday in Japan). Imabari is my mom’s home town. And just by coincidence, it happens to be where Sensei Kenshi Uno resides and teaches aikido. He is a 7th dan and the third highest ranking active teacher in the Japan Aikido Association. Plus, since he runs a chain of English language cram schools, I never have to worry about my poor Japanese. He is quite happy to teach me in English.
He took me and the other yudansha aside for a bit to teach me (specifically me, since he talked in English) why oshi-taoshi is the embodiment of aikido. It was a very rewarding 20 minutes.
He began by explaining that Sokaku Takeda (the Daitoryu Aiki-jujutsu master who taught Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of modern Aikido) taught this teachnique first for a reason. And he numbered it first. It was his Technique #1 because he thought it so important. In turn, Ueshiba also though it most important and labeled it Ikkyo, which means First Technique.
The reason they thought it so important was that if you learn to do both the omote and ura versions of it (in Aikikai terminology, the irimi and tenkan versions) then you grasp how to both trick your opponent into moving in ways that you want, as well as how to not fight your opponent and always move with his motion.
It also teaches you both up-and-down kuzushi (breaking of balance) as well as backward-and-forward breaking of balance. And it shows you the importance of not mentally or physically fixating on any given technique or movement. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Up and down
Uno Sensei explained how Tomiki Sensei used a rowing motion to explain in the most basic way how you are supposed to raise an attacker’s arm and get under it to do oshi-taoshi. That’s the way the current kata is practiced. But there is a more direct method that involves exploiting the attacker’s natural tendencies to regain balance when it is broken.
Suppose that the attacker comes at you with an open handed tegatana strike (what we call a tsuki, or stab). He is right foot and right arm forward as he does so, trusting his right shote (heel of the hand) at you. You move forward to your left and pivot to avoid the strike. You end up standing with your left foot forward. Your upper body is more or less square with his arm, which is trust out, quite stiff (since he was trying to stab you), parallel to the floor at his shoulder level.
At this point, you trick him into raising his arm. All you have to do is very lightly grab his arm from above with both your hands, and slightly push down and squeeze—but just for a moment. Your hands almost immediately loosen. If you do this just right, it will sort of wack his arm down a bit, and his natural reaction will be to push up with his arm. (You have to do this just as he is at the most stretched out position as he is stabbing at you—right before his right foot hits the ground.) Since you, by that time, are not continuing to push down, when he pushes up, he meets no resistance and his arm will move up quite a bit—probably six inches to a foot at the hand end.
Since your hands are relaxed and light, they move up with that rising action, and if you are cupping your hands lightly around the arm, you will find that they naturally end up on the underside of uke’s arm. That is, uke has raised his arm up exactly where you want it to be so that you can do oshi taoshi.
This version of setting up the technique could hardly be simpler and gets at the idea of tricking your opponent into defeating himself.
Backwards and Forward
The point here is what to do if you attempt to do the technique and get stuck half way because uke resists. The thing to notice if you get to such an impasse is that you are stuck in a position where you are, essentially, failing to break uke’s balance forward. If the technique were working (which it ain’t), then you would complete the oshi-taoshi and push uke down to the floor.
What you have to realize is that a person’s balance is just as easily broken backwards as forwards, and that you should take advantage of that fact when you get to this sort of an impasse.
There are, of course, several things you could do. One would be to switch directly into ude gaeshi. That of course sends uke backwards. But the technique that Uno Sensei wanted to emphasize was the tenkan version of oshi-taoshi. (In aiki-kai terminology, this would be the tenkan version of ikkyo.)
In the impasse, you will be standing right foot forward, failing to push uke over. What you need to do is pivot backwards on your left foot. That is, the left foot stays where it is, and the right leg spins behind you. As it does, you push uke’s arm down into your center. As you finish the spin, uke is down on both knees and his free hand is on the ground. The elbow of the arm you are holding should be right up against your pelvic bones. It is covered by your left palm. Meanwhile your right hand is by your right hip bone, clutching uke’s right wrist.
From here, you’d pin uke in the normal fashion.
Backward into Ushiro Ate
Another thing you can do if you get to a point where uke is resisting your attempt at the normal, forward version of oshi taoshi is to slip behind uke and do ushiro ate (for those of you not familiar with this technique, it basically involves going behind uke, draping both of your hands over his shoulders, and pulling him down backward.)
The key point, though, that Uno Sensei emphasized was that this transition from a failed oshi taoshi into a successful ushiro ate only works if you are obeying Tomiki Sensei’s injunction to practice Mushin Mugamae, or “No Heart, No Stance.” By this slogan Tomiki Sensei meant that you should not be fixated on the success of any particular technique (your heart shouldn’t be set on forcing a given technique that you have decided to attempt), and that you should also not be wedded to any particular method of achieving your goal (that is the no stance part, because, as we say in English, you will “stand your ground” if you are defiant or stubborn or proud. The blending of aikido is inconsistent with defiance, stubbornness, and pride.)
If you get to the point in the failed oshi taoshi where you and uke are both pressing at each other hard, you should not keep trying to maintain the stance you are in. That would be the total opposite of Mugamae (no stance). If you keep trying to maintain your stance, your feet will be welded to the floor and you’ll be stuck.
Instead, you should be very relaxed as you are pushing at uke. Sure, you are pushing with enough force so that his force does not knock you over, but you are not welded to the floor, and you are not attached to your current stance. If you have that sort of relaxedness, you will find that it is very, very easy to disengage suddenly and smoothly and move behind uke to throw him with ushiro ate. If, however, you are committed—even temporarily—to holding your current impasse with uke, you are not going to be able to move instantaneously and smoothly behind uke. Instead, if you attempt it, you will feel like a bike chain suddenly slipping a few notches on the gears. It won’t work well.
The key to Mugamae in this case, however, is Mushin (no metal fixation). If you get to the moment of impasse where you are pushing at uke and he at you and the net force is zero and there is no movement, then you have a mental problem. You are not using mushin. Rather, you are trying to force the technique, and then trying to force the continuance of the impasse.
If you get to the impasse and your first though is that you can’t stop pushing because to do so would be worse than not pushing, then you are not using Mushin. You may get to the impasse, but you if you are using Mushin, you should be fully aware of all the possibilities that are brought up by the impasse and you should naturally, without fixating on any one of them, move on to one of them. And, in this case, one of them is to move on to ushiro ate. But, as you are doing so, you should keep on using Mushin so that you are not committed to attempting ushro ate, either. For instance, if uke whips around to face you as you are going for usiro ate, your fixation on attempting usiro ate will be comically futile as it will only slow you down as you attempt to respond to the changed circumstance.
He took me and the other yudansha aside for a bit to teach me (specifically me, since he talked in English) why oshi-taoshi is the embodiment of aikido. It was a very rewarding 20 minutes.
He began by explaining that Sokaku Takeda (the Daitoryu Aiki-jujutsu master who taught Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of modern Aikido) taught this teachnique first for a reason. And he numbered it first. It was his Technique #1 because he thought it so important. In turn, Ueshiba also though it most important and labeled it Ikkyo, which means First Technique.
The reason they thought it so important was that if you learn to do both the omote and ura versions of it (in Aikikai terminology, the irimi and tenkan versions) then you grasp how to both trick your opponent into moving in ways that you want, as well as how to not fight your opponent and always move with his motion.
It also teaches you both up-and-down kuzushi (breaking of balance) as well as backward-and-forward breaking of balance. And it shows you the importance of not mentally or physically fixating on any given technique or movement. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Up and down
Uno Sensei explained how Tomiki Sensei used a rowing motion to explain in the most basic way how you are supposed to raise an attacker’s arm and get under it to do oshi-taoshi. That’s the way the current kata is practiced. But there is a more direct method that involves exploiting the attacker’s natural tendencies to regain balance when it is broken.
Suppose that the attacker comes at you with an open handed tegatana strike (what we call a tsuki, or stab). He is right foot and right arm forward as he does so, trusting his right shote (heel of the hand) at you. You move forward to your left and pivot to avoid the strike. You end up standing with your left foot forward. Your upper body is more or less square with his arm, which is trust out, quite stiff (since he was trying to stab you), parallel to the floor at his shoulder level.
At this point, you trick him into raising his arm. All you have to do is very lightly grab his arm from above with both your hands, and slightly push down and squeeze—but just for a moment. Your hands almost immediately loosen. If you do this just right, it will sort of wack his arm down a bit, and his natural reaction will be to push up with his arm. (You have to do this just as he is at the most stretched out position as he is stabbing at you—right before his right foot hits the ground.) Since you, by that time, are not continuing to push down, when he pushes up, he meets no resistance and his arm will move up quite a bit—probably six inches to a foot at the hand end.
Since your hands are relaxed and light, they move up with that rising action, and if you are cupping your hands lightly around the arm, you will find that they naturally end up on the underside of uke’s arm. That is, uke has raised his arm up exactly where you want it to be so that you can do oshi taoshi.
This version of setting up the technique could hardly be simpler and gets at the idea of tricking your opponent into defeating himself.
Backwards and Forward
The point here is what to do if you attempt to do the technique and get stuck half way because uke resists. The thing to notice if you get to such an impasse is that you are stuck in a position where you are, essentially, failing to break uke’s balance forward. If the technique were working (which it ain’t), then you would complete the oshi-taoshi and push uke down to the floor.
What you have to realize is that a person’s balance is just as easily broken backwards as forwards, and that you should take advantage of that fact when you get to this sort of an impasse.
There are, of course, several things you could do. One would be to switch directly into ude gaeshi. That of course sends uke backwards. But the technique that Uno Sensei wanted to emphasize was the tenkan version of oshi-taoshi. (In aiki-kai terminology, this would be the tenkan version of ikkyo.)
In the impasse, you will be standing right foot forward, failing to push uke over. What you need to do is pivot backwards on your left foot. That is, the left foot stays where it is, and the right leg spins behind you. As it does, you push uke’s arm down into your center. As you finish the spin, uke is down on both knees and his free hand is on the ground. The elbow of the arm you are holding should be right up against your pelvic bones. It is covered by your left palm. Meanwhile your right hand is by your right hip bone, clutching uke’s right wrist.
From here, you’d pin uke in the normal fashion.
Backward into Ushiro Ate
Another thing you can do if you get to a point where uke is resisting your attempt at the normal, forward version of oshi taoshi is to slip behind uke and do ushiro ate (for those of you not familiar with this technique, it basically involves going behind uke, draping both of your hands over his shoulders, and pulling him down backward.)
The key point, though, that Uno Sensei emphasized was that this transition from a failed oshi taoshi into a successful ushiro ate only works if you are obeying Tomiki Sensei’s injunction to practice Mushin Mugamae, or “No Heart, No Stance.” By this slogan Tomiki Sensei meant that you should not be fixated on the success of any particular technique (your heart shouldn’t be set on forcing a given technique that you have decided to attempt), and that you should also not be wedded to any particular method of achieving your goal (that is the no stance part, because, as we say in English, you will “stand your ground” if you are defiant or stubborn or proud. The blending of aikido is inconsistent with defiance, stubbornness, and pride.)
If you get to the point in the failed oshi taoshi where you and uke are both pressing at each other hard, you should not keep trying to maintain the stance you are in. That would be the total opposite of Mugamae (no stance). If you keep trying to maintain your stance, your feet will be welded to the floor and you’ll be stuck.
Instead, you should be very relaxed as you are pushing at uke. Sure, you are pushing with enough force so that his force does not knock you over, but you are not welded to the floor, and you are not attached to your current stance. If you have that sort of relaxedness, you will find that it is very, very easy to disengage suddenly and smoothly and move behind uke to throw him with ushiro ate. If, however, you are committed—even temporarily—to holding your current impasse with uke, you are not going to be able to move instantaneously and smoothly behind uke. Instead, if you attempt it, you will feel like a bike chain suddenly slipping a few notches on the gears. It won’t work well.
The key to Mugamae in this case, however, is Mushin (no metal fixation). If you get to the moment of impasse where you are pushing at uke and he at you and the net force is zero and there is no movement, then you have a mental problem. You are not using mushin. Rather, you are trying to force the technique, and then trying to force the continuance of the impasse.
If you get to the impasse and your first though is that you can’t stop pushing because to do so would be worse than not pushing, then you are not using Mushin. You may get to the impasse, but you if you are using Mushin, you should be fully aware of all the possibilities that are brought up by the impasse and you should naturally, without fixating on any one of them, move on to one of them. And, in this case, one of them is to move on to ushiro ate. But, as you are doing so, you should keep on using Mushin so that you are not committed to attempting ushro ate, either. For instance, if uke whips around to face you as you are going for usiro ate, your fixation on attempting usiro ate will be comically futile as it will only slow you down as you attempt to respond to the changed circumstance.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Shodokan Drills
Nariyama Sensei takes his drills very seriously. They are done regularly and without fail at the beginning of each practice, and also sometimes at the end of each practice. In addition, at random times during practice, everything is stopped to do a few rounds of the Nanahon Nage Kuzushi Waza.
Let me explain the drills in the order they are typically done at the beginning of class.
Tegatana Awase
Here, both people stand in matching stances (both people standing right-foot forward, for instance.) They then raise tegatana arms to match (right arm if the right foot is forward.) They touch tegatana blades, and then move smoothly around the dojo, using good sliding feet footwork, making sure to keep the same foot always forward, and never bending their tegatana arms. The whole point of the drill is to maintain proper distance as you move together.
Make sure you switch, and do a round both with the left leg and hand forward as well as the right leg and hand forward.
A variation of this drill is to do it without the arms. You start off touching arms to get the distance right, but then lower your arms and then move around, staying square to each other, and at proper distance.
Tegatana Bogyo
Bogyo means defense. In this drill, the two partners take turns being attacker and defender. They start as in tegatana awase and move around smoothly, but then one of them (pre-designated as the attacker) either raises the opposite arm to begin a strike or raises a leg to begin a kick. Since it is a drill, you don’t finish the strikes or kicks. Please note that it is the opposite arm that goes to strike. That is, if you are doing the tegatana awase with your right arm forward and touching your partner’s right arm, you will raise your left arm as if to strike.
For the person defending, as soon as he senses a strike coming, he pushes in with his stiff tegatana arm right towards the attacker’s throat. To aid in the drill, the attacker allows his tegatana arm to collapse at the elbow so that his own tegatana hand gets squished between own his throat (or upper chest) and the defender’s tegatana arm, which is of course pushing in at his throat. The point of the drill is to move in quickly and push the attacker off balance. It is, foremost, a timing drill, to teach you to react immediately when attacked. It also teaches you that the best first thing to do when attacked is to break your opponent’s balance.
As you do the drill, each person should make three attacks before switching attacker and defender. This is a nice alternation scheme, since you don’t spend too much time as either attacker or defender and you learn to move smoothly and be alert equally well in either role. Make sure you do both left and right sides.
Gassho no Bogyo
This drill is also sometimes called Gassho no renshu. A gassho is a pray position, with the palms pressed together. In this drill, you again work on your timing and moving smoothly and quickly when attacked. Here, the pre-designated attacker either goes for an overhead temple strike to the head (migi men or hidari men), or raises a knee as if to begin a kick.
If an overhead strike is initiated, the defender moves forward smoothly and raises up his tegatana arms in a gassho position, putting them hands right up near the attacker’s face. This will block the strike and get you used to moving towards an attacker—as paradoxically this is often the safest place to be.
If the attacker raises up a knee as if to strike, the defender blocks it by moving smoothly forward and putting out both tegatana to block the leg on the thigh, just above the knee. The key point here is to keep your back vertical and also to keep looking at the attacker’s face. Do not look at the leg! You should also end up pretty low, as to block properly, you have to extend a leg forward. This will naturally lower your center.
As you do this drill, you and the other person should be circling each other. This makes it much more natural, and well as much more challenging. The attacker should feel free to attack either right or left handed or right or left footed, alternating at will. Mixing it up this way makes it much more realistic for the defender.
Ippon no Bogyo
Ippon means one long cylindrical thing. In this case it refers to one arm. So this drill is the one-armed defense drill.
It is essentially the same as Gassho no Bogyo from the perspective of the person attacking. He or she either goes for hidari men or migi men (overhead temple strikes with the tegatana blade) or raises a knee up as if to go for a front snap kick.
As for the defender, he is now only allowed to block with one arm. For overhead strikes, he should meet them blade to blade, by which I mean that the blade side of his blocking tegatana arm (the pinkie finger side) should clash up against the blade side of the attacking tegatana arm. Also, he should move his whole body so that at the moment of contact, this blocking arm is right on his own center line. Between each block, the arms return to dangle loosely at the side. You should also be relaxed and well balanced as you await the next strike.
Now, if a kick comes, you have to again block it—but with only one tegatana blade this time (unlike in gassho no bogyo, where you blocked using both arms simultaneously). Block with the shote (base of the hand), with the thumb rotated so that it points back towards you. (The arm is extended as you block; it is still a tegatana.) You do not want to bock with the thumb side as you’ll quickly end up spraining or breaking a thumb. As with blocking kicks in Gassho no bogyo, keep your back straight and keep looking at the attacker’s eyes.
Circle each other as you do the drill.
Shote Awase
This is the drill where you push on each other using fully extended tegatana arms. I won’t describe it at much length as I’m sure you’ve done it before if you do Tomiki aikido. My only point will be to say that you shouldn’t be doing it very hard and that uke (the person being pushed backwards) should not fight the other person very hard. The uke should help by keeping both of their pushing hands in their mutual center and should give way reasonably, only mildly challenging the pusher. This allows the pusher to work on subtle balance breaking skills.
Ushio Kara Ryote Dori no Bogyo
This is the double handed wrist grab from behind drill, where uke grabs one of tori’s wrists using both of his own hands. The point is to grab and then push up and forward to break tori’s balance. Since you’ve probably already done this drill as well, I will only add that uke should definitely try to lift the arm, and that tori should get very good at suddenly dropping his weigh to break uke’s balance.
At Shodokan, they also start with the hand about six inches behind the buttocks, and the hand balled up into a fist. At the moment that uke grabs, you extend your fingers, form a tegatana, and drop your weight. Starting in a fist and then extending to a tegatana gets you in the habit of instantly going to tegatana no matter what position your hands are normally in. Put differently, you wouldn’t normally have your arm in a tegatana when grabbed. So this makes you practice having to initiate a tegatana immediately after being attacked.
Nana hon Nage Kuzushi Waza
These are the Seven Basic balance breaking drills. With ura (reverse) versions, there are 14 total. At Shodokan, they practice a set of eight: the first seven omote (forward) versions, as well as the 14th. Since number 7 and number 14 are both defenses against a double handed wrist grab from behind, this gives the set of eight a nice sort of symmetry.
That’s because the first two are against high level grabs from aigamae (matching stances) and gyakugamae (opposite stances), the second two are mid level grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae, and the third two are low level grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae. (The seventh and eighth are then both double landed wrist grabs from behind.)
Actually, though, calling them high level, mid level and low level grabs somewhat muddles things. What’s really happening is that after you are grabbed, you perform either high level balance breaking (where you raise the attacker up onto his toes), mid level balance breaking (pushing the uke sideways off balance), or low level balance breaking (where you push the attacker forward and down form his perspective to bend him over at the waste and break his posture).
If you’ve done Tomiki aikido, you’ll know these techniques since they appear on the 3rd kyu and 2nd kyu belt tests. But at Shodokan, they do them a LOT. With your first partner, you are given just enough time to do them twice each both left and right handed. Then you rotate to another partner, and do them twice each both left and right handed. As you go through them, alternate. That is, you grab my right wrist for the set of eight, then I grab your right wrist for the set of eight, and then you grab my left wrist for the set of eight, and then I grab your left wrist for the set of eight, etc.
And as I mentioned above, Nariyama Sensei will stop practice at various times and do this drill, as it gets everyone back in the spirit of blending with an attack and remembering that the first thing you always have to do is break the opponent’s balance. Only after that is accomplished should you attempt a technique.
Let me explain the drills in the order they are typically done at the beginning of class.
Tegatana Awase
Here, both people stand in matching stances (both people standing right-foot forward, for instance.) They then raise tegatana arms to match (right arm if the right foot is forward.) They touch tegatana blades, and then move smoothly around the dojo, using good sliding feet footwork, making sure to keep the same foot always forward, and never bending their tegatana arms. The whole point of the drill is to maintain proper distance as you move together.
Make sure you switch, and do a round both with the left leg and hand forward as well as the right leg and hand forward.
A variation of this drill is to do it without the arms. You start off touching arms to get the distance right, but then lower your arms and then move around, staying square to each other, and at proper distance.
Tegatana Bogyo
Bogyo means defense. In this drill, the two partners take turns being attacker and defender. They start as in tegatana awase and move around smoothly, but then one of them (pre-designated as the attacker) either raises the opposite arm to begin a strike or raises a leg to begin a kick. Since it is a drill, you don’t finish the strikes or kicks. Please note that it is the opposite arm that goes to strike. That is, if you are doing the tegatana awase with your right arm forward and touching your partner’s right arm, you will raise your left arm as if to strike.
For the person defending, as soon as he senses a strike coming, he pushes in with his stiff tegatana arm right towards the attacker’s throat. To aid in the drill, the attacker allows his tegatana arm to collapse at the elbow so that his own tegatana hand gets squished between own his throat (or upper chest) and the defender’s tegatana arm, which is of course pushing in at his throat. The point of the drill is to move in quickly and push the attacker off balance. It is, foremost, a timing drill, to teach you to react immediately when attacked. It also teaches you that the best first thing to do when attacked is to break your opponent’s balance.
As you do the drill, each person should make three attacks before switching attacker and defender. This is a nice alternation scheme, since you don’t spend too much time as either attacker or defender and you learn to move smoothly and be alert equally well in either role. Make sure you do both left and right sides.
Gassho no Bogyo
This drill is also sometimes called Gassho no renshu. A gassho is a pray position, with the palms pressed together. In this drill, you again work on your timing and moving smoothly and quickly when attacked. Here, the pre-designated attacker either goes for an overhead temple strike to the head (migi men or hidari men), or raises a knee as if to begin a kick.
If an overhead strike is initiated, the defender moves forward smoothly and raises up his tegatana arms in a gassho position, putting them hands right up near the attacker’s face. This will block the strike and get you used to moving towards an attacker—as paradoxically this is often the safest place to be.
If the attacker raises up a knee as if to strike, the defender blocks it by moving smoothly forward and putting out both tegatana to block the leg on the thigh, just above the knee. The key point here is to keep your back vertical and also to keep looking at the attacker’s face. Do not look at the leg! You should also end up pretty low, as to block properly, you have to extend a leg forward. This will naturally lower your center.
As you do this drill, you and the other person should be circling each other. This makes it much more natural, and well as much more challenging. The attacker should feel free to attack either right or left handed or right or left footed, alternating at will. Mixing it up this way makes it much more realistic for the defender.
Ippon no Bogyo
Ippon means one long cylindrical thing. In this case it refers to one arm. So this drill is the one-armed defense drill.
It is essentially the same as Gassho no Bogyo from the perspective of the person attacking. He or she either goes for hidari men or migi men (overhead temple strikes with the tegatana blade) or raises a knee up as if to go for a front snap kick.
As for the defender, he is now only allowed to block with one arm. For overhead strikes, he should meet them blade to blade, by which I mean that the blade side of his blocking tegatana arm (the pinkie finger side) should clash up against the blade side of the attacking tegatana arm. Also, he should move his whole body so that at the moment of contact, this blocking arm is right on his own center line. Between each block, the arms return to dangle loosely at the side. You should also be relaxed and well balanced as you await the next strike.
Now, if a kick comes, you have to again block it—but with only one tegatana blade this time (unlike in gassho no bogyo, where you blocked using both arms simultaneously). Block with the shote (base of the hand), with the thumb rotated so that it points back towards you. (The arm is extended as you block; it is still a tegatana.) You do not want to bock with the thumb side as you’ll quickly end up spraining or breaking a thumb. As with blocking kicks in Gassho no bogyo, keep your back straight and keep looking at the attacker’s eyes.
Circle each other as you do the drill.
Shote Awase
This is the drill where you push on each other using fully extended tegatana arms. I won’t describe it at much length as I’m sure you’ve done it before if you do Tomiki aikido. My only point will be to say that you shouldn’t be doing it very hard and that uke (the person being pushed backwards) should not fight the other person very hard. The uke should help by keeping both of their pushing hands in their mutual center and should give way reasonably, only mildly challenging the pusher. This allows the pusher to work on subtle balance breaking skills.
Ushio Kara Ryote Dori no Bogyo
This is the double handed wrist grab from behind drill, where uke grabs one of tori’s wrists using both of his own hands. The point is to grab and then push up and forward to break tori’s balance. Since you’ve probably already done this drill as well, I will only add that uke should definitely try to lift the arm, and that tori should get very good at suddenly dropping his weigh to break uke’s balance.
At Shodokan, they also start with the hand about six inches behind the buttocks, and the hand balled up into a fist. At the moment that uke grabs, you extend your fingers, form a tegatana, and drop your weight. Starting in a fist and then extending to a tegatana gets you in the habit of instantly going to tegatana no matter what position your hands are normally in. Put differently, you wouldn’t normally have your arm in a tegatana when grabbed. So this makes you practice having to initiate a tegatana immediately after being attacked.
Nana hon Nage Kuzushi Waza
These are the Seven Basic balance breaking drills. With ura (reverse) versions, there are 14 total. At Shodokan, they practice a set of eight: the first seven omote (forward) versions, as well as the 14th. Since number 7 and number 14 are both defenses against a double handed wrist grab from behind, this gives the set of eight a nice sort of symmetry.
That’s because the first two are against high level grabs from aigamae (matching stances) and gyakugamae (opposite stances), the second two are mid level grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae, and the third two are low level grabs from aigamae and gyakugamae. (The seventh and eighth are then both double landed wrist grabs from behind.)
Actually, though, calling them high level, mid level and low level grabs somewhat muddles things. What’s really happening is that after you are grabbed, you perform either high level balance breaking (where you raise the attacker up onto his toes), mid level balance breaking (pushing the uke sideways off balance), or low level balance breaking (where you push the attacker forward and down form his perspective to bend him over at the waste and break his posture).
If you’ve done Tomiki aikido, you’ll know these techniques since they appear on the 3rd kyu and 2nd kyu belt tests. But at Shodokan, they do them a LOT. With your first partner, you are given just enough time to do them twice each both left and right handed. Then you rotate to another partner, and do them twice each both left and right handed. As you go through them, alternate. That is, you grab my right wrist for the set of eight, then I grab your right wrist for the set of eight, and then you grab my left wrist for the set of eight, and then I grab your left wrist for the set of eight, etc.
And as I mentioned above, Nariyama Sensei will stop practice at various times and do this drill, as it gets everyone back in the spirit of blending with an attack and remembering that the first thing you always have to do is break the opponent’s balance. Only after that is accomplished should you attempt a technique.
The Logic Behind the 8th, 7th, and 6th Kyu
Nakagawa Sensei was teaching last night. He pointed out something about the logic behind the 8th, 7th, and 6th kyu techniques that I had never noticed before, although it is obvious once pointed out.
Each of those three belt tests has three techniques. What I never noticed before was that each one contains an atemi waza (striking technique), a hiji waza (an elbow technique), and a tekubi waza (a wrist technique).
So when these three kyu were added to the curriculum by Nariyama Sensei about ten years ago, they had a very good logic to them. Indeed, I had wondered in the past why they seemed to be such an effective introduction to aikido. It's now apparent to me that it's because each test covers a lot of ground and introduces students to a wide variety of aikido principles.
Each of those three belt tests has three techniques. What I never noticed before was that each one contains an atemi waza (striking technique), a hiji waza (an elbow technique), and a tekubi waza (a wrist technique).
So when these three kyu were added to the curriculum by Nariyama Sensei about ten years ago, they had a very good logic to them. Indeed, I had wondered in the past why they seemed to be such an effective introduction to aikido. It's now apparent to me that it's because each test covers a lot of ground and introduces students to a wide variety of aikido principles.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Tegatana Usage During the Tegatana Dousa
I’ve been very carefully watching the deshi who lead warm-ups at Shodokan and have come to some useful conclusions about how to better use your tegatana (hand sword) during the practice exercise called the Tegatana Dousa.
The key point has to do with the hand position when it is above the head. The correct position is with the blade vertical and pointing towards the sky while the curve of the thumb mimics the curvature of your head. Furthermore, the part of the thumb closest to the head is only about 4-6 (8 to 12 centimeters) inches away from the head. The hand at this apex position is more or less directly above the top of the head. To then make a forward strike, the elbow extends.
Let me go through the five Tegatana Dousa exercises in order.
#1. Here, think of there being two separate strikes. The first is a downward sword cut, which will work as described above, with the cut ending at about your chin level. The second is an upward sword cut. But since we are doing these exercises to improve not our swordsmanship but our un-armed aikido, make sure that as you pull back with your tegatana, you point the fingers down as far as they naturally go. (If someone grabbed your wrist, pointing the fingers downward would greatly facilitate pulling them off balance.) Your upper arm should be flush with your chest as you pull back, and your fingers should be pointing down. (Please note that your forearm should not be touching your torso, due to the natural curvature of the tegatana arm. Given the curvature, if your upper arm is touching your chest, your lower arm would be able to touch anything—unless your belly is really big.) When you move forward with your feet and raise your tegatana blade from this position, stop at about your chin level.
#2. Here the interesting thing to note is that your upraised hand as you move from the left side strike to the right side strike (and vice versa) moves slightly behind your head. That is, you thumb should be pointing vertically downward, behind your head, as your hand and arm pass above your head to move from striking on one side to the other.
#3. Here, nothing new to report. Just keep in mind big circles and don’t bend your elbow. Also, make sure both thrusts (circular to outside, circular to inside) finish directly in front of your center line.
#4. Not much new to report. But do make sure you turn the full 180 degrees and that your armpit is shut as you pivot.
#5. Here, again, make sure that your hand is directly above the top of your head as you do the strikes--especially on the latter two. Before you move forward, get the hand over the middle of the top of your head. Then strike. This ensures you are centered throughout despite the fact that your torso is turning 90 degrees or so as you strike.
The key point has to do with the hand position when it is above the head. The correct position is with the blade vertical and pointing towards the sky while the curve of the thumb mimics the curvature of your head. Furthermore, the part of the thumb closest to the head is only about 4-6 (8 to 12 centimeters) inches away from the head. The hand at this apex position is more or less directly above the top of the head. To then make a forward strike, the elbow extends.
Let me go through the five Tegatana Dousa exercises in order.
#1. Here, think of there being two separate strikes. The first is a downward sword cut, which will work as described above, with the cut ending at about your chin level. The second is an upward sword cut. But since we are doing these exercises to improve not our swordsmanship but our un-armed aikido, make sure that as you pull back with your tegatana, you point the fingers down as far as they naturally go. (If someone grabbed your wrist, pointing the fingers downward would greatly facilitate pulling them off balance.) Your upper arm should be flush with your chest as you pull back, and your fingers should be pointing down. (Please note that your forearm should not be touching your torso, due to the natural curvature of the tegatana arm. Given the curvature, if your upper arm is touching your chest, your lower arm would be able to touch anything—unless your belly is really big.) When you move forward with your feet and raise your tegatana blade from this position, stop at about your chin level.
#2. Here the interesting thing to note is that your upraised hand as you move from the left side strike to the right side strike (and vice versa) moves slightly behind your head. That is, you thumb should be pointing vertically downward, behind your head, as your hand and arm pass above your head to move from striking on one side to the other.
#3. Here, nothing new to report. Just keep in mind big circles and don’t bend your elbow. Also, make sure both thrusts (circular to outside, circular to inside) finish directly in front of your center line.
#4. Not much new to report. But do make sure you turn the full 180 degrees and that your armpit is shut as you pivot.
#5. Here, again, make sure that your hand is directly above the top of your head as you do the strikes--especially on the latter two. Before you move forward, get the hand over the middle of the top of your head. Then strike. This ensures you are centered throughout despite the fact that your torso is turning 90 degrees or so as you strike.
