I had an "aiki moment" today

[Mike Hamer]

The technique was Irimi Nage, omote from ai hamni katata katata tori grip. I was training with one of the newer fellows (his second or third class) and I was having trouble with the technique we were supposed to be doing because he was sort of muscling against my movements therefore making me do the same in order to get the move in right. I know that in Aikido as a general rule uke's are expected to be somewhat complient with you throughout the technique, so I thought about saying something like "Just relax and go with the flow" or "calm down, we're not fighting eachother here" so that I could do the technique without muscling it all the way through. However I soon realized a much better way to go about the situation. He didn't want to go that way I could tell......but it just so happened that by resisting omote he fell perfectly into the ura version! It brought a big smile to my face when I did this, just because it was almost like I was actually doing some aikido y'know....the path of least resistance, and all that good stuff. I have come to the conclusion that I have obviously mastered the art, and have no need for further training....

 

[matt.m]

Mike that is a great session you had. Every once in a while in hapkido I have had similiar situations occur. You know fyi, if you get to work flow drills then do so. They can and will have the same effect.

 

[Mike Hamer]

Whats that?

 

[Yari]

........ I have obviously mastered the art, and have no need for further training....

Great! Hold it, and just for the fun of it, do it again ;-)

No, great. It's nice when your able to get the feel, and in that sense also see some of it work against a difficult uke.

Keep up the good work!

/Yari

 

[morph4me]

:highfive: Good Job!! Although you might want to continue training until you can do it consistently :uhyeah:

Difficult uke's have always been my favorites, I know the techniques work when someone fights against them and I can still do them, and I learn a tremendous amount. Aikido is not something you do to uke, it's something that happens to uke because of how you move, and the fact that he's connected.

 

[theletch1]

Aikido is not something you do to uke, it's something that happens to uke because of how you move, and the fact that he's connected.

I love that phrase! Mind if I use it in class on Sunday? I love those aiki moments myself. I've been studying for right at 4 years now and still have them and they still give me the same thrill that the first one did. How, bout it, Tom. Do you still get those aiki moments after all these years?

 

[charyuop]

I love those moments when they happen, but they are so very rare
I stand in the mat in a katate dori position and I relax and start moving. I feel the strength of Uke resisting, but I get the right starting movement and the whole flowing comes along so Uke goes where I want.
Uke gets up I reposition and here it goes again...this time Uke won't move and here I find myself losing all my relaxation and using all the strength I can...and from the other side of the mat you hear Sensei "relax, relax"...

There are so very few moments when I actually feel a real misubi and they last so short that I don't even have time to enjoy them or to be happy about them.

 

[morph4me]

I love that phrase! Mind if I use it in class on Sunday? I love those aiki moments myself. I've been studying for right at 4 years now and still have them and they still give me the same thrill that the first one did. How, bout it, Tom. Do you still get those aiki moments after all these years?

I get them all the time, I've gotten them when I wasn't evenat the dojo, doing my wrist stretches at the gym, or driving, and I agree, they still get me as excited as the first one did. I love that I'm still learning things after almost 20 years.

 

[Jenna]

The technique was Irimi Nage, omote from ai hamni katata katata tori grip. I was training with one of the newer fellows (his second or third class) and I was having trouble with the technique we were supposed to be doing because he was sort of muscling against my movements therefore making me do the same in order to get the move in right. I know that in Aikido as a general rule uke's are expected to be somewhat complient with you throughout the technique, so I thought about saying something like "Just relax and go with the flow" or "calm down, we're not fighting eachother here" so that I could do the technique without muscling it all the way through. However I soon realized a much better way to go about the situation. He didn't want to go that way I could tell......but it just so happened that by resisting omote he fell perfectly into the ura version! It brought a big smile to my face when I did this, just because it was almost like I was actually doing some aikido y'know....the path of least resistance, and all that good stuff. I have come to the conclusion that I have obviously mastered the art, and have no need for further training....

Hey Mike yes that "aiki" feeling is a good one and I know you are being tongue-in-cheek with yourself at your last comment but I think there are many senior folk in Aikido who practice with too much muscle and too little correct technique and seldom arrive at the aiki conclusions that you have.. so well done - keep up that training direction and yes, I also like your "Aikido is not something you do to uke.." thought - just be sure to remember that yourself!! Best of luck
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Mike Hamer]

Thanks for the kind words Jenna!