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Hey The Big Letch-owskytheletch1 said:For those in my dojo that don't have experience in any other art the atemi looks very much like "kata". Stiff, very readable punches to specific areas to "soften up" uke or break his attention. No (or very little imagination in targets). For those who have studied other arts you can almost guess what art they've studied by watching their atemi. I've always said that one of the drawbacks to aikido as a first art is that the art almost assumes that you have a good working knowledge of punching and kicking before you ever step into the aikido dojo. As for kicks, it's the same. Luckily, we are gaining more and more folks in the dojo with other styles already under their belt and those that are studying aikido as a first art are profiting from that experience. I've a kenpo back ground, we have several students with karate backgrounds, jujutsu is represented and sensei studied arnis for a while before turning to aikido. I really think the overall answer you'll wind up with here is going to be "depends on the dojo and instructor". Those practitioners of the art that are REALLY good will tell you that their atemi doesn't "look" like anything because the atemi shouldn't be noticeable.
theletch1 said:For those in my dojo that don't have experience in any other art the atemi looks very much like "kata". Stiff, very readable punches to specific areas to "soften up" uke or break his attention. No (or very little imagination in targets). For those who have studied other arts you can almost guess what art they've studied by watching their atemi. I've always said that one of the drawbacks to aikido as a first art is that the art almost assumes that you have a good working knowledge of punching and kicking before you ever step into the aikido dojo. As for kicks, it's the same. Luckily, we are gaining more and more folks in the dojo with other styles already under their belt and those that are studying aikido as a first art are profiting from that experience. I've a kenpo back ground, we have several students with karate backgrounds, jujutsu is represented and sensei studied arnis for a while before turning to aikido. I really think the overall answer you'll wind up with here is going to be "depends on the dojo and instructor". Those practitioners of the art that are REALLY good will tell you that their atemi doesn't "look" like anything because the atemi shouldn't be noticeable.
Devin said:I personally tend to use boxing style punches. Most of the people at the dojo I train at use karate lunge punches except for the occaisional jab.
Stan said:What type of atemi do you practice in your dojo? Does it look like karate, with reverse punches from a chambered position, or more like boxing? Do you practice in drills at the beginning of class, or while performing waza? What kicks do you practice?
JJ_I,jujutsu_indonesia said:At the Jujutsu class, the Atemi drills are more traditional: shomen, yokomen, gyaku (reversed yokomen), uraken, haratsuki, munetsuki, sokushigeri (front kick) and sokutogeri. Our kicks and hand strikes are penetrating, not always snappy.
MartialIntent said:JJ_I,
What do you use atemi for in your Aiki practise? Are they standalone strikes designed to take out the opponent in as quick a time possible or are they as a lead into another technique?
My style of Aikido only uses atemi sparingly and mostly to upset balance or to put the opponent on the back foot. Either way to generate some initial momentum which can be capitalized upon to assist with moving them around or away, if that makes sense? I mean, I wouldn't plan on using a shomen strike as a proper blow, I think that would be a bad idea for me - I wouldn't have the conditioning in my hand for one thing. But I use it instead to get the opponent moving off their centre, I can follow maintain my momentum right through and take them down with something else.
Respects!