Up
Out
That has been my beginners mind mantra since the seminar.
Sounds easy...
But the "How" for each queue involves some new internal techniques that I'm struggling to put all together. I've been focusing on kata-dori for a common point of reference that I can internalize and start each class with.
So here's what I have so far:
In --> I can do OK. A center-touching connection as uke or nage, from a flexible extension. I really like the feeling of proper attacking "intention" that achieves the single-body bridge feeling. This is an alive feeling, where attack and defense flow because of the connection.
Once I know the bridge has been formed, I will move on. At the same time I'm trying to find how to minimize the force requied to make the "bridge" connection that immobalizes the person I'm attached to. Ittai ka, check.
But here's also where my first question falls. To achieve center-touching connection, that moves across the others frame from near shoulder to far shoulder to far hip to far foot, I think I need hips. Is this where pelvis rotation that's directed by the fingers comes in? Or is that more for generating step #2 "Up"? Or is the hip rotation more in the horizontal plane, not the vertical (yet)?
Up--> I can do too, with either breathing in or with pelvic rotation. But to be honest I'm shotgunning with both because I'm not sure exactly how to use each...
As I'm figuring that out, I'm still very focused on keeping a neutral force connection at the point of contact so nothing get's telegraphed across. This element is perhaps the biggest relevation of the seminar for me. It makes so much sense and explains so very much about the potency of Aikdo that to date has totally elluded me. Aiki prinicples do-not-require strength to achieve!
Out --> Here's where I'm falling short. My first step in the out-phase is to pinch my shoulder blades and subtly exhale. That elicits an unbalancing feeling in uke. I see people shifting weight or wobbling around, which is a good sign, but not enough to move into anything. And the second I do I totally loose the connection...dohhhh.
So here's where my attention is focused on understanding futher.
Towards that end, there are 3 things I'm working on. Breath release, shoulder pinching, and rotation by realeasing a hip. The hip release is the one that I have hard THE hardesting time feeling....
But the good news is that each time on the mat, I have at least once been able to generate that magic feeling of taking uke with no force purely by internal/energetic means. I just can't explain everything I'm doing yet, and thus can't really share the theory effectively.
Thus, I shal continue to practice and study, and study and practice...becuase this stuff is awesome!
I appreciate your thoughts, epiphanies, revelations, feelings and feedback.
See you on the mat!
My textbook reference comes from the two PDFs George Sensei sent out prior to the seminar.
They are Here: "The Principles of Aiki" and Here: "Elements of Connection"
But the "How" for each queue involves some new internal techniques that I'm struggling to put all together. I've been focusing on kata-dori for a common point of reference that I can internalize and start each class with.
So here's what I have so far:
In --> I can do OK. A center-touching connection as uke or nage, from a flexible extension. I really like the feeling of proper attacking "intention" that achieves the single-body bridge feeling. This is an alive feeling, where attack and defense flow because of the connection.
Once I know the bridge has been formed, I will move on. At the same time I'm trying to find how to minimize the force requied to make the "bridge" connection that immobalizes the person I'm attached to. Ittai ka, check.
But here's also where my first question falls. To achieve center-touching connection, that moves across the others frame from near shoulder to far shoulder to far hip to far foot, I think I need hips. Is this where pelvis rotation that's directed by the fingers comes in? Or is that more for generating step #2 "Up"? Or is the hip rotation more in the horizontal plane, not the vertical (yet)?
Up--> I can do too, with either breathing in or with pelvic rotation. But to be honest I'm shotgunning with both because I'm not sure exactly how to use each...
As I'm figuring that out, I'm still very focused on keeping a neutral force connection at the point of contact so nothing get's telegraphed across. This element is perhaps the biggest relevation of the seminar for me. It makes so much sense and explains so very much about the potency of Aikdo that to date has totally elluded me. Aiki prinicples do-not-require strength to achieve!
Out --> Here's where I'm falling short. My first step in the out-phase is to pinch my shoulder blades and subtly exhale. That elicits an unbalancing feeling in uke. I see people shifting weight or wobbling around, which is a good sign, but not enough to move into anything. And the second I do I totally loose the connection...dohhhh.
So here's where my attention is focused on understanding futher.
Towards that end, there are 3 things I'm working on. Breath release, shoulder pinching, and rotation by realeasing a hip. The hip release is the one that I have hard THE hardesting time feeling....
But the good news is that each time on the mat, I have at least once been able to generate that magic feeling of taking uke with no force purely by internal/energetic means. I just can't explain everything I'm doing yet, and thus can't really share the theory effectively.
Thus, I shal continue to practice and study, and study and practice...becuase this stuff is awesome!
I appreciate your thoughts, epiphanies, revelations, feelings and feedback.
See you on the mat!
My textbook reference comes from the two PDFs George Sensei sent out prior to the seminar.
They are Here: "The Principles of Aiki" and Here: "Elements of Connection"
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