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Improve Aikido Techniques

I think aikido is a valuable martial art. It has so much to offer — techniques, balance, principles of direction and redirection of force, and philosophy.

My one complaint with some of the aikido schools is the cooperation that fellow students offer each other while practicing. They seem to go along with the technique, whether it be throw, wrist lock, joint lock, or some type of aikido arm bar…

You don’t find this happening in all aikido schools — just some.

 

 

Beyond the Learning Stage

I believe they are helping each other succeed with their aikido techniques too much for their own good.

I am in favor of cooperation, but only in the learning stage.

When you first start practicing an aikido move, you need to take it slowly. And it helps to have a cooperative partner, to help you learn the intricacies of the movement.

At a certain point, you have to add the element of realism back into the practice session.

Unfortunately, I often see this helpful attitude to the degree that the attacker almost falls over before being touched (don’t you dare us the proper ‘energy’ argument).

This lacks realism — especially during some of the aikido demonstrations.

 

 

So, How Do We Fix the Problem?

When you practice, add the element of a shove.

Call it an interruption of technique. Agree with your partenr who is going to do the pushing. The attacker is also the person who does the shoving.

So, your partner attacks you. You respond with one of your beautiful aikido techniques — maybe something that leads into an aikido wrist lock.

Suddenly, midway through your motion, your attacker shoves into you. Maybe he or she shoves using outstretched hands. More likely, a good body slam, a shove with the shoulder, will be what interrupts your technique.

All you are looking for is a break in your ‘normal’ pattern. It could be an unexpected kick or punch. You want a change in the equation, so to speak.

 

OK, your partner shoves you mid-technique:

 

Can you continue with the same technique?
Does it work inspite of the interruption? 

Do you have to modify the technique, to make it effective?
(Change angles, pressure, or stance) 

Should you abandon your current technique and flow into
a different aikido move? 

The main point is that interrupting your practiced norm adds realism to your practice session. In real life, fights and self defense situations rarely go as planned.

Are you prepared to go with the flow — bend in the wind?

Always look to add realism back into yourmartial arts training sessions.

 

 

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No Wrist Lock at the Courthouse

[headline_arial_medium_left color=”#000000″]No Wrist Lock at the Courthouse[/headline_arial_medium_left]

This morning, my wife and I had to look something up in the records section of the Lane County Courthouse. An “interesting little episode” occurred just as we were entering the building….

As I grabbed the door to one of the entrances and held it open for my lady, a man in a suit (looked like a lawyer) with a briefcase, entered the door to the left of me. The problem was that it was an exit, not an entrance. And at precisely the same, a “Paul Bunyon” type came out the exit.

The “suit” stepped a little to the side and said, “Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry.”

The logger guy responded with a loud yell of “F_ _ _ _ YOU!”

As he yelled his profanity, he turned toward the lawyer, which cause him to yell partially facing me. And I noticed that my fist had twitched just a little and started to raise as he leaned toward me. Then he continued turning to face the lawyer with his yell.

The lawyer sped up into the building. The security guards at the metal detector and scanner looked perplexed. The Hulk with the temper continued out into the lovely, sunshiny morning.

 

[headline_arial_small_left color=”#000000″]So, Why Is This Episode in a Wrist Locks Blog?[/headline_arial_small_left]

Because, once his body was again outside my bubble, my thoughts turned to a wrist lock. Paul Bunyon still had his hand on the door … perfect for a wrist lock, if he tried to attack the apologetic guy in the suit.

I didn’t mean to be ready; I hadn’t planned on it. I just noticed my personal, subtle reactions.

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Note: Just as I had noticed my wife’s fist start to raise a little, when two blocks before, another downtown businessman had rounded a corner of a building and was surprised by the two of us. Both he and Kate exchanged the polite “excuse me” remarks, but afterwards, Kate mentioned that an automatic reflex had almost kicked in.

I had noticed.

And our automatic reflex is not to block, but rather to hit first … a la Bruce Lee and The Way of The Intercepting Fist (JKD).

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[headline_arial_small_left color=”#000000″]Instant Fight Evaluations and Assessments[/headline_arial_small_left]

Do you make such instant evaluations when presented with a possible situation?

Do you know to hit, when a meanie advances on you? Does your brain change that hit to a joint lock, when the immediate threat turns away from you, and puts the attacker’s free hand out of range?

If you start with a practice partner squarely facing you, at what point of him pivoting to turn around, does your wrist-lock instinct kick in? Is it when he’s facing away from you completely, or simply when one arm or leg can’t reach you any more?

Could you devise an exercise where your partner, almost in range for a hit, pivots slowly, eventually turning around (180 degrees)? As he or she turns, you figure out the most appropriate defense to a particular attack, given your enemy’s current orientation to you.

I think such experimentation is useful for defining when you should and when you shouldn’t attempt a wrist lock as your first move.