What is the void, and how do we use it? When you take your opponents kazushi, balance, you do it by relaxation. When you are attacked the opponent will expect to strike, or grab, a solid resistance whether he is using a weapon or not. By your relaxing they encounter no resistance and this will start to upset their balance. As you redirect their force, you can easily lock their bone structure in a cumulative Read more…
If one wishes to become proficient in a Martial Art, one must be willing to practice. In a normal class the instructor will show, work with, and correct a few techniques. But, if one is to internalize these and truly come to understand how they show the principles that one is trying to learn. They must then practice the lesson on their own and, perhaps, with other students to the point of some understanding. That Read more…
When one utilizes a technique in randori, it is important to visualize where the technique will go. By this I mean: each various throw has a proper direction. Let’s imagine the Uke is at the center of a clock. One throw will send him to his seven o:clock another will send him straight back to his twelve o:clock. If you are attempting to move Uke to improper position, the throw will seem unnecessarily difficult. With Read more…
I have had some discussions with a friend on the merits of, and/or lack of, kata. There are those who have said to me that the people who learn martial art through kata are inferior in results to those who are either natural fighters, or learn through full contact fighting or grappling. I have heard arguments on this going back into the 1960’s. My position is that kata is an extremely important and efficient Read more…
In this season one’s thoughts turn to giving. In Martial Arts it is better to give than to receive! For this reason we don’t teach defensive techniques. To think defensively is to put yourself behind the action. Some might call this “left of bang.” In other words you wait for an act of aggression and then you react to it. I advocate taking action the moment you perceive that there might be a problem. That Read more…
In Aiki jujutsu we learn to use our balance to take away the balance, kazushi, of our opponent. In order to do this, one must learn to know their own points of balance. If you let your weight settle on either side, this becomes difficult. We float our weight so that it is never stuck in one place. A good illustration is a round house kick. You have the kicking foot in the air while Read more…
When you learn a technique it is important to consider how well it is learned. By this, I mean, to know steps A, B, C and so on if you think about each step, is not knowing the technique sufficiently. In a real attack one does not have the time to think about what each step is. I teach techniques as applications of principles. Our principles are constant. If you consider them in this way, Read more…
Last we I spoke to you about using a technique that required strength. That is something I would warn against. Once you use your strength, you give your opponent the opportunity to use theirs. In aiki jujutsu we learn to not contest with the opponent. We allow them to move through where they want, but by utilizing deception, they move into a hole where gravity will take them. An opponent can be stronger than you. Read more…
When one goes to a Martial Arts class, or a Self Defense seminar they are often greeted with techniques to be used in response to a particular attack. If the techniques advocate striking the attacker, the following should be an immediate concern: Are you practiced enough to use the technique. Are you strong enough to make an impact on a motivated attacker? Why are you in this situation in the first place. All of these Read more…
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