If you
don't stand for something you will fall for anything.
Malcolm X
In Aikido uke is
regarded as a partner and is someone you train with, not someone you train on.
An enigma perhaps but, the better one carries out the role of uke the
better one's own Aikido will become. If one is just waiting for one’s turn to do
the technique then it will be very difficult to learn Aikido.
(a) Movement
Jumping through the air
and falling is not what we mean by ukemi in Aikido. It is certainly good
training, and one should practice falling and getting up in a solid forward,
central, or rear posture facing forwards in the direction of travel or from the
direction from whence one came. Many variations on this can be made, but it is
still not what we are after. Ukemi is the receipt of technique – one must
be immobilised or thrown to truly receive.
When receiving
technique, the movement should emanate from one's centre. Do not collapse or
fall over without good reason, nor jump before being thrown. In the beginning,
learn to go wherever tori leads, lightly but firm, and without any
apprehension. Next, get past the stage of knowing where one is going to fall -
learn to trust tori. Skill at being uke is the single most
important factor in determining one's aiki potential.
Flying ukes are
fun to train with but one must never fall into the trap of believing it is one's
own skill that makes them fly - it is theirs, and if you want that skill, you
must fly too. Most of the criticism directed towards Aikido concerns practice
where ukes fly too easily. The smart Aikidoka knows that it is but
one method of practice where uke might be flying in anticipation of
avoiding an incoming strike. Doing it is exhilarating but one must not stray too
far from the basics. One needs to actively add energy to the attack and throw
uke most of the time. Those ukes who clamp onto tori's wrist
hard and resist all movement are usually doing what some jokingly call aiki
Judo. Judo is an active art, they make technique on uke and speak of
kuzushi and tsukuri, or actively breaking balance and making
technique. Of course, it is possible to practice Aikido that way too but it is
not the ideal. If uke decides to clamp on hard it is imperative that they
press in and contact tori's centre thereby creating a real attack. Uke
is not dead meat, uke should not just hang onto tori, uke
is alive. We need to train realistically so that when attacked by the
stereotypical knife-wielding madman, harmony will emerge from the chaos. Our
initial movement will in part stem from our own uke training, and then we
revert to tori to gain control. But, of
course, if our technique is lacking, or the madman runs out of steam before his
attack has chance to work, there is nothing wrong in using all our available
kokyu-ryoku strength to take full advantage of the lull in his attack - just recognise that
such is not the perfection we desire. But we do need to survive.
(b) Receiving learning
Taking Ukemi
means to receive technique but in Aikido the role of uke is far more
important than just that. Uke has to attack tori so completely
that uke is in fact giving themselves to tori to play with.
Tori learns to deal with this attacking energy, redirecting it this way or
that. Simply, if there is no attack, there can be no technique in Aikido.
Tori is not doing the technique on uke, rather, uke is doing
it to themself. This is the ideal, but a more realistic scenario is where
tori and uke produce about fifty percent of the technique between
them. What commonly happens is that uke’s energy runs out mid-technique,
tori swings them around, and then splats them into the tatami -
not quite perfect. Rather, uke’s energy should be active the whole time
for good aiki to develop. Tori needs something to learn to
manipulate. In the latter case, what happened was that
tori overtook uke, tori took the lead and was no longer
manipulating uke's energy but rather, adding his own. If there is no real
initial attack, or it is lacking, then tori has to do all of the
technique on uke. The problem is with the attack, with uke. What
has to be realised is that after the initial attack is over, uke should
continue to press into tori thereby maintaining contact. It is correct
for tori to add energy to uke’s attack but the emphasis here is on
the adding, adding to something that is already extant. If there is no attack,
or the attack peters out, there is nothing to add to. It’s over. The secret to
developing one’s aiki as tori is to become a good responsive
uke
since it is in this
role that one realises how one’s own energy is being manipulated. Accordingly, an
alive, responsive uke will improve as tori. For example, when
receiving technique from a senior, uke has direct input, remembers what
happens, and tries to replicate it when becoming tori. One gets far more
insight receiving technique as uke than by just doing it as
tori.
(c) Submission
When receiving pain it
is important that uke not grimace or shout uncontrollably. The expression
should be normal, controlled; it is the tap that signals the pain. Uke
uses two quick taps to signal tori that either, they cannot move, or, the
pain limit has been reached. With a simple immobilisation like ikkyo
there is often no pain. Here, uke tries to get up, fails, and signals
such to tori by tapping and tori releases. If there is pain, then
again, uke signals with two quick taps and tori releases. The
reason for two taps is that it signifies deliberate decision. A simple tap could
be mistaken as general noise within the midst of technique, such as when uke
hits the floor with their hand or body when break-falling. If possible, uke
taps against tori's arm, leg, or body as this best transmits the message.
Failing that, uke taps against their own leg or body or, if lying prone,
they tap the floor.
(d) Uke behaviour
When
taking ukemi it is important to breathe. Holding the breath promotes
stiffness and such is easily detected by tori. There are many things to
remember when training yet some students actually stop breathing when
practising. Instead of breathing naturally their breath becomes something akin
to grunt. To get over this problem always emphasise breathing out when
practising break-falls. Next, from say koshi-nage, practise breathing out
sharply when hitting the floor. And if game, tori can jump down on
uke's chest, body-to-body Judo style, just after uke lands, which
necessitates another sharp outward breath by uke for their self
protection. Tori also breathes out to make the hit.
Uke
should continually try to get up, albeit gently. If tori leaves a
suki
then uke should respond accordingly. Uke could simply escape,
deliver atemi, counter, or just get up. For example, the pain of a wrist
lock such as nikyo drives uke down, but if released uke
should be up immediately. After being fully immobilised on the ground, on
release uke should get up quickly; in fact, uke should aim to get
up before tori, and tori should aim to prevent it by getting up
first.
When repeatedly getting
up off of the floor uke should maintain composure and alertness, not
looking exhausted. When tired, just stop. Do not look tired, keep the breathing
in rhythm. A good teacher ought to spot when one is tired and act accordingly.
Training in this way will enable one to become immune to the shock of sudden
pain and being able to bear it more will instil in an opponent an amount of
uncertainty or self doubt.
The responsive aiki
feeling between tori and uke also allows a psychological
understanding to develop. One will instinctively know if one’s partner is happy,
apprehensive, nervous, or not. Aikido develops this and after time, one will be
able to gauge the feelings of others outside of the dojo a little more
deeply. Finally, a good uke is someone who would use their common sense
to simply avoid a life threatening situation.
(e)
Purpose
In time, your ukemi skill will lead to improved
overall skill in Aikido. Also, you will figure out that it really helps with
kaeshi-waza, or, returning the technique upon your partner (counters).
Simply, if you go with the flow, you should/will learn to reverse that flow. And
later still, you should be able to do your waza against someone who
resists, or against someone who is trying to counter you. Then, you have it =
aiki. But this does not work by magic. You have to plan your training
accordingly.
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