Mokuren Dojo - Aikido and Judo

Ukiwaza and Koryu Dai Yon

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:24:00 +0000

What a fabulous seminar we had this past weekend! I got to see a bunch of the old heads - one of whom I haven't been able to lay hands on in about 10 years! And it's always a pleasure to play under the tutelage of Henry Copeland - a truly great aikido master and heck of a great guy.

We went over the floating throws and koryu dai yon kata. Following are my impressions and take-away points. Of course, any mistakes or misunderstandings are my fault...

I was impressed at the incredible variability in yon kata. There are apparently very many different acceptable ways to do it. It seemed to me (and to some of the other old heads) that Henry has taught this thing several different ways over the years. I suppose that is to be expected as our proficiency and understanding improves and so does his, but it seems as if virtually anything that gets the desired throw with the desired energy or feeling, counts as an okay yonkata.

.

We started the floating throws with shihonage because that is where the offbalance changes in junana. everything up to this point has been catching uke on a downstep and bumping him into offbalance, but the premise in these techniques is that you miss that downstep, and draw him perpendicular to his feet into offbalance, causing him to rise and float for a moment. That's right. I usually characterize these things as floating throws because of the distinctive feel of the otoshi throwing action following the offbalance, but Henry was talking about the offbalance being the floating aspect of the floating throws.

.

Shihonage illustrates a properly-timed guruma offbalance. Maeotoshi is rushed and spoiled but you can still float him by lifting under the arm. Henry was throwing sumiotoshi an instant later than I usually throw it and teach it. Hikiotoshi is still a bear for me.

.

This weekend, YK#1 and YK#2 had wholly different feels - not just "wrong-sided" versions of the same thing. YK#1 was pushing perpendicular between the feet on the down, into the face on the rise, then pushing through otoshi and into guruma on the next down. YK#2 was evade, pop the hands up in his face, and turn with him.

.

YK#3-4 hang them on their second otoshi step, then stride through them on their next weight shift.

.

YK#5-6 can be a pulling sumiotoshi if tori is shorter than uke.

.

Another surprise this weekend was Henry characterized it as a really aggressive, practical, self-defense kata. That's interesting because I've always thought of it as a compliant uke theoretical drilling type kata.

.

We practiced several of the throws from YK part B from 2-hand grabs, where they are usually one-hand grabs. They work great either way.

What did you other guys that attended take away from this clinic?

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Nice aikido demo

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Very nicely-done aikido demonstration. Much of what you see in the first half of this video has the same feel, the same energy as the Yonkata material that we'll be working on this weekend. Much of the second half of the video has a similar feel to the end of Sankata.

____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Time to float

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:28:00 +0000

Picture courtesy of BekiPe

One of the interesting peculiarities about our particular scope and sequence _ our method for teaching Tomikiryu, is that between Ikkyu (1st brown belt) and shodan (1st black belt) there is a huge amount of time but a relatively small amount of new techniques. Between ikkyu and shodan is at least 90 mat-hours but only 5 new techniques. And those 5 techniques are not really the main idea that the student is supposed to get. So, what is?

Between nikyu and ikkyo, the student learns the ukiwaza (intensely timing-dependent floating throws, A.K.A. kokyunage the breath throws). Then from ikkyu to shodan, the student is supposed to take the extra time to go back and apply the principles learned in the ukiwaza to all the previous material. Basically, to make everything a floating throw.

so, what are the characteristic ideas seen in the ukiwaza that are supposed to be transferred to all the previous material? All the floating throws...

have a loose connection between uke and tori - tori is not hooked directly to uke's torso.

have a connection with little mechanical insurance (for instance, unlike kotegaeshi, with a floating throw you can't endanger the wrist to make uke comply.)

require near-perfect timing

require near-perfect synchronization between tori's and uke's footfalls.

require near-perfect directed off-balances

require tori to not support uke

are all otoshi motion - that is, they all happen at the moment of a footfall

incorporate that release feeling from hanasu, which is further refined by practicing koryu dai yon kata.

20th anniversary clinic preview

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:18:00 +0000

This weekend, five of us are attending the 20th anniversary seminar at the Starkville aikido group with my teacher, John Usher, and our great friend and teacher, Henry Copeland. We will be working on the floating throws in Junana as well as Koryu Dai Yon kata. For a little glimpse of what you'll be getting if you attend or what you'll be missing if you can't make it, check out the following. I can't wait to see some folks that I might have seen once in the last 10 years, and to work on this awesome stuff with these awesome instructors!

Marks on hip motion

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Today I'm pleased to have Marks guest posting here at Mokuren Dojo. Marks' blog has been a consistent source of thoughtful articles on judo, karate, self-defense, and mixed martial arts for years now. Today he is writing on the importance of hip motion.

To the untrained practitioner, Judo and Karate look like two completely different arts. After all, Karate leans more towards the striking aspect of combat, while Judo leans more towards grappling. However, to a trained martial artist, who has spent many hours practising striking and grappling, the similarities between the two arts is more than evident. Weather it be performing a perfect ippon winning throw such as Tai O Toshi, or landing a solid power felt strike like Gyaku Zuki, there is one thing that is needed to execute each and that is strong hip rotation.

Without hip rotation, strikes, weather it be with the hands or legs will be nothing more than soft taps, and throws will be as effective as a man trying to lift up a car.

The above example shows the practise of Seoi Nage in uchikomi fashion using a tree and a rope (a great way to strengthen ones throw by the way). There is an initial step in with his right foot, his left foot then steps behind and in close to his right, and the last part of the practise is to strongly rotate the hips as he bends slightly with his knees.

It is this strong hip rotation which produces the power behind the throw. It must be noted that in order to produce a strong hip rotation, the body must be facing the opponent as much as possible until both feet have stepped in. In this case, the Judoka’s right leg comes in and the left behind but his body is still facing forward and at the last moment he strongly rotates his hips as he simultaneously bends and pulls with the arms. Against a live opponent and with the full technique using speed, such a strong hip rotation and pull can produce some devastating throws.

The above video shows a demonstration of Gyaku Zuki, one of the most famous of all Karate techniques. Here it is practised in a simple basic way, using a static firm stance and a strong pull back of the non punching arm to the hip. Although many will argue that this is not a practical way of performing the technique, not many can object to the fact that this is one of the best ways to practise the strong hip rotation needed in order to put full power and speed into the punch to make it as effective as possible. This strong rotation of the hips is shown quite clearly if one simply observes the Karateka’s belt. Before the punch begins, the belt is in a ten o clock position and as the punch is executed it is thrust in a circular direction with the same ferocity as an arrow shot from a bow. Without this strong hip rotation, the punch would not be anywhere near as effective and a lot of energy would be wasted trying to use arm strength alone to make it powerful.

One of the best ways to practise hip rotation is simply through basic training just as these two videos show. By performing basic movements, with emphasise on good hip rotation, one will automatically, eventually start using there hips more when it comes to sparring/randori. So for the Judoka this means many hours of Uchi/Nage Komi with a compliant training partner and for the Karateka, many repetitions of basic techniques in front of a mirror so as to gauge ones progress.
.

Hip rotation is the key when it comes to trying to use ones body to maximise power and speed. It is something that all martial artists, regardless of style should keep in mind and should always practise, no matter how many years they have been training.

Many thanks to Pat Parker for giving me the opportunity to guest post here at Mokuren Dojo. It is a great website, updated frequently with very interesting topics and is an honour to add something to it. - Marks [...and thanks to you, Marks, for a great article on a vital element of martial skill. Youve given me a couple of good ideas for follow-up posts. - PLP]

www.markstraining.com – Fighting and Training Methods for Unarmed Martial Artists

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Do yourself a favor - breathe

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:03:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of Simmr

When I first started judo, we did all the rocking back and forth on your back and mat-slapping exercises and we learned a couple of breakfalling techniques. But in all of my breakfalling practice, somehow they failed to mention one key point - relax and breathe out when you hit the mat. Why is this important?

Well, soon after that, we were working on taiotoshi. I was partnered with a cute, but tough, girl who was a couple of ranks ahead of me. We were supposed to do uchikomis - turning into throwing position nine times and then throwing on the tenth rep. My partner sailed thru her reps and then came the fateful tenth rep! She whipped me around and absolutely smashed me!

Let me take a moment to assure you that it is completely normal when someone whips you into the ground, to say, "Oh, Sh...", then hold your breath and tense up in anticipation. Being a natural-type guy, that's what I did.

I hit the ground tensed up with a lung full of air, and blood and snot and slime and goop exploded from my mouth and nose, covering my cute partner's uniform sleeve. It looked like the ghost-slime from Ghostbusters, only mixed with blood! Gross is the merest of understatements!

But her reaction was one of the coolest, most unusual things I've ever seen. Frowning, she inspected the goop that was sliming down her arm, said, "Hmmm." Then she wiped that sleeve on the back of her uniform jacket and matter-of-factly held out her arms to me and said, "your turn."

The moral of this story is simple - Relax and breathe when you fall, and maybe you can avoid sliming some cutie and embarassing yourself.

Koshiguruma

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:33:00 +0000

Awesome private class tonight. For a while now I've been avoiding subjecting my faithful readers to my training logs, but I felt like I should write this one down. Tonight we reviewed the basic stuff - deashi and a bunch of combos including deashi-kosoto, deashi-osoto, deashi-hiza. Then we got to the coolness - koshiguruma.

Koshiguruma has never been my thing, but recently James Wall gave me and Whit a good lesson, teaching Whit and reminding me how cool and useful it can be. Tonight we worked on koshiguruma, emphasizing the guruma and the similarity between hizaguruma, ashiguruma, and koshiguruma. It's got me excited about the gurumas again!

.
____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Effective choke

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

What do y'all think of this choke? It seems to me like it took an awful long time for the ref to stop the match after the girl was obviouslly knocked out or at least not making any effort to defend or fight. But upon second watching, she sets the choke at about 0:12, the girl appears to be knocked out sometime before 0:30 and the match is stopped sometime arouond 0:47. Still...

We have a winner!

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:50:00 +0000

A few days ago I changed my blog template and said I'd give away a copy of a great book to one lucky, random commenter who would leave me a comment or suggestion about the new look during October. I got a number of very good pointers, and fear not - I'm not through tweaking this theme, so just because you haven't seen the changes yet doesn't mean I'm ignoring your comments. In general, I think the following changes are in the works:

1) darken the background from white toward a very light grey or perhaps a light creamy eggshell color.

2) darken the body text from a medium grey toward a dark grey or black.

3) for right now the left sidebar will remain floating, but I took the picture out of that banner and it seems to move smoother and more unobtrusively. I'm likely to put a variant of that hanging banner somewhere else above the fold. Currently I have my secret band of techie ninja working on an alternate theme much similar to this one, but with a static left sidebar - we might try that theme out later.

4) all links are now red, to match the kanji in that aforementioned banner.

5) will reorganize the right sidebar links over time to point to links pages instead of labels.

And more... Thanks for the help and suggestions!

Now, for the big winner! It is... drumroll please...

Bob Patterson of the Striking Thoughts blog! Bob, send me an email with your address and I'll send you the book. As an added bonus, Kris Wilder, the author, has graciously offered to autograph the book and write you a nice note, so give me a couple weeks shipping time after you send me your address to get it out to Seattle to him, and then for him to get it to you. Congrats, Bob!

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

How to cut with a sword

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000

I'm no kendo master, but here's a lesson that you can use in your aikido and jodo. It's common to see a student drape the sword downward behind his back in preparation to make a downward menuchi cut (see the following film starting at about 1:50). Don't do this.

Notice that in all the downward strikes in this film, the center of mass of the sword and arms lies in front of the swordsman's body. Thus, all he has to do to strike is relax and the arms and sword drop forward and downward. If you drape the sword over your back then to strike you must exert to get the sword back in front of your body.

This is not just an energy conservation idea. It is a motor control idea too. You've got two arms hooked to the sword, and if you start exerting with them, it's not possible to exert equally, so your arms will exert against each other and the sword will waver from side to side during the cut. If, however, you make unbendable arms and drop the arms-plus-sword as a unit, the sword will fall in a straighter path, making it easier to hit your precise target and making a cleaner cut.

8 Haloween hints from Mokuren Dojo

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Funky64

Happy Haloween, all you ghouls and goblins! In the spirit of the season, I thought I'd give you eight ways that the martial arts at Mokuren Dojo are perfect for your inner zombie or vampire!

1) Aikidoka avoid all contact - if uke can touch you, they can hurt you (they might even give you the Mummy Rot)! So tori wants to avoid all possible contact with uke. Avoid, evade, do not engage, brush off, roll around them, disengage! This isn't always possible, but it is a vital starting point in aikido.

2) Check yourself regularly for faults - just like lepers were once taught to make regular self checks to make sure they hadn't accidently dropped something, you want to practice slowly and carefully enough that you can go through a self-check to make sure everything is in place and working correctly. Try practicing so slowly that you can do a self-check after every single step. If you don't practice this way, you could end up with shambling, undead techniques!

3) Avoid excessive exertion - for the same reason as #2 above, don't exert yourself so hard that you knock your own arm off! If the techniques in aikido and judo are going to work at all, they will work very gently. When you add force you end up with a poor approximation of the effect you can get with the light, effortless, aiki-like motion.

4) Move slower - whether you are fresh out of the grave (yonkyu) or have been mouldering in a sarcophagus for 3000 years (rokudan), take just an instant longer to make sure you place each footstep correctly. One perfectly placed footstep is better than 3-4 approximate steps.

5) Leave uke hanging - when you get an offbalance and leave uke hanging in unbalance without support, you suck the life energy right out of his attack! All that gripping and clinging and pushing and pulling on uke just gives him a transfusion of vital balance and an opportunity to turn the tables and drive a stake right through your heart.

6) Un-bendable arms - All the hippest creatures are doing it, from Frankenstein's Monster to Ramses the Damned. Try it and you'll be zombified at how much better your transmission of force to uke gets.

7) Disapear and reappear - If you move away in front of uke, he'll track you forever, but if you evade diagonally toward uke as he comes at you, you'll pass right through the narrowest part of his field of vision into his blind spot. The effect is incredibly disorienting and disconcerting for uke.

8) Hide in uke's shadow - in fact, be his shadow. If you get into uke's blind spot behind his shoulder, use your hands as feelers instead of grabbing him, and get the motion of your center in perfect synch with his, he'll know you're there (somewhere) but he won't be able to track or find you.

So, there you have it, As an added bonus, I'll leave y'all with the immortal words of a most beastly wight - the infernally creepy Michael Jackson...

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking on the mat.

Under hakama, you see a sight that almost stops your motion!

You try to scream but tori takes the sen before you kiai.

You start to freeze and you're extended right into otoshi!

You've been ogoshi'd

'Cause this is aiki, aiki night

And no one's gonna save you from the shomenate strike

You know it's aiki, aiki night

You're fighting for your life inside a aiki, dojo tonight...

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Footsweep to control

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:15:00 +0000

I love this game. This is the sort of footsweeps we're tryingto develop. Of particular interest to me is how the two players - big man and little man - their bodies have different frequencies, different rhythms, but they're both able to do this game amazingly well!

Osaekomi recap

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of Guillaume

This past month has been osaekomi month, during which I have placed more of an emphasis on writing about the locks, pins, and holds that appear in aikido and judo. Following is a convenient list for you to check out the osaekomi articles from this past month.

Or you may just want to peruse all the articles on osaekomi in my archives.
.
____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Unnatural or just inefficient?

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of Dangoodwin

A couple of my instructors over the years have made a great emphasis on "learning to move naturally"

I thought that was strange because it seems to me that "natural" should mean something like "unlearned" or "instinctive." I've had a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that you might have to learn how to move naturally. When these instructors would point out some of my unnatural motions, then show me the correct, "natural" motions, I could rarely tell why one was more natural than the next

But they prescribed drills. I did the drills. And now my instinctive, natural motion is more like the motion of the "natural motion drills" and the techniques work better and feel fine but I'm still not sure what makes it more "natural."

Now when I see a student make unnatural motions I prescribe the same drills, and those drills are pretty good at curing the students, but I'm still not fully on-board with the term "natural."

I certainly agree that we become habituated with inefficient ways of doing common things. Much of this comes from what Thomas Hanna called sensorimotor amnesia. About the time we reach puberty, most of us start slowing down and trying to look cool and we stop playing with motion. Our brains lose the constant feedback from our muscles and the brain begins to forget what those muscles feel like and what they are capable of. This sensorimotor amnesia leads to us learning and habituating inefficient ways of doing things.

But un-natural??? What do y'all think?

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Junana locks and pins

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:16:00 +0000

Osaekomi month is drawing to an end here at Mokuren Dojo. For the past month we have emphasized the pins and locks and holds of aikido and judo both in our classes and here on the blog. I'll have a recap of all the articles I've written here in a couple of days, but till then, here is a video featuring a few of my students playing with some of the locks and pins associated with techniques #6, 7, 8, and 12 of Junana hon kata.

Kata vs. Randori

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Theories get you thinking. Sweat gets you results.
.
____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

My jodo tokuiwaza - suigetsu

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:04:00 +0000

In judo there is a concept known as tokuiwaza. This is sort of a combination of your favorite technique and the technique that works the best for you most of the time. Aikido does not seem to have the concept of tokuiwaza - the aikidoka is supposed to respond appropriately with aiki rather than manipulating the situation toward his favorite or most favorable technique. I don't know if the tokuiwaza concept appears in jodo or not (I'm a lowly shodan in jodo)...

But I sure have a tokuiwaza. It's called suigetsu. The second of the seiteikata, the premise is simply that you step aside from a linear attack, use the stick to push yourself back off of the attacker, then either sweep his weapon, break his wrist, or strike his head. I don't know what it is about this technique, but it appears to me to be the technical center of the jodo universe. I just never get tired of playing with this technique. It seems that I end up repping it at least a few times during every practice. most of the time that I am walking around with a cane or a stick I end up playing this one on signs, doorframes, trees, etc...

Here is a video of me playing with suigetsu on my pell.

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

15 old Tomiki kata

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:28:00 +0000

I think that it is really interesting to look at the historical development of a martial arts teaching system. Take for instance, Tomiki aikido. Tomiki's teaching system is characterized by kata, of which there are several. Students start with footwork exercises (tegatana, unsoku, etc...), move on to wrist release techniques (hanasu, shichihon no kuzushi, etc...) and then into the seventeen fundamental aikido techniques (junana) - all before delving into the mass of variations contained in the six koryunokata.
.
The part that is really interesting to me is to see a glimpse of how Tomiki struggled and wrestled in his mind with how to organize and present the system. A great example is the 17 fundamental forms (junana). This kata did not spring forth form Tomiki's forehead fully-grown. Rather, there was an evolution during which techniques were sorted and organized and codified (kata-fied).
.
Originally, Tomiki said there were 15 fundamental forms. There were no floating throws (maeotoshi, sumiotoshi, hikiotoshi) and there was a left- and right-handed version of several of the wrist techniques. Some techniques were added (i.e. kotemawashi) that weren't seen in Junana, while other pairs of techniques from Juanna were combined into a single idea in the 15 kata. All-in-all, this makes the 15 a wholly different kata from the 17 - not just a smaller predecessor.
.
Nick Lowry at Windsong Dojo has recently put an immense amount of high-quality demonstrations on YouTube, including a technique-by-technique demonstration and discussion of the 15 old fundamentals kata. Definitely worth a look if you are interested in the evolution of Tomikiryu, or even if you have an interest in how teaching systems in general are constructed.
.

.
____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Don't drop the arm!

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of BestKevin

Another quick and simple hint for preforming osaekomi (locks, holds, or pins) in aikido - When uke taps, do not just drop their arm onto the mat and walk off.

When a muscle is stretched to its limit, it becomes slack and does not contract correctly for a moment or two. So, when you stretch their arm, if you drop it they won't be able to control it and it will smack the mat like a dead fish. This is poor zanshin for you but it is also disrespectful, unpleasant, and perhaps painful for uke.

Stretch the arm and when they tap, step outside their reach, place their arm on the mat, and back away.

Just bridging doesn't cut it!

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:57:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of Simmr

One idea that I've had a hard time training out of my kids is the idea that simply bridging will invalidate a hold. Where does this idea come from? Pro-wrestling maybe?

In judo, a hold-down is done by pressing most of the bottom man's shoulders into the mat from a position of control. If bottom man bridges (lifts his butt), he's still held down. Sometimes some of my kids will lift one shoulder off the mat and wave the arm at the ref as if to say, "look, my shoulder's up," even though the opponent is clearly controlling and pressing the other shoulder into the mat. This does not stop the hold-down either.

I have finally said it enough times that some of my kids have figured out that there are three basic ways to escape a hold

- Turn clearly onto your side. Even though you are still on bottom, this is a great step toward escape and the back of neither shoulder is pressed into the mat. Turning onto your side will stop a hold-down. Watch out though - you need to turn to face the opponent. If you turn away he'll jump on your back.
- Reverse positions so that you are on top. If you are clearly holding uke, then he is not holding you. Make it easy for the ref to see that you are the boss. Refs are dumb, and if it's not easy to see your mastery they might think you are actually losing ;-)
- Get your legs around their leg(s) or torso. Again, if you are holding him, he is not holding you.

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Calling all Tomiki Teachers!

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:30:00 +0000

I know that y'all are out there, and I have some questions for you...

How do you begin teaching the walking kata (A.K.A. Tegatana no kata, unsoku, tandoku undo, etc...) to a first-day beginner? How much emphasis do you put on getting the walking right before going on to the next thing? What technical points do you start with and what comes later? How much verbal explanation do you give them before getting into the physical practice of the exercise?

I need some of your hints and tips about beginning to teach this exercise to utter beginners. Here's your chance to brain-dump come on, I'm ready! Leave me a comment below...

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

Slower, softer, higher!

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Last night we had a host of rank tests and today we have a host of students with new ranks! Congrats to the following students:
.

- Kel Feind - Ikkyu (1st brown belt)
- Tony Anglin - Sankyu (3rd brown belt)
- Dallas Anglin - Sankyu (3rd brown belt)
- April Haygood - Gokyu (yellow belt)

.
April has done a great job of learning the first 4 releases and the first two atemiwaza. We will be concentrating more in the upcoming months on the next 3 atemiwaza and the next 4 releases. We need to work more on the initial evasion response and off-balance, as these are the two things that most tip the scales in your favor when attacked by a larger opponent.
.
Dallas is turning into a fantastic uke. We will continue working those skills as well as concentrating more on the tekubiwaza (wrist techniques).
.
Tony's ukemi is a little flat, but some of that is due to an old rib injury. Tony's understanding of the principles of the system is probably better than any other student's. We'll be working on the tekubiwaza as we put more emphasis on proper, safe falling skills.
.
Kel has seen and can approximate all of Junana, including the ukiwaza (floating techniques) at the end. During the time between ikkyu and shodan, he needs to take the skills and principles and timing learned in the ukiwaza and apply them to all of the earlier techniques so that everything in the syllabus becomes (essentially) a floating throw. Kel also needs to continue making a careful study of all the fundamental principles (ma-ai, centered unbendable arm, etc...) between now and shodan. Both the fundamentals and the more advanced floating principles are easier to see and develop and integrate if you commit to working ever softer and ever slower.

Lost Generation -- NOT

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0000

20 years of aiki

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:04:00 +0000

I'm super-excited about the upcoming 20th anniversary clinic to be held at MSU next month. If any folks from my area need a lift, let me know and you can ride with me. I've only got one question - Who's that bald guy standing next to those two good-looking guys with lots of hair?

University Aikido Club - 20 Year Anniversary Clinic
November 6-7, 2009
Instructor: Henry Copeland
We would love to see all club alumni and friends. We will have young folk (new members) to the old codgers (guys that were around near the beginning). It will be fun. If you can just come for single session, or just for lunch on Saturday that is fine. We would love to see you. If you have some relevant club pictures that you would like to share please send them to me. If you have the email address of a past member, please send it to me.

Tentative Schedule:
Friday, Nov 6:
6 - 8 pm: Aikido – Nijusan floating throws
8:30 – ?: Informal Dinner
Saturday, Nov 7:
10 – 12: Aikido – Koryu dai Yon Kata
Noon: Celebration Lunch (location to TBA)
2 – 4:30: Aikido – Koryu dai Yon Kata
Donations to cover Henry’s expenses are welcome.

Lunch on Saturday will be catered with a cost of approximately $10-$12 per person.

We had embroidered sport shirts made for the event that are available for purchase. See the website for details.

NEW WEBSITE: http://aikido.org.msstate.edu/

____________

Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮

____________

Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo

New Blog Template - GIVEAWAY

pat.parker@swmrmc.org (Patrick Parker) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Dear Faithful Reader,

You'll notice a brand new look here at Mokuren Dojo. Folks have told me over the years that the standard Blogger Scribe template was boring and that I'd do much better with a customized template. I've been thinking about the change for a long time now (ie a couple of years) but just haven't gotten to it until now.

The response from my long-time readers has been generally positive. Most everybody likes the minimalist color scheme with splashes of red. Several people have mentioned that the floating sidebar is disorienting and unpleasant to them, but an equal number of folks have said that it's kinda cool.

I like the new color scheme and I like how the floating sidebar keeps some naviagation and subscription links at hand all the time - but I'm not dead set on the floating sidebar, so please, try it out for a week or two and let me know if the it grows on you or not. I might be able to get it to stay at the top

And now, to the GIVEAWAY!

I really want y'all's feedback on the new theme, so please take a look around and leave me a comment telling me what you think about the shape of things here at Mokuren Dojo. You can comment below this post, or leave me a comment on Facebook. or send me an email at mokurendojo@gmail.com. Leave me a comment before midnight, October 31, 2009 and at the beginning of November I'll draw the name of one lucky commenter (blog comment, email, or Facebook comment) to receive Kris Wilder's excellent book, The Way of Sanchin Kata.