My-ki-do
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008Hi There,
I hope you don’t mind me checking in. Just because I’m not training, doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it.
At Hoa Sensei’s dojo opening the other day I was particularly interested in the distinctions of technique between Witt Sensei, Kim Sensei and Hoa Sensei. All started with the same attack, or a variation of that movement (for example tsuki and katate dori both reach out along a vector), but each executed the techniques very differently.
Witt Sensei is very grounded and solid. He moves easily, but also seems to minimize how much moving around he does. His technique comes from deep in his center, and of course years and years of training. I noticed that he lets uke come to him as much as possible, then turns that over-extension into technique.
Kim Sensei expresses great strength and power in his technique. Although he creates the opening necessary to engage uke, he also has no problem driving uke with additional momentum. At first glance, his throws look like they involve a big upper body movement. But actually it’s all driven by his hips, with his upper body following through, like a golfer or baseball batter.
Hoa Sensei’s movements are very fluid. I always saw them as cat-like. It never looks like he’s exerting great power. But as anyone who has trained with him knows, he is remarkably powerful. On Saturday I noticed his dramatic vertical movement. His hips move constantly throughout the technique, like a sine wave.
Of course, as I watched all this I wondered about my own technique. How do I express Aikido? What is my-ki-do? Well, it really isn’t hard to see: I’m very practical. I don’t like long, drawn-out technique, or highly theoretical practice. I like attacks that are strong and clear, and I want my techniques to be effective. Unfortunately, I do use strength to make up for technique, but usually I express that with big hip movement, rather than upper body strength. I’m very physical and like to mix it up on the mat.
Next time you’re on the mat, notice that everyone of us has his or her own Aikido. I try to notice, because it helps me understand what may be going on with a student’s Aikido, or even the mental or physical hurdles they face. I try to notice myself – what do I embrace or avoid.
Notice the instructors: how do they play to their strengths and minimize their weaknesses? How does their Aikido reflect their personalities, their physicality, their lives?
More importantly, observe your own Aikido. How do you express yourself through Aikido? Where are you comfortable and confident, or hesitant and unsure? And perhaps, what can you do to exploit your strengths and remediate your weaknesses. I bet that if you can identify a strength in Aikido, you can track that strength to the rest of your life and use it more consciously. Or, if you can name what troubles you on the mat, you might see the same troublesome patterns in your relationships, your job and anywhere else you interract with others.
We don’t just train to execute technique. We train to be better people. Being observant of yourself and others on the mat is a wonderfully effective, safe and fun place to grow.