Rondori Month - Week 4

Anyone who has done a 5-attacker test at camp knows how long 45 seconds can be. So it's fitting that June is a 5 week month to focus on Rondori and multiple attackers. :)

This week we did various drills on test freestyles. How to pick directions, how and why to wait before moving. We also went over how to be uke. When to grab, when to strike and why. All tests are games. All games have rules and objectives. It's important to understand the goals of a test so they can be approached correctly and appropriately by both nage (the tested) and ukes (those who are the hands of the tester). In this way we can elicit the desired result, growth.

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Patience, Quiet, Feel.

Patience is probably the hardest skill to learn in martial arts. In this high speed capture of a throw, taken at 240fps or ~8x slow-mo, we see that Uke (the attacker) takes a long time to curve around Nage (the defender) and change direction. If Nage does not wait for the attackers forward energy to change direction, we would need to counteract all the momentum of their bodies in order to change their direction and execute a throw. 

 

From contact to release of the attacker is just about 2 seconds in this throw. About 1 full second of those 2 (that's 1/2 for those playing along at home ) are spent waiting for uke to change direction. That second is a long time in combat, and a whole lot of time where students think they need to do something. Herein lies an important lesson for both on and off the mat. We need to learn to quiet the mind, to be still not for the sake of laziness but of purpose, and to move and act intentionally when the time is right.

 

Feel. Nage is also not a modern car and does not come equipped with rear-facing cameras. Nage does not have time to turn and look at uke nor can we give up the posture (structure) required to do so even if we did. While waiting, we must "feel" uke's energy (momentum, speed, direction, posture) solely through our sense of touch. This is another difficult skill which takes much practice to develop. Books cannot teach this, nor can videos. This must be learned by doing.

 

 

In Aikido, the moves are the easy part to learn. It's the touch, timing, and patience which take decades of fun to master.

There's no time like the present to start!

Classes Tuesday, Wedensday, and Thursday Evenings. Just show up and join in!

www.AikidoRochester.com

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June Rondori Month Continues!

 

Each Tuesday this June we are putting a special focus on rondori and multiple attacker exercises. Last week we focused on maintaining awareness of the next attacker while executing a throw in an exercise we have coined the "Angel" game. (Whovians know).

Tonight we added the idea of asset protection. Our Koki-Koala bear served as our asset. Self defense is not just about us, it's about the ones we love, and in our better moments, even complete strangers who need help. In this exercise, Nage (the thrower/good guy) needs to maintain position between the asset (a kid, spouse, friend, innocent) and the next attackers while throwing the current attacker.

We then took two different responses (techniques) against the same attack. We practiced each and then discussed their cost functions. Everything we do has pros and cons and whether they are good options depend on how those line up against a given scenario.

These are as much mental exercises as they are physical. It is not enough to master this technique or that ki exercise. We must be able to weave them into a coherent strategy for self defense, in real time, under duress. This, like anything, takes practice to train the brain to be able process the variables quickly.

 

 

 

#rochesterny #artofwar #MindBodySpirit #martialarts #aikidokokikai #kokikai #dojo #selfdefense #strategy #tactics

 

 

Why wait?

 

Dojo News and Updates

Happy Unofficial start of Summer,

 

Though how unofficial with it being 86° out is a matter of debate.  😊  Some dojo news and updates:

 

• June will Rondori Tuesdays – we will focus on multiple attacker drills and freestyle.  That will work best with a lot of people, sooooo bring a friend and a Gatorade.

 

• Don’t forget Thursday nights at 8-8:30 we have our new weapons class.

 

• Cecelia Sensei Seminar Update!  I just spoke with Cecelia Sensei and confirmed details for August 5^th & 6^th .  Look for a brochure in the next few days.  Both classes Saturday will be open to all.  There will be a blackbelt intensive class Sunday morning with individual focus. 

 

• Dates for Summer Camp have been advertised, it will be the week after Cecelia Sensei’s visit, August 11-13^th.   Venue details are still being worked out.

 

I also want to thank everyone who chipped in to all the recent dojo renovations and clean up.  Most particularly, Scott Andrews for kickstarting the latest wave of improvements with his ambitious projects.  His energy was infectious.

 

Speaking of being infectious… Aikido is best shared!  Invite friends, colleagues, and random people on the street to come try it out.  It may be the best gift they ever receive.

As always, reach out if you have questions about your training, requests, ideas for focused classes, new/different class times etc. 

 

That’s all for now.

 

Thanks,

-b

 

PS. Remember that it’s ok to sweat in class because there are ice-pops and fudgesicles waiting for you afterward in the freezer.  😊