************************************************************************** AIKIDO_L DIGEST 4. ================== *************************************************************************** The "ai" character in my callegraphy book lists its background as, "all the perople who live in this house speak with the same voice." Frank L. Hreha" ***************************************************************************** CONTENTS ======== 1. US Aikido Federation requirements: 2. Exercise for a) strengthening back b) not getting dizzy in ukemi's c) strengthening wrists 3. Aikido as self defence 4. Saito senseis 20 jo suburi 5. Learning AIkido 6. The way of the mountain echo 7. Experiencing and behaviour ************************************************************************* 1. USAF Training requirements: =============================== Western Region (headed by T.K Chiba Shihan) 5th Kyu Promotion Requirements --------------------------------- Gokyu Prerequisite: 50 hours practice. Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) Shomen Uchi Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) Ai Hanmi Katate Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " " Kaiten Nage (Soto/Uchi) Kata Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) Suwariwaza Ryote Dori Kokyu Nage 4th Kyu Promotion Requirements ------------------------------ Yonkyu Prerequisite: 80 hours practice since 5th Kyu + 5th Kyu Requirements. Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) Shomen Uchi Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) Ai Hanmi Katate Dori Irimi Nage " " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " " Soto Kaiten Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Irimi Nage " " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " " Kokyu Nage Kata Dori Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) Morote Dori Kokyu Nage Hanmi Handachi Ryote Dori Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) Ryote Dori Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " Tenchi Nage (Omote/Ura) " " Kokyu Nage 3rd Kyu Promotion Requirements ------------------------------- Sankyu Prerequisite: 100 hours practice since 4th Kyu + 4th Kyu Requirements. Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Irimi Nage " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " Soto Kaiten Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) Suwariwaza Yokomen Uchi Kokyu Nage (Omote/Ura) Shomen Uchi Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Irimi Nage " " Kote Gaeshi " " Soto Kaiten Nage (Omote/Ura) " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) Yokomen Uchi Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Irimi Nage " " Kote Gaeshi " " Juji Nage (Omote/Ura) Ai Hanmi Katate Dori Juji Nage " " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Sumi Otoshi " " " " Koshi Nage Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Sumi Otoshi (Omote/Ura) " " " " Koshi Nage Ryote Dori Irimi Nage " " Kote Gaeshi " " Koshi Nage Morote Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " Irimi Nage Kata Dori Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " Kote Gaeshi Hanmi Handachi Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " " " " Kaiten Nage (Uchi/Soto) Tsuki Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " Kote Gaeshi Ushiro Ryote Dori Kokyu Nage Ushiro Kata Eri Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) Ushiro Ryo Kata Dori Kokyu Nage 2nd Kyu Promotion Requirements ------------------------------- Nikyu Prerequisite: 150 hours practice since 3rd Kyu + 3rd Kyu Requirements. Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Sumi Otoshi " " " Gokyo (Ura) Suwariwaza Yokomen Uchi Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Irimi Nage " " " Kote Gaeshi Shomen Uchi Sumi Otoshi " " Gokyo (Ura) " " Koshi Nage Hanmi Handachi Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Uchi Kaiten Kata Gatame " " " " " " Soto Kaiten Kata Gatame " " " " " " Kokyu Nage Morote Dori Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Kote Gaeshi " " Juji Nage Kata Dori Uchi Kaiten Kata Gatame " " Soto Kaiten Kata Gatame Tsuki Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " Gokyo (Ura) " Irimi Nage " Sumi Otoshi " Koshi Nage Ushiro Ryote Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) Ushiro Kata Eri Dori Irimi Nage Ushiro Ryo Kata Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) Suwariwaza Ryote Dori Kokyu Ho 1st Kyu Promotion Requirements ------------------------------- Ikkyu Prerequisite: 200 hours practice since 2nd Kyu + 2nd Kyu Requirements. Suwariwaza Tsuki Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " Irimi Nage " " Kote Gaeshi Suwariwaza Kata Dori Rokkyo Hanmi Handachi Shomen Uchi Irimi Nage " " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " " Soto Kaiten Nage Hanmi Handachi Yokomen Uchi Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " " Kote Gaeshi Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Kokyu Nage (Variations) Ryote Dori Kokyu Nage Morote Dori Ude Garame Kata Dori Rokkyo " " Kokyu Nage Ushiro Ryote Dori Kaiten Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " Irimi Nage " " " Juji Nage Ushiro Kata Dori Kote Gaeshi " " " Shiho Nage " " " Ude Garame Shodan Promotion Requirements ----------------------------- Shodan Prerequisite: 300 hours practice since 1st Kyu + 1st Kyu Requirements + Written Essay + Attend 2 Major Seminars Suwariwaza Kata Dori Men Uchi Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " Shiho Nage (Omote) " " " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " " " Irimi Nage Hanmi Handachi Ushiro Ryo Kata Dori Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " " Yonkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " " " " Kote Gaeshi " " " " " " Shiho Nage (Omote/Ura) Tachi Waza Shomen Uchi - Variations Tachi Waza Yokomen Uchi - Variations Ai Hanmi Katate Dori - Variations Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori - Variations Tachi Waza Ryote Dori - Variations Morote Dori Koshi Nage Tsuki Rokkyo Ushiro Ryote Dori Ude Garame " " " Koshi Nage Ushiro Kubi Shime Ikkyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Nikyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Sankyo (Omote/Ura) " " " Ude Garame " " " Kote Gaeshi Miscellaneous Techniques: Tanto Dori Jo Dori Futari Dori Sannin Randori Nidan Promotion Requirements ----------------------------- Nidan Prerequisite: 400 hours practice since Shodan + Shodan Requirements + Written Essay + Attend 2 Major Seminars Hanmi Handachi Shomen Uchi - Kokyu Nage Variations Hanmi Handachi Yokomen Uchi - Kokyu Nage Variations Hanmi Handachi Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori - Variations Hanmi Handachi Ryote Dori - Variations Tachi Waza Morote Dori - Variations Tachi Waza Ryo Kata Dori - Variations Tachi Waza Tsuki - Variations Ushiro Ryote Dori - Kokyu Nage Variations Ushiro Kata Dori - Kokyu Nage Variations Ushiro Kubi Shime - Kokyu Nage Variations Miscellaneous Techniques: Jo Awase Waza Bokken Forms Tanto Dori Jo Dori Yonnin Randori Sandan Promotion Requirements ----------------------------- Sandan Prerequisite: 500 hours practice since Nidan + Nidan Requirements + Written Essay + Attend 2 Major Seminars Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi - Variations Hanmi Handachi Shomen Uchi - Variations Tachi Waza Shomen Uchi - Variations Yokomen Uchi - Free Style Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori Kokyu Nage Ki No Nagare Tsuki - Free Style Ushiro Ryote Dori - Free Style Ushiro Kata Dori - Free Style Ushiro Kubi Shime - Free Style Miscellaneous Techniques: Tanto Waza Free Style ******************************************************************************* 2. Exercises ============ A) To strengthen back ===================== I recommend (after seeing your physician) doing hanging knee/leg raises. Hang from a chinup bar (or support yourself on your hands on a dip bar) and raise your knees to your chest and lower. Do these *slowly* (slow enough so that your trunk does not swing), you'll feel the work on your abs and lower back. Keep your legs straighter for more resistance. I like these because they work both the lower abs and back (ab strength is important for balancing your back muscles, and posture etc.), and it is one of the safest exercises I know of for the lower back (I hate back hyperextensions which are *not* very safe). Allan Wong awong@prodigy.bc.ca B) To prevent getting dizzy =========================== When rolling, if you find yourself getting dizzy do what ballet dancers and figure skaters do. It's called "spotting." Pick a stable spot on the wall, preferably something besides just the wall (like a thermostat, a picture, part of the shrine, a crack, something that stands out a little) and focus on that each time you come up, just for a few seconds. This lets your body know that the only thing moving is you, not the room, and there's no reason to be so dizzy. I don't need to use this trick very often, but I did when I first started. Now I only use it when I'm working really fast and hard. (You'll notice when a dancer pivots, his/her head stays forward most of the time while s/he turns in place, the head whips around at the last second, the whole time the dancer is focusing on that spot and that's why dancers don't fall over all the time). However, I would guess that you're problem had a lot to do with blood sugar and/or dehydration. You should be drinking water throughout the day, and make sure you have enough to eat throughout the day also. Low blood sugar or dehydration will make you feel sick to your stomach, dizzy and tired. Jae DiBello ******************************************************************************* 3. Aikido as self defence ========================== I teach self defense, in addition to being a long-time Aikidoist, I have strong opinions about this self defense thread. I have posted similar comments before, but I am focussing these comments on issues raised in this most recent thread. One reason that Aikido works as self defense is that we do movements over and over so that they become "natural", or part of our OWN individual repertoire of movements. (That is also why it is so difficult to change (bad) habits: we have done them over and over and patterned that movement into our body.) One reason Aikido, or any martial art, sometimes does NOT work as self defense is that in the dojo it is rare to be in an adrenaline state. More than likely, if you are in a seriously health-and-wellness threatening situation, you will be charged with adrenaline. Never having practiced those moves in an adrenaline state, it is hard to apply them and your mind is not functioning in the same, rational, calm way that it would without the adrenaline. Big generalization: I believe that men are more often able than women are to keep their wits, and NOT experience the adrenaline rush, when threatened. This has to do with involvement in sports and schoolyard fights. The ability to stay calm and use m.a. skills/techniques/principles, is based on not having that surge of adrenaline. If you've been in a few scraps, then you are likely to be slower to lose your finer motor skills, and rational thinking processes to adrenaline. Several people have posted stories of self defense instructors who have tested their students by attacking them in some surprise fashion. The students could not react appropriately. This is not the fault of the students, but of the teacher and the teaching method. They have never practiced defending themselves in the adrenaline state! Another reason that martial artists sometimes cannot successfully use their art to defend themselves is that they do not usually train full-force. If you are a karateka who learns always to pull your punches so as to spare your sparring partners, you pattern that response into your body. Under stress you do what you know. Not everyone has the time, committment, interest, physical ability to train in a martial art long enough to become proficient at street defense. Even some who have trained for years don't have the confidence that their skills will be adequate (witness the story of the black belt who is not confident, or the person who bought a gun and then could not use it when assaulted). Debbie Kranzler Boulder Aikikai and OPTIONS Self Defense Boulder, CO ***************************************************************************** 4. Saito senseis 20 jo suburi ============================= FIVE TSUKI MOVEMENTS 1.Choku Tsuki - upper end strikes: flip the jo with the left hand, catch it with the the right hand, palm down. The palm of the left hand is up. Slide and thrust forward. 2.Kaeshi Tsuki - lower end strikes: Bring the right hand at the top of the jo and grab it such that your tumb is pointing down. Flip the lower end of the jo up and thrust forward. 3.Ushiro Tsuki - flip the jo up (lower end goes to the back), to your left side with both hends holding it (tumbs up) and bent the elbow. Look to your left and as you step back with the left foot, deliver the strike to chest level. 4.Tsuki Geidan Gaeshi - start with doing 1., then deliver a strike back and low to the knee (on the same side) after which step forward with the right foot and sweep forward from the outside to the inside (knee level) 5.Tsuki Jodan Gaeshi Uchi - tsuki, high block, change stance, rinzoku. THE FIVE STTRIKING MOVEMENTS 1.Shomen Uchi Komi - right foot forward, step back, raise jo, strike shomen with right step forward. 2.Rinzoku Uchi Komi - same as 1., then do a second rinzoku on the other side as you change the stance. 3.Menuchi Geidan Gaeshi - right foot forward, jo forward, step back, raise jo, strike as you step forward, ushiro tsuki to the other side (knee level), side knee sweep. 4.Menuchi Ushiro Tsuki - begins the same as 3., but the ushiro tsuki is chest level (withou the side sweep). 5.Gyako Yokomen Ushiro Tsuki - right foot forward, jo forward, yokomen with a step to the left, and low ushiro tsuki to the right. THREE KATATE MOVEMENTS 1.Katate Geidan Gaeshi -left foot forward, jo forward, low right tsuki, right hand grabs the very end of the jo, right step forward, sweep with jo up and diagonaly 2.Katate To Mawashi -left foot forward, jo forward, pull jo over the head and back holding it with both hands, lean body back, release left hand, swing around with right hand all the way around (from up diagonally down to the other side). 3. Katate Hachi Jime Gaeshi - figure eight, start with left foot forward, jo is held with right hand on the right side, with one tip resting on the ground. Every time you make a sweep, change stance. THE FIVE HASO (FIGURE 8) MOVEMENTS 1.Haso Gaeshi Uchi - start with right foot forward, right hand forward, jo forward. Step back with right foot as you swing the jo left up to right down and up finishing with left foot forward and jo high up. End with rinzoku and right step forward. 2.Haso Gaeshi Tsuki -same beginning as 1., after the figure 8, high tsuki forward, then retrieve to up ready position (the forward end goes down, the left hand lets go, the right hand swing up and left hand catches it again) 3. Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Tsuki -figure 8, back low tsuki 4.Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Uchi -figure 8, turn 180 deg., strike diagonally down without moving the feet 5. Haso Gaeshi Ushiro Barai -same as 4. but with tenkan Ivan Vasilev *************************************************************************** 5. Learning Aikido ================== We have post from two folks, who've studied Aikido one and two months respectively. They seem to be concerned to some extent that they're not "getting it". Proficiency in Aikido is measured in *decades* of study. What you're experiencing is newbie enthusiasm combined with a bit of compulsiveness. Sort of: "This is wonderful. I REALLY want to learn this. If I try harder, go to more classes, maybe I catch on quicker." Well, it doesn't work that way. Aikido is a MA which in turn are body arts (compared to a mind art...earning a college degree is mostly a mind art). With a body art, each cell, right down to your DNA has to learn the moves. This can only be done by constant repetition over a long period of time. You can laugh at the "Karate Kid" movie, but "wax on, wax off" is the right concept. I believe that I don't begin to be really proficient at a particular technique until I've done it a thousand times. So, what do I tell newbies at our dojo? First and foremost, Aikido teaches you to be good to yourself. It teaches you to be forgiving of your own mistakes cuz you'll make lots of them. And if you chastise yourself for every error, you'll make even more errors & drive yourself nuts. At 6 months or less of study, you've just figured out where the mat boundries are! So, stop measuring yourself. Stop expecting anything. Surrender yourself to your sensei. Have faith that your sensei knows how to convert newbies into oldbies. Attend classes regularly but not compulsively; be open and forgiving. Don't compare yourself with anyone else on the mat; everyone is different. Remember, it'll all come in its own good time. I tell newbies that learning Aikido is like building a beach one grain of sand at a time. Each class is that grain of sand. If, during a class, one small aspect of one technique becomes clearer to you (i.e. a lightbulb goes off in your head, "So THAT'S how it's done!!"), that was a good class. Aikido proficiency requires lots & lots of lightbulbs. Steve Zimmerman Arizona Ki Society, Scottsdale stevezim@crl.com *************************************************************************** 6. The way of teh mountain echo =============================== " The Way of the Mountain Echo" This is a difficultimage to define clearly, especially since it is rarely used today by the present teachers od Aikido. A mountain echo repeats back to the caller the same thing that was originally shouted. In O-Sensei's "Way of the Mountain Echo" the images seem to be something akin to the concept of AIKI, in the sense of responding to or adapting to whatever it may be that your partner delivers and dealing with each encounter as if it were a completly new and fresh event. Associated with this may be the image of emptiness of the echo before anyone calls out to it, the fact that an echo makes no distinction between different callers and recognizes no differance in languages, or content of the message. It may also involve the idea of purposefulness of the echo's calling back although it never fails to do so whenever called uopon and to do so with all it's effort. Another possible interpreation or nuance could be the fact that the echo's answering call always brings pleasure to the caller. >From aiki news, March 15, 1982 by Seiseki Abe. *************************************************************************** 7. Experience and behaviour =========================== Here's something I read a few nights ago that pertains to recent discussion about philosophy and practice, harmony and love and self-defense, all that jazz. This is written by Charlotte Joko Beck, a zen teacher who teaches in San Diego. She is talking about the difference between experiencing and behavior. "For the most part we are only dimly aware of our experiencing. But we vaguely know that in some way our behavior and our experience are connected. If we have a headache and act irritably we probably realize that there is some connection between the pounding in or head and our irritable behavior. So even though we're not fully aware of our own experience, at least we do not view ourselves as divorced from our experience. But if other people are irritable, we may divorce their behavior from their experiencing. We can't feel their experience; and so we judge their behavior....Behavior is what we observe. We cannot observe experience... [however, behavior and experience are] not fundamentally separate.... "All of practice is to return ourselves to pure experiencing. Out of that will emerge very adequate thinking and action. Usually we are unable to do this, however; instead we act in obedience to the thoughts and opinions that spin in our heads -- which is backwards.... "In zazen, we see that only a fraction of ourselves is known to ourselves; and as that capacity for experiencing increases, our actions transform: they come not so much from our conditioning, our memories, but from life as it is, this very second. "This is true compassion. As we live more and more as our experiencing, we see... there is something [other than our conditioned behavior] in which the mind and body are held. We intuit that everyone is held in that way. Even though the behavior of another person may be irresponsible, and while we may have to oppose that behavior firmly, yet we and he or she are intrinsically the same. Only to the degree that we live a life of experiencing can we possibly understand the life of another. Compassion is not an idea or an ideal, it is a formless but all-powerful space that grows in zazen." For personal reasons, I usually downplay the spiritual aspects of aikido practice. But this passage seemed relevant. Does anyone else? It focuses on reality, not a spiritual "aspect of" or "tinge to" practice. With regard to recent threads, I think it illuminates the relationship between harmony and love and self-defense. Man, I hope this isn't too vague or abstract. It also nicely describes the lofty "goal" of aikido practice that transcends technique. It's appropriate response to the attack, not limited by learned patterns, not based on personal attitudes or emotion, just growing out of pure experiencing of the attack. Isn't this kind of expression on the mat what's most impressive about our shihans? At this level, I don't think practice is different among aikido styles, or for that matter, between aikido and many other martial arts. Say what? Jayson ****************************************************************************** 8. Foot techniques ================== "Question: Why are there no foot techniques in Aikido? Answer: One characteristic of Aikido is the absence of foot techniques and because of that, Aikido techniques attain dignity. Movement of the hands, not only in Budo but in all human endeavours, is intellectual compared to the movement of the feet. The first step in human development came when our ancestors rose to stand on their feet. This is pointed out by many zoologists. An upright posture freed humans from the use of their hands for locomotion. We started to make and use tools. As time progressed, humans became more intelligent which eventually resulted in the creation of the atomic bomb and the electronics of today. Conversely, other primates which cannot stand perfectly on two feet remain primitive. It has been said that the development of the brain and the hands' peripheral nervous system are greatly related. Other relationships exist between our hands and our bodies such that nowadays even a ball called "healthy Ball" which stimulates the hands to prevent the effects of aging is sold. The other reason for the absence of foot techniques in Aikido is that they are used far from an opponent and the feet cannot reach the opponent. The basis of Aikido is the use of bare hands without harming an opponent and the purpose is to arrest an opponent only by restraining violence. Aikido is *budo* which foremost respects fundamental human rights. Related to this, our main techniques are "Throw" and "Hold". The training at Aikido Hombu Dojo (Headquarters) are shown in the following list. -Warm-ups -Basic movements -Ukemi - mae, ushiro -Kokyuho - seated, standing -Katamewaza basics - ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, yonkyo, gokyo -Nagewaza Basics - iriminage, shihonage, kaitennage, kotegaeshi, tenchinage -Practical Techniques - Henkawaza, futarigake, tanto dori, bokkendori, jodori As you can see from the list, Aikido techniques are applied before grappling takes place, so the main items are "Joint techniques" and "Techniques against Strikes". These two kinds of techniques are prohibited in Judo and Sumo. If these types of techniques were allowed in competition, many people would suffer injuries. The training style of Aikido is different from competition. The winner and loser roles are predetermined and the roles are alternated. This is for safety. For example, struggling against a "Joint Technique" will almost certainly result in injury. In order to avoid letting an opponent grapple with you, the following two movements are necessary for effective technique: 1. How to dodge (1) Irimi (step out with trailing leg first) (2) Tenkan (step out with leading leg first) 2. How to expel (1) Uchi harai (use of hands) (2) Soto harai (use of hands) These two movements are also used in Kendo and Bayonet fighting. However, in Aikido there are no techniques involving cuts, strikes and kicks because, since the meaning of Aikido is to arrest, these murderous techniques are unnecessary. Therefore, the reason why there are no foot techniques in Aikido is because the two movements of dodging and expelling are effective before techniques are applied." On a personal note, I do wonder why they say above that "in Aikido there are no techniques involving cuts, strikes and kicks", because, as we all know, Aikido is based on sword-work (and we use the term "to cut someone down" regularly), and that atemi is actively taught and practised. Julian *************************************************************************