AIKIDO: Shomen Uchi Ikkyo - Don't rush. Don't push down

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Do you sometimes catch yourself trying to rush a technique? And with Ikkyo, that might mean that you’re pushing down on your partner.
Today’s video is another from our New Year’s seminar in Los Angeles a couple months ago.
In an effort to help my students break this habit, I exaggerated the upward motion of ikkyo in this class AND I exaggerated the timing, deliberately leaving the arms up even after uke had taken the ukemi.
Of course, to the seasoned Aikido-ka, it may look a little unnatural. Again, this is simply an exaggeration, so that people are more likely to not rush when they go back to their regular training.
I hope today’s video will give you some insight, inspiration, and motivation to help you make the most of your training and take your Aikido to the next level.
Let’s check it out.
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[@kingofaikido]

Hi Lia, it's Keni. I found this helpful. Reminded me of the training in Japan. It does seem a bit drawn out compared to standard Aikikai versions...so, from a martial perspective, not so convincing. Yes, it works if uke attacks the way they do in Kamakura but no one and nowhere else does this Shomen-uchi from below. It doesn't make much sense, the attack that is. But, given this sort of attack, fitting under it would make sense for someone as short as Takeda Sensei..! It's very painful for someone like me though, who has a bad back (I cannot bend back far) and who is much taller than most uke. So, I simply have to take clues and make up my own version. But the clues contained in this video were very nice. So, thank you once again Lia-san..!

[@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240]

Hi Keni. So glad to hear that you found this helpful. Maybe I misunderstanding something that you’re saying, but I’m surprised to hear you say that this ukemi is only done in Kamakura. in my experience, it’s done WHENEVER the maai is small/short. Last month I went to a seminar with Miyamoto, sensei and another seminar with Yamashima sensei. We were doing this upward cut at both seminars. Again, maybe I’ve misunderstood your message…

[@kingofaikido]

@@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240 I'm glad you partnered with Miyamoto (Tsuruzo?). I haven't trained with him but he is of interest. I have trained with Yamashima-San, however, and, you're right, he is the exception, and does a version of ikkyo requiring a straight arm going up in response to shomenuchi. But I have noticed that the ukes are not required to launch their shomen attack from below. People, usually, attack from shoulder height as we see in Endo's videos (see KZbin). Endo, like Takeda, insists on uke assuming a certain distance and a soft attacking arm (not enforced at Hombu or elsewhere). I'm sorry to have confused you but I was talking about uke's way of attacking. There is no run up generally in the Aikikai Hombu. Indeed, Endo's distance is maintained (kind of like the jab in boxing). In Endo's instructively detailed videos, he explicitly stresses that one should not launch a shomen-uchi without stepping into the right distance, and yes, it is short range for most aikidoka (I would call it mid-range myself..!). It is not leaping from a distance, as the attack is done in Kamakura. I get Takeda's approach. He wants to maintain the flow of connection with uke the whole time, so that you invite uke to run at you immediately after getting up. Sensei maintains his (mind) connection with uke throughout. So that often, while he might start like Endo, very quickly he invites uke to attack from the moment he gets up. But it does induce a kind of pleasant hypnosis. A rhythm is established of a running uke, on repeat. By contrast, in Endo's demos, his ukes must approach him, each time, from the same discrete distance as at the start. He insists we get within range First, even pause before attacking, which rarely assumes flow in the Kamakura sense except when dealing with multiple uke. It might be just preference, a different emphasis on the kind of flow wanted. Of course, it's easier to throw off balance someone who is continuously moving or accelerating towards you. But the Endo encounter is more compressed, more stop-start, when uke is not accelerating much. Does that clarify things?

[@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240]

@@kingofaikido lots here and I need to run to the dojo very soon. But I just wanted to add that the observations you mention are from a specific ERA of Takeda Shihan. Having had the great fortune of training with him in his tiny dojo in Kamakura in the 80s and training with, some of his top students from the 70s, I know so many different periods where he was doing very different things from what you are describing. And then continually evolving those things - even UNDOING and deconstructing certain things in order to start anew. And that’s why I love training under him.

[@kingofaikido]

@@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240 I am mainly talking about uke's form of attack. If you look again at this video, at the first few seconds before you begin to speak from your studio, you will see uke attacking in the manner just described, almost as if simply reaching to touch the wrist of tori..? Let's be real. What is this..? The word "shomen-uchi" doesn't give me any clues, since it means 'frontal hit'. So, the attack could come from above or below or straight in as a thrust...anything to 'hit' the head-face..? But it does make a difference, obviously, for body mechanics, if the target is different. Is the target the top of the head, which would require a raising of the arms to generate momentum in the attack...this would be a heavy chop from above? But if 'hit' means something fast, more like a flick, and a thrust is even faster. I have done weapons work before. I have a shodan in Shindo Muso-Ryu Jodo and have tried foil and epee. My point is that depending on where the target is and the function of the attack is, we'd have very different moves for something as seemingly straightforward as shomen-uchi. What you're doing to defend against your version o shomenuchi may not work against other versions of attack. Having said that, if your technique works against all styles of shomen attack, then I think you can and should promote yourself more widely.

[@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240]

@@kingofaikido is this the type of ukemi/attack you’re referring to, Keni? facebook.com/stories/2137947523175683/UzpfSVNDOjQzNTg2NjQ3NTYzNTg4MA==/?view_single=1&source=shared_permalink&mibextid=W9rl1R

[@nikosskeptikos6295]

why was that person falling over for no reason?

[@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240]

Lots of people in that video. Which one are you referring to?

[@nikosskeptikos6295]

@@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240 the one falling over for no reason at 11 seconds. I didnt watch any further than that. Cant see why anyone would train like this it serves no purpose.

[@liasuzukisvirtualdojo6240]

@@nikosskeptikos6295 yep. Best not to train in activities that serve you no purpose or that you’re not interested in. What art do you train in?

[@lightandcolour]

It might look that way, but when you find yourself out of balance, rolling out in a fall is the best way of protecting yourself. Do not judge by looking at the images: step into a class to experience it. Then give an opinion

[@nikosskeptikos6295]

@@lightandcolour My friend, I was doing Aikido on straw tatami when you were still at school lol, the point I'm making is most of these falls were taken cooperatively NOT because Kuzushi was created. it's dancing.