Tonight we covered multiple things and we started off practising what one might think of as a very non-Aikido thing, attacks. Sensei taught us how to more effectively punch and strike. But it was tied to what came later when we concentrated moving from our center. We were to consider our center and our movements and to make a commitment in both attacks and defence.
I was working with two others, struggling really, when Sensei stopped to point out what were were doing wrong. We were to react with kotegaishe technique to 3 standard attacks, a punch, strike to the top of the head and strike to the side of the head (tsuki, shomen uchi, yokomenuchi). After previously working just on responding with our movement to these attacks, once we finished with kotegaishe all of us forgot what we had been practicing.
Sensi wanted us to stop rushing ahead ahead to the end technique. He said “Aikido is not learning the technique, Aikido is leaning the steps that end up at the technique”.
He then used the example that you can't jump ahead to some answer of a math equation. You have work your way through it, you have to work through the steps. I guess because he is an engineer during the day.
He often says there is nothing magic of secret about Aikido but this had the feel of something that is so obvious it is almost too hard to see. But it did feel like we were exposed something special. Most of us are still pretty much beginners so it makes it all more special that were are give these “Open Secrets”
1 comment:
Very insightful post.. Thanks for sharing. What types of attacks did Sensei teach the class? How did he teach the attacks (ie in the form of katas, solo practice, and etc)?
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