AT CLOSE RANGE: Shomen and Yokomen

First warm up with a new pattern – shomen practice with a step-cut, slide-cut, step-cut to get out of fixed patterns; disrupt habits and the facile assumptions.  Then yokomen with the same step-cut, slide-cut, step-cut.  The tempo is quick beat cut, cut – you are advancing through space – your first cut misses and yourContinue reading “AT CLOSE RANGE: Shomen and Yokomen”

RESPONSES IN TIME

With the two basic ranges understood, let us focus again on shomen.  The step-cut is ‘long range’ and the slide-cut is ‘short range’ but the ranges are also examples of time.  Meaning the longer the range the more time tori has to respond.  In order to train the correct response, we focus first on theContinue reading “RESPONSES IN TIME”

STEALING FROM THE MASTERS – JKD and KENPO

Aikido is an energetic system – we require a partner to train effectively and ultimately need the partner’s intent to inform our responses. This fact leads some to conclude that Aikido is a defensive art because it does not appear to emphasize attack and its marketing history decries violence. Nevertheless, when one actually studies what O’SenseiContinue reading “STEALING FROM THE MASTERS – JKD and KENPO”