The Aikido Surfer
In Aikido practice, there are two parties: The person learning to deal with attacks with Aikido techniques is called "nage"; the attacker is called "uke". An uke's response to nage's techniques is called "ukemi". According to the late Henry Kono Sensei, ukemi is the essence of Aikido. "If you can take ukemi, throwing is a piece of cake. Throwing is the easiest part in Aikido!"
The late Henry Kono Sensei once told the story about his time at Hombu Dojo:
Henry went all the way from Canada to study Aikido under O Sensei. With his savings, he figured he could afford staying in Japan for four years. He was very determined to find out what the old man was doing.
In most classes, Henry learned from and practiced with his sempais, but "this is not what I came here for. I want to touch the old man!" as he recounted his story passionately. He was very disappointed that O Sensei would not practice with him. No matter where he sat in class, O Sensei never called him up as uke. He kept wondering why. Eventually, he concluded that it was because he did not know how to take ukemi. But, what is ukemi? Henry decided that he needed to figure out ukemi so that O Sensei would use him as uke.
After working very hard for three years, one day Henry was called up by O Sensei to attack. "I am so happy! I am finally good enough to take ukemi for O Sensei!"
Most Aikido students I encounter focus very much on their role as nage. It is very understandable. When you can flip someone, you feel so good about yourself -- as if you are so powerful. However, if you think about the construct of Aikido practice, you would agree with Henry Kono Sensei that throwing is actually the easiest part.
During regular training, we practice a particular technique in response to a particular attack. The nage knows exactly what attack he is dealing with. In addition, he has a lot of freedom in how to execute the technique, whereas the uke, after delivering the initial attack, will have to pay close attention to every move of the nage in order to keep up and protect himself.
Ukemi is even more challenging in randori: After delivering the attack of their choice, ukes have to deal with whatever response that the nage whips out. The uke has to become the shadow of the nage who is constantly moving in unexpected ways. Failure to do so can possibly cost uke's life.
I have encountered some students, who do not understand ukemi, think that ukemi only means falling down cooperatively when the nage throws. It is as if they are following a script in a play: The ukes and nage simply read their respective lines independently. As a result, their "responses" are not organic. There is no connection between the nage and uke. Uke's movements have little or nothing to do with the nage's actions. It is fair to say that their "responses" are not really responses at all.
Students in this category tend to exhibit the behavior of constantly trying to reverse a technique, or claiming that they can hit back when they are actually in an extremely vulnerable situation. It is because they cannot appreciate that the nage and uke are supposed to be engaged in a constant conversation using their bodies. The fact that they are still alive and arguing is largely due to the mercy of their partners.
Another group of misguided students think ukemi means they only take the fall when nage "moves" them. I sometimes joke and call this kind of partners "dead ukes". They are pretty much done after delivering a half-hearted attack. They pay no attention to the reaction of the nage. They have no intention of any follow-up attacks after the initial attack fails. They stand around like zombies and wait for the nage to "move" them. When the nage does something that matches the little mental video they have in their head, they fall down cooperatively. Otherwise, they resist and continue to hang around like the walking dead.
It is rather difficult to practice with "dead ukes". It can be very frustrating for inexperience students because they are not proficient enough to "move" such static partners who give them nothing to work with. For experienced students, they have to constantly protect their dead ukes, who are not aware of how vulnerable they are, while trying to complete the technique as shown in class. Ironically, when you talk to dead ukes, they actually think they are extremely cooperative, great partners to train with!
Clyde Takeguchi Sensei teaches us that ukemi is self-preservation. Instead of standing around or resisting, uke should respond to nage's movements by moving along to get to a better position so as to attack again. It is not about simply falling down. It is not bailing out. And it definitely is not about waiting to be moved. Ukemi itself is an art.
After these years of training, I admit that I see pretty much everything through the lens of aikido. On this one, to me, an uke is like a surfer who perceives the movement of the currents so that, at the right time, he can ride the waves. Instead of freezing in space and get smashed by the waves, a good surfer uses the momentum of the waves to get himself to a better place.
In life, things keep happening around us like the unpredictable waves. We must remain vigilant so as to actively move along and keep up with our ever-changing circumstances. Standing still or resisting does not get you anywhere. If you are not careful, before you know it, you may be engulfed by the undercurrents of life.
The late Henry Kono Sensei once told the story about his time at Hombu Dojo:
Henry went all the way from Canada to study Aikido under O Sensei. With his savings, he figured he could afford staying in Japan for four years. He was very determined to find out what the old man was doing.
In most classes, Henry learned from and practiced with his sempais, but "this is not what I came here for. I want to touch the old man!" as he recounted his story passionately. He was very disappointed that O Sensei would not practice with him. No matter where he sat in class, O Sensei never called him up as uke. He kept wondering why. Eventually, he concluded that it was because he did not know how to take ukemi. But, what is ukemi? Henry decided that he needed to figure out ukemi so that O Sensei would use him as uke.
After working very hard for three years, one day Henry was called up by O Sensei to attack. "I am so happy! I am finally good enough to take ukemi for O Sensei!"
Most Aikido students I encounter focus very much on their role as nage. It is very understandable. When you can flip someone, you feel so good about yourself -- as if you are so powerful. However, if you think about the construct of Aikido practice, you would agree with Henry Kono Sensei that throwing is actually the easiest part.
During regular training, we practice a particular technique in response to a particular attack. The nage knows exactly what attack he is dealing with. In addition, he has a lot of freedom in how to execute the technique, whereas the uke, after delivering the initial attack, will have to pay close attention to every move of the nage in order to keep up and protect himself.
Ukemi is even more challenging in randori: After delivering the attack of their choice, ukes have to deal with whatever response that the nage whips out. The uke has to become the shadow of the nage who is constantly moving in unexpected ways. Failure to do so can possibly cost uke's life.
I have encountered some students, who do not understand ukemi, think that ukemi only means falling down cooperatively when the nage throws. It is as if they are following a script in a play: The ukes and nage simply read their respective lines independently. As a result, their "responses" are not organic. There is no connection between the nage and uke. Uke's movements have little or nothing to do with the nage's actions. It is fair to say that their "responses" are not really responses at all.
Students in this category tend to exhibit the behavior of constantly trying to reverse a technique, or claiming that they can hit back when they are actually in an extremely vulnerable situation. It is because they cannot appreciate that the nage and uke are supposed to be engaged in a constant conversation using their bodies. The fact that they are still alive and arguing is largely due to the mercy of their partners.
Another group of misguided students think ukemi means they only take the fall when nage "moves" them. I sometimes joke and call this kind of partners "dead ukes". They are pretty much done after delivering a half-hearted attack. They pay no attention to the reaction of the nage. They have no intention of any follow-up attacks after the initial attack fails. They stand around like zombies and wait for the nage to "move" them. When the nage does something that matches the little mental video they have in their head, they fall down cooperatively. Otherwise, they resist and continue to hang around like the walking dead.
It is rather difficult to practice with "dead ukes". It can be very frustrating for inexperience students because they are not proficient enough to "move" such static partners who give them nothing to work with. For experienced students, they have to constantly protect their dead ukes, who are not aware of how vulnerable they are, while trying to complete the technique as shown in class. Ironically, when you talk to dead ukes, they actually think they are extremely cooperative, great partners to train with!
Clyde Takeguchi Sensei teaches us that ukemi is self-preservation. Instead of standing around or resisting, uke should respond to nage's movements by moving along to get to a better position so as to attack again. It is not about simply falling down. It is not bailing out. And it definitely is not about waiting to be moved. Ukemi itself is an art.
After these years of training, I admit that I see pretty much everything through the lens of aikido. On this one, to me, an uke is like a surfer who perceives the movement of the currents so that, at the right time, he can ride the waves. Instead of freezing in space and get smashed by the waves, a good surfer uses the momentum of the waves to get himself to a better place.
In life, things keep happening around us like the unpredictable waves. We must remain vigilant so as to actively move along and keep up with our ever-changing circumstances. Standing still or resisting does not get you anywhere. If you are not careful, before you know it, you may be engulfed by the undercurrents of life.
I loved this piece, Meipo. Thank you for organizing my thoughts. Ukemi was an exact reason for which I came to aikido. I wasn’t a student long enough to perfect my form but it was long enough to change my mindset and attitude to life. I now take falls and roll out of them with a smile, get up and continue falling, but falling forward, not backward. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a patient teacher.