76
I started practicing bokken and jo after the late Rocky Izumi Sensei when I was a beginner. In the courtyard of our college, or at a corner in a public park, we would gather and swing sticks together. We usually started class with 100 bokken cuts. It does not sound like a lot now. In those days, however, to me, it was like climbing the Himalaya Mountains.
We would do the counts and make the cuts together. Like most beginners, I attempted to swing the bokken with my arms. "Seventy ttwoo. Seventy threeee. Seventy foooour, Seventyyyy fiiiive. Seeeeventy Siiiii . . . . " Every single time, I hit a brick wall right after the seventy fifth cut. My arms were totally spent. My muscles were burning really bad. I hate the number 76.
I remember Rocky Sensei once said to me: "Before you learn to move yourself, you cannot move the stick." For many years, I wondered what he was trying to tell me. "What does it really mean? It sounds so self contradictory!" Just the other day, I found myself sharing this same quote with students.
To help them understand, I used this metaphor:
Your weapon is a puppet; you are the puppeteer. To help it come to life, you cannot just move the puppet. You have to become the puppet and let the puppet become an extension of you. Your puppet can only do as much as you can. If you cannot do it, don't expect to see it from your puppet. If you are not stable and strong, your puppet will look limpy. If you are not focused, your puppet will be wobbly. If you see your puppet as an external entity, and you are simply trying to manipulate it from the outside, you and your puppet can never become one and perform together. To bring it to life, you need to fill it up with the best of you on the inside. No matter how much force and strength you apply on the outside, the puppet is going to look floppy and lifeless.
What does it mean in real terms? The most effective way of learning to use bokken and jo is to focus on your basic body movements. Pay attention to alignment. Have a clear solid stance. Watch your posture. Always do complete movements. And breathe.
Learn from nature: gravity is your best friend. The bokken and jo are engineered so that they follow the rule of nature and works well with gravity. They already know how to move; it's you who do not. Instead of trying to force the sticks to move according to your will, let them move naturally. Follow their lead so you learn to move your body properly.
If the handle of your sticks are soaked with sweat, you know you have been clenching on them too tightly. Your grip should resemble a firm but gentle handshake. And please use your legs and your hips, not your arms. Otherwise, you may grow a lot of muscles, but your Aikido sucks.
Good luck with your studies. Be patient. It is a process. As Clyde Takeguchi always says, it is time in. In other words, the secret to Aikido is PRACTICE.
Be prepared that the stick may protest against you, once in a while, by giving you a tap here and there. Here is a quote to share from Takeguchi Sensei on weapons training:
"Sometimes, you wish you had a wooden leg."
We would do the counts and make the cuts together. Like most beginners, I attempted to swing the bokken with my arms. "Seventy ttwoo. Seventy threeee. Seventy foooour, Seventyyyy fiiiive. Seeeeventy Siiiii . . . . " Every single time, I hit a brick wall right after the seventy fifth cut. My arms were totally spent. My muscles were burning really bad. I hate the number 76.
I remember Rocky Sensei once said to me: "Before you learn to move yourself, you cannot move the stick." For many years, I wondered what he was trying to tell me. "What does it really mean? It sounds so self contradictory!" Just the other day, I found myself sharing this same quote with students.
To help them understand, I used this metaphor:
Your weapon is a puppet; you are the puppeteer. To help it come to life, you cannot just move the puppet. You have to become the puppet and let the puppet become an extension of you. Your puppet can only do as much as you can. If you cannot do it, don't expect to see it from your puppet. If you are not stable and strong, your puppet will look limpy. If you are not focused, your puppet will be wobbly. If you see your puppet as an external entity, and you are simply trying to manipulate it from the outside, you and your puppet can never become one and perform together. To bring it to life, you need to fill it up with the best of you on the inside. No matter how much force and strength you apply on the outside, the puppet is going to look floppy and lifeless.
What does it mean in real terms? The most effective way of learning to use bokken and jo is to focus on your basic body movements. Pay attention to alignment. Have a clear solid stance. Watch your posture. Always do complete movements. And breathe.
Learn from nature: gravity is your best friend. The bokken and jo are engineered so that they follow the rule of nature and works well with gravity. They already know how to move; it's you who do not. Instead of trying to force the sticks to move according to your will, let them move naturally. Follow their lead so you learn to move your body properly.
If the handle of your sticks are soaked with sweat, you know you have been clenching on them too tightly. Your grip should resemble a firm but gentle handshake. And please use your legs and your hips, not your arms. Otherwise, you may grow a lot of muscles, but your Aikido sucks.
Good luck with your studies. Be patient. It is a process. As Clyde Takeguchi always says, it is time in. In other words, the secret to Aikido is PRACTICE.
Be prepared that the stick may protest against you, once in a while, by giving you a tap here and there. Here is a quote to share from Takeguchi Sensei on weapons training:
"Sometimes, you wish you had a wooden leg."
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