"Yes, We're All Going Down Together . . . "
I had an interesting encounter recently with someone at an Aikido seminar. I really think it is a teachable moment for us all.
I was in a threesome partnership with a professional Aikido instructor and a young lady -- one of his students. I have seen this instructor at seminars several times before. He has a lot of Aikido videos all over YouTube and Facebook. However, this is my first encounter with him personally.
Before this, I practiced with some of his students. They were all quite good for their levels. Friendly people with decent basics and good attitude. I was impressed. Because of my experience with the students, I was actually looking forward to practicing with the teacher himself.
It was a class that focused on connection. The amount of physical movements was minimal. There was no need for physical strength at all. The essence was alignment and extension. Many people were who have only been exposed to "Mechanical Aikido" seemed quite lost. Some just stood on the mat most of the class not knowing what to do because it looked too much like magic . . .
I am fortunate to have practiced with teachers who teach "Connection Aikido". With that experience, I have some idea what the instructor of the class was trying to lead us to do. Not so much for my training partners, as it seemed. Nevertheless, with a little help, the bright young lady got the gist of it and started picking it up. It was really delightful.
Then, it was my turn to practice with her instructor.
Again and again, he tried to pull and push me. Not only was it very different from what the teacher showed, it just did not work. As much as I try to be an agreeable training partner, I would not sacrifice myself by letting someone shove me into the ground.
At the corner of my eye, I could see the student looking increasingly nervous. To begin with, how often do you see people entangled together on the Aikido mat? Two senior students?? And one of them happens to be your own instructor who usually presents himself as being smooth and gentle???
I could hear changes in my partner's breathing. I could feel the tension in his body. He was getting increasingly impatient. "Hey, don't get desperate. Student is watching . .." I whispered to my partner as I tried to disengage. To my surprise, he would not let go of me. Apparently, my "friendly reminder" was not taken so well. It got my partner even more determined that he had to take me down. He grabbed on tight to my arm and started tripping my leg . . .
I decided long ago that I am not going to resist anybody on the mat. If it is so important for my partner to get me down on the mat, sure, let's all go down together. I connected myself to him and dropped my center following his pull. Before he knew it, we were both on the mat, but I still have him blocked off my side with my arm and my leg. That really took him by surprise.
"OMG, OMG, OMG . . . " I could hear the student mumble. That was when my partner woke up from his trance, "OMG! Are you okay?" "Yeah, I am very fine." We got up and resumed practice, but my partners both looked visibly shaken up.
I remember the late Kenneth Cottier Sensei talking about all the stresses of being a professional Aikido instructor. "When it is your livelihood, it is hard to practice 'normally', " Sensei said. " You have a lot of concerns that you never had." I cannot speak for my partner why he chose to do what he did. For one thing, I do not feel a need to prove anything or to look good in front of my students because they are not the source of my paycheck.
Honestly, wrestling your partner down, even if you succeed, never makes you look good. Taming your heart so that your mind does not falter sounds like a much better deal to me.
I was in a threesome partnership with a professional Aikido instructor and a young lady -- one of his students. I have seen this instructor at seminars several times before. He has a lot of Aikido videos all over YouTube and Facebook. However, this is my first encounter with him personally.
Before this, I practiced with some of his students. They were all quite good for their levels. Friendly people with decent basics and good attitude. I was impressed. Because of my experience with the students, I was actually looking forward to practicing with the teacher himself.
It was a class that focused on connection. The amount of physical movements was minimal. There was no need for physical strength at all. The essence was alignment and extension. Many people were who have only been exposed to "Mechanical Aikido" seemed quite lost. Some just stood on the mat most of the class not knowing what to do because it looked too much like magic . . .
I am fortunate to have practiced with teachers who teach "Connection Aikido". With that experience, I have some idea what the instructor of the class was trying to lead us to do. Not so much for my training partners, as it seemed. Nevertheless, with a little help, the bright young lady got the gist of it and started picking it up. It was really delightful.
Then, it was my turn to practice with her instructor.
Again and again, he tried to pull and push me. Not only was it very different from what the teacher showed, it just did not work. As much as I try to be an agreeable training partner, I would not sacrifice myself by letting someone shove me into the ground.
At the corner of my eye, I could see the student looking increasingly nervous. To begin with, how often do you see people entangled together on the Aikido mat? Two senior students?? And one of them happens to be your own instructor who usually presents himself as being smooth and gentle???
I could hear changes in my partner's breathing. I could feel the tension in his body. He was getting increasingly impatient. "Hey, don't get desperate. Student is watching . .." I whispered to my partner as I tried to disengage. To my surprise, he would not let go of me. Apparently, my "friendly reminder" was not taken so well. It got my partner even more determined that he had to take me down. He grabbed on tight to my arm and started tripping my leg . . .
I decided long ago that I am not going to resist anybody on the mat. If it is so important for my partner to get me down on the mat, sure, let's all go down together. I connected myself to him and dropped my center following his pull. Before he knew it, we were both on the mat, but I still have him blocked off my side with my arm and my leg. That really took him by surprise.
"OMG, OMG, OMG . . . " I could hear the student mumble. That was when my partner woke up from his trance, "OMG! Are you okay?" "Yeah, I am very fine." We got up and resumed practice, but my partners both looked visibly shaken up.
I remember the late Kenneth Cottier Sensei talking about all the stresses of being a professional Aikido instructor. "When it is your livelihood, it is hard to practice 'normally', " Sensei said. " You have a lot of concerns that you never had." I cannot speak for my partner why he chose to do what he did. For one thing, I do not feel a need to prove anything or to look good in front of my students because they are not the source of my paycheck.
Honestly, wrestling your partner down, even if you succeed, never makes you look good. Taming your heart so that your mind does not falter sounds like a much better deal to me.
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