The Pouty Assassin

During practice last week, given what I saw on the mat, I once again reminded the class the importance of attacks.  

"Without any attack, there is no need for a technique.  If all we have are lousy attacks, what quality techniques can we expect nages to develop?  

Not that I was trying to drive students away, but the basic premise of martial arts is that one person is trying to hurt another.  If you cannot accept this, maybe martial art is not your thing."  

While a newer student looked a little pouty, the more experienced students all nodded their heads.

"I understand that you don't want to and worry that you may hurt somebody.  But to be honest, given the way you are delivering your so-called attacks, do you really think you are capable of hurting anybody?  Really??  Are you kidding me???" 

😂  I laughed and they, themselves laughed, too.

"Having the ability to hit strongly does not mean you have to go around and hit people.  It does not make you a violent person.  But if you don't learn to do it, even if you have to, you can't.  We all have the ability to jump off a building, but we are not all jumping off buildings, are we?  😆

Please don't make me worry about you breaking your own hand.  Doing half-hearted attacks puts yourself and your partner in danger.  It is one of the most irresponsible thing to do."

After class, a student texted me, "I'd say few people have had to throw a punch in anger.  I didn't appreciate both sides of the partnership between uke and nage very well until joining this dojo."

I am pleasantly surprised that someone actually pays attention to my words and continues to ponder about them after class is over.  

"What we are asking you to do has nothing to do with being 'in anger'.  We only ask you to deliver a blow or throw a punch.  Throwing a punch is just throwing a punch.  It does not have specific emotional content.  As a matter of fact, it does not even have to have any emotional content at all.  I'd be really delighted if people can do it calmly and mindfully.

But most people associate attacks with certain kinds of emotions and, thus, label them as bad.  The idea of attacking someone goes against their personal beliefs and values.  As a result, the mere thought of having to attack someone triggers cognitive dissonance, which is a very powerful, very uncomfortable feeling.  

As the saying goes, the events neutral; how you react is a choice."

Endo Sensei once said, the uke attacks because that is uke's role; the nage throws because that is nage's task.  Uke is not angry, nor is nage vindictive.  Like Yin being black, and Yang being white, it is just the way it is.

Training strong attacks is the very basics of learning to use your body correctly.  It is independent of your partners.  You can work on this alone.  It saddens me to see people throw away such a precious part of their training because of their misguided take on what attacks mean.

Set Aikido techniques aside, on attacks alone, there is much to be learned.  No wonder it takes so long to learn Aikido.  There is still much work to be done.  We have a ways to go.