Go?

After I published the last post, a former student texted me, "In your post, you started with a question, but I'm not sure I see how set answers that question." 

That question.  Which question?  Oh!

"WHY DOES THE UKE FOLLOW THE NAGE?"

It is true that I did not state it very directly, but I thought I answered the question already.

Since my own student re-posed this question, I think I will try to elaborate further.

In short:  If the uke and nage are both experienced practitioners, the uke follows the nage because he has no choice.  That is the only way to survive.

By the way, have you ever seen any gap between the black and the white halves of a Yin Yang sign?  No?  Why not?

Many Aikido practitioners talk about taking the partner's balance.  The idea is that our brains yearn for us to maintain our balance.  If you lead someone to a point where his balance is off, or where he cannot stay still, he will keep moving so as to regain his settled feeling.  

Set employs a similar concept, but adds a twist to the execution:  We lead the uke to a place where he is teetering and offer him a little help to feel stabilized . . .  until we take it away.  In order to maintain the equilibrium and to keep openings closed, the uke would make the best efforts to stick to the nage.  

I think this is one of the biggest difference between what I call "Momentum Aikido" and "Connection Aikido".

Pretty much at every transition point where you change direction, you can apply set so that your partner hangs there until you release them.  They are always behind you by half a beat and they are forever in catchup mode.  To live, they must follow.

Compared to many others, our style of Aikido never rush.  We always have a lot of time  We can even pause without worrying about the partner leaving us or hitting back.

People who do not know set often feels like they have to beat the uke by moving faster.  Mind you: the nage and uke form one system.  There is no way one half moves faster than the other half.  If it does, it would tear the system apart.  (Again, visualize the Yin Yang sign . . . )  That is why if the nage speeds up, the uke speeds up, too.  Often time, such nage freaks out and seeks to go even faster.  The pace of the union keeps escalating until the nage cannot keep up with himself, then everything falls apart!

Understanding and being able to do set gives you a lot of extra time and control.  When the uke is teetering in place, all you have to do is to help them hold that position.  When you release them, you do not just let them go.  By controlling the pressure, you may induce the uke to pop out at a certain direction and angle.  You may even control the speed of their movement.  Unless the uke is really a newbie or suicidal, his new trajectory is very predictable.  

If as nage, you maintain a contact point with the uke, you get even more information about what he wants to do.   You sense his emotions, origin of his movement, intensity, etc.  You have a very clear idea of where he is going and how.  So, you leisurely move to the next position to wait for him to come to you again.  

As it is always the case with Aikido, the process is very intimate and enjoyable.  However, as you progress, there really is not a lot of excitement or surprises.  

I liken it to watching a very predictable ping pong game.