Last night we were working on variations from ryotetori (your left and right wrist are both grabbed in the attack). There are a number of possible opening responses. Even though we were doing it from a static grab, it was clear that the opening we were practicing assumes a strong incoming attack: The instructor described it as withdrawing a shoulder/foot while doing a rising shomen block. I recognized it energetically as that wonderful aikido conundrum of being receptive while entering, or as I'd written in a column early in 2005, finding the irimi inherent in tenkan or in tenshin.
I find there is value in considering all the available metaphors when working on these things. So one day I may consider it as a kinesthetic issue and focus on which hip is initiating movement and how weight shifts from foot to foot, working on form. Another day I may look at it as an energetic issue and focus on reading my partner and on extending ki. A third day I may play with the idea of the attack as a spacial disturbance and how the space around me needs to respond....
Understanding improves but I still don't "get it" and that's ok.
1 comments:
I'm glad I don't "get it." I'm afraid that if I ever get it, I'll also get bored with it and have to find something else to do.
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