A couple of times recently, after warming up and weapons, we paired up for "eight basics" (see note below). Nage was told to focus on flow and keeping it light (which I played with as not feeling like you are pushing down into your partner but letting an up energy serve as an imbalancing). We were asked in the uke role to also keep a flow going, to make the attacks continuous both in terms of getting up and into the next attack and in terms of making sure to keep the attacking energy throughout the technique.
I was reminded both nights on how much I really enjoy the role of uke. It is a wonderful training in so many ways:
how to project energy
how to keep connection
how to be a mirror for nage, giving somatic feedback
how to protect myself
Doing it as a continuous exercise, rather than stopping in between techniques, was was a good exercise in breathing and conservation of energy. I was able to go through basic eight, left and right, irimi and tenkan versions when we do them, and only wanted a one to two minute breather before moving into the nage role.
Perhaps the neatest thing about the continuous attack and focus on flow is that we ended up with huge grins. It felt like having the spirit of OSensei when he advised to train joyously.
Basic eight: katatori ikkyo, katatori nikkyo, yokomenuchi shihonage, shomenuchi kokyunage (iriminage for Aikikai dojo), tsuki kotegaishe, ushiro kokyunage, ushiro sankyo, kokyudosa
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