Learning To Be Silent

By Buck Pittman

The Aikido seminar held October 3 at Brevard Aikikai in Melbourne to help support financially and spiritually one of our oldest and best instructors in the Federation, Nobu Arakawa Sensei, was inspirational. It was also fun. There was a great sense of camaraderie as we gathered to train together in the true spirit of ai-ki. As Peter Bernath Sensei noted, it is great thing that we can support each other in need, that we are all part of a large family.

It was also intense. We trained under six instructors over a four hour period in which we never broke for more than 10 minutes. I was pleased to have taken ukemi from four of the six instructors. Grady Lane Sensei, our host, opened the seminar with yokomenuchi kokyunage, emphasizing a stretched arm across the body to keep things as tight as possible.

Nobu Sensei taught the next session and demonstrated a variety of techniques from morotetori. The one I took ukemi for was a variation of jujinage in which the lower arm is pushed through like a lever to turn uke over and pin him on his back with arms crossed overhead. Nobu Sensei also pointed out the proper way to take nikkyo ukemi and perform kotogaeshi.

Penny Bernath Sensei taught the next session and focused entirely on henka waza, flowing from one technique to another. She demonstrated many natural transitions starting from different opening attacks and partners were left to find their own way back and forth.

Richard Wagener Sensei taught the fourth session, also focusing on transitions, from morotetori. We practiced nikkyo from this attack, transitioning from to one hand to the other, directly and with tenkan.

Youssef Sensei taught the fifth class and demonstrated ikkyo and other techniques from ushiro kubishime. His techniques were very clean and direct.

Peter Bernath Sensei completed the seminar with a series of techniques which focused on changing directions to upset uke and create the desired effect. He demonstrated this from katatatori with a slight push-pull that transitioned into techniques like hanmi handachi katatatori nikkyo, shihonage, and iriminage.

After formal bows and thank-yous, we concluded our time together outside the dojo, relaxing with pizza and beer and welcome breezes on a beautiful afternoon. Nobu Sensei left with a with a big smile on his face and an envelope full of donations that will help him through this difficult part of his life’s journey. In his own words: “I not give up so easily.”

Editor’s note: As well as teaching at the dojo, Buck is the President of Pittman Landscape Architecture, a Jacksonville based land planning firm.

By Buck Pittman

Much has been posted over the years on training and the inevitable injuries that follow. Aikido has its roots in brutal martial arts designed to kill and maim, tested and refined under combat over centuries. Despite Aikido’s goal of harmony and non-injury, it remains a very powerful martial art that can cause serious injury in short order.

I’ve seen a lot of different injuries on the mat over my 15 years of training, from stubbed toes to broken bones. Fortunately, even the worst of these injuries were manageable and not permanent. But they all require attention and cause for concern. Any injury represents a setback from training, which for Aikidoka is The Way, our path to enlightenment and our contribution to restoring harmony in the world.

I was the cause of a recent injury that took my uke off the mat holding his shoulder. It looked bad at the time, like something that would keep him off the mat for a few weeks at least, probably more. I’ve heard since that the injury wasn’t so bad, but I still haven’t seen him back on the mat. I feel responsible and I should, because I am. Despite uke’s insistence that they took bad ukemi, I want to make the point strongly that it is up to nage to take care of uke—always and without exception.

I think this is the first time it has happened on my watch. I didn’t realize when it happened; it was jiu waza and we were training fast. But I clearly lost my focus and a bad injury resulted. My apology cannot make up for uke’s lost time on the mat or their discouragement.

I would offer a few suggestions to help avoid injury:

• Take care of your uke, especially if you are the senior student. Take control of the attack and maintain control throughout the technique.
• Know your limits. It is important to understand where your limit is and know how to push to the limit and pull back from it depending on the circumstances.
• Remember that the intensity of uke’s attack determines the intensity of nage’s response. Don’t attack with more intensity than your ukemi can take. Beginners who don’t know should attack slowly as this signals to nage to respond slowly.
• Never stop working on your own ukemi. It can always be better and the better it is, the better insulated you are from injury, the better you can train, and the more you help nage.
• Don’t forget to breathe. Breathing helps you relax and not hold tension. It also keeps oxygen in your blood, brain, and muscles so you can train longer without getting tired. Tired and lazy ukes are more likely to get injured.
• Eat well. Having energy for an hour or two on the mat demands a diet not made up of simple sugars and fats. Again, pooping out makes one prone to injury.
• Get in shape and stay in shape. Regular training is the best way to build a body that can respond to Aikido techniques, but supplemental training off the mat to improve strength, flexibility, and stamina may be needed, especially if you can’t make it to the dojo enough. Carrying extra pound also adds stress to your bones and joints and puts an additional load on your vascular system.
• Pay attention! Never lose focus.
• Have fun! Look at the picture of O’ Sensei on our Kamiza while you train—he’s smiling. Happy Aikidoka train with confidence and compassion.

Editor’s note: As well as teaching at the dojo, Buck is the President of Pittman Landscape Architecture, a Jacksonville based land planning firm.