Five Things I Hate About Being An Uchi Deshi

1. grassHopper 5.12.09 / 10am

   Can you do the 13 kata? Pleeease?
2. Jerry 5.12.09 / 10am

   Yes, of course, grassHopper.
3. Jerry 5.12.09 / 10am

   One final point, incogneto, since it appears we’ve locked horns.

   Let’s ask our resident black belt in Tang Soo Do his opinion, shall we?

   Dark Knight, aside from the different technique, I think a reasonable analogy can be made between a judo match and a Tang Soo Do tournament.

   The setup: a beautiful female black belt is sparring with a male black belt in a match. The male black belt is distracted by, say, a sly wink from her.

   (I know, I know, it’s ridiculous. But the judo example is also over the top).

   Would the male black belt stop the match, entranced by his opponent, and pledge his everlasting love?

   Or would he recognize the wink as a feint (an, ahem, atemi) and proceed with the match, in order to win.

   (For the sake of argument, let’s assume the female is not interested in the male, and the male is not a total idiot).

   My money’s on the latter. What say ye?
4. MM 5.12.09 / 1pm

   incogneto isn’t allowed to fight… he’s annoying the heck out of me with this topic… *breaks down into a psychotic tearful rage* I don’t care who’s right baby.. just let me play Final Fantasy in peace!
5. The Dark Knight 5.12.09 / 1pm

   Sparring…atleast in Tang Soo Do is concerned was taught to me as nothing more than an elaborate strategy game, chess so to speak. Your life is the King, your hands, feet, elbows, knees are your other pieces. To beat your opponent you must learn to incorporate all of these tools and apply them strategically in order to win. In Chess one particular strategy is to get your opponent’s attention directed towards something else, but you dont want to give away your intent. The hardest thing to learn in Tang Soo Do was to control one’s eyes. Looking directly at the area I am going to strike at is a tell all sign where my hand or my foot is going to go. So we were taught to read someone’s eyes for these signs. Vice-versa, I developed strategies to get people to think I was going to attack somewhere when I really wasnt. I would purposely look down at someone’s stomach, or move my eyes over to their side. Once they saw this some opponents would draw their attention for just a second to guard that particular area, where I would thereby strike an area totally different.

   I can say with 100% certainty that 9/10 of my first strikes are not meant to be strikes at all. Sure I’m aiming for your head, chest, stomach, thighs. But I know you will, and sometimes want you to block it, what I dont want is you blocking the next 4 strikes coming right after that.

   So I would think, feints are used in any and all styles. So, I would hope the male blackbelt understands this and will proceed not to be bluffed by it. I would personally do everything I can to win, and if the girl is cute. buy her a drink later…
6. Jerry 5.12.09 / 1pm

   Thanks, Dark Knight. Very enlightening – I learned something new.

   Since incogneto has retired from the fray, let me ask you and grassHopper: Who has the better of this argument? Do you understand my points?

   Domo.
7. grassHopper 5.12.09 / 2pm

   Which argument? Solo practice, or the girl’s immature choice of wardrobe atemi?
8. Jerry 5.12.09 / 4pm

   Let’s stick with the atemi.

   The solo (kata) practice is not up for debate. Incogneto is just wrong here, but I really can’t blame him for his inexperience. What I found extraordinary was his claim that Aikido has no kata practice, and that I, one of his instructors, was incorrect.

   It boggles the mind.
9. Jerry 5.12.09 / 4pm

   BTW, up at New York Aikikai, Steve Pimsler Shihan practices a weapons kata every morning, before class begins.

   I suppose he’s wrong, too?
10. MM 5.12.09 / 4pm

    BTW: we aren’t taught nearly enough kata in class on a regular basis in my opinion. I’ve been a member of the Center since last august so far, and I’ve only ran into kata once that I can recall.
11. Jerry 5.12.09 / 5pm

    How do you know what needs to be taught? What do you think ought to be a higher priority? Weapons kata or learning to roll safely?

    Ideally, I’d have you taking forward ukemi consistently, first.

    Having said that, MM, I’m more than happy to teach you some bokken and jo kata. Will you be in class this week?
12. incogneto 5.12.09 / 7pm

    I love Jerry! Why are you upset? Want to talk about it?
13. MM 5.12.09 / 7pm

    agreed, I need forward ukemi off of techniques much. I’m well aware of my personal short comings. I was speaking in regards; less from a personal desire, but from an over all view separate from my own experiences. There are many students who ukemi is superior to my own who are have seen as many kata classes as my self or less.
    I’m not entirely the authority on what ought to be taught; I frankly have no expertise to even claim authority in that regard. My statement was meant as an observation; an unargumental casual observation.

    I hurt my back bad…I’m hoping to make it to class this week and to seminar this weekend, and back to work before rent i due ehhee… 🙁

    LOVE YOU JERRY!
14. grassHopper 5.12.09 / 8pm

    He’s not upset; he’s just being a good lawyer. Besides, us kohai could use some humble pie, anyway.

    Crud, do I have to say, “I love Jerry” too?
15. Jerry 5.12.09 / 8pm

    Yay, we’re friends again!

    🙂
16. MM 5.12.09 / 8pm

    We weren’t friends at one point?? :'( *scared*
17. incogneto 5.12.09 / 8pm

    It’s about time grasshopper and Jerry made up. Your fight was getting out of hand 😛 But I was always your friend.
18. The Dark Knight 5.12.09 / 11pm

    glad i wasnt involved in all of this 🙂

    your welcome for the insight jerry..anytime…

    now, you all need to sit down and sing cumbyah…
19. grassHopper 5.13.09 / 7am

    Ya’ll sing; I’ll play.
20. MM 5.13.09 / 9pm

    BTW: I bought a hakama.. it looks about the same color as Buck’s old blue cotton one. But it is polyester, not cotton. o_0
21. Jerry 5.13.09 / 10pm

    Great! Have you tried it on yet?
22. incogneto 5.13.09 / 10pm

    That means I am going to have to learn to fold one, huh?
23. grassHopper 5.14.09 / 7am

    Nooo! You got blue!! Huzzah for brave black hakamas everywhere!
24. Incognito 5.14.09 / 4pm

    Tonya, please post.
25. MM 5.14.09 / 7pm

    Black pleating does bad things to my Latin hips. :-/
26. Jerry 5.14.09 / 9pm

    Are you Latin? Really?
27. Buck 5.15.09 / 8am

    I want to comment on Tonya’s Number 4.

    I know this can be frustrating but as a senior student and instructor, I’ve come to understand it is also an important part of the process. I’ve watched shihan thwart younger yudansha to demonstrate very directly their weak points. It also instills a huge dose of humility that is often needed.

    Anger and frustration come from within. If one has that reaction, perhaps the real secret of the technique or of aikido may be found in letting go of ego!

    I try to be aware of my partner’s ability and personality; everyone learns differently and at a different pace. Most of the time a patient approach is best, letting the student improve their technique through trial and error. But it is also important to be a real and live uke to continue to challenge and advance nage’s technique. The teaching skill is in recognizing when the challenge is too much (or too often) for nage and hinders learning.

    I see this often during Kokyu Dosa. Far too many ukes try to defeat their partner with brute strength or superior technique, thus missing the point and essence of the practice. Kokyu Dosa is a beautiful exercise in blending that teaches us to “read” our partners and blend with the movement. With a good uke, nage develops proper technique.

    Junior students are guilty too of over challenging their partners. This can be dangerous as the senior student may be compelled to respond with a technique beyond the ability of uke.

    Aikido is about blending with an attack or a challenge. Aikido is about love. And love is patient and kind.
28. Jerry 5.15.09 / 1pm

    Well said. I’ve always admired your Aikido, Buck.
29. MM 5.15.09 / 8pm

    Yes Jerry, I’m Portuguese and Polynesian. Pleats also look bad on Hawaiian women for that matter. :-/
30. MM 5.16.09 / 4pm

    BTW: I think Buck’s insight is good and right. I’m not exactly a seasoned student, or really have any merit in Aikido, but yet I still have an ego; no matter how unwarranted. It is a long road to kill it. A bit of humility is needed every now and then.
    Not being able to get an uke down bruises the ego, as well is being the uke that’s easily taken down, or the uke that can’t take the ukemi.
31. Jerry 5.17.09 / 1pm

    Don’t sweat it, MM, your Aikido is fine!

    You gave a great test. Seriously.

Aikido Center of Jacksonville

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