What a fabulous seminar we had this past weekend! I got to see a bunch of the old heads - one of whom I haven't been able to lay hands on in about 10 years! And it's always a pleasure to play under the tutelage of Henry Copeland - a truly great aikido master and heck of a great guy.
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We went over the floating throws and koryu dai yon kata. Following are my impressions and take-away points. Of course, any mistakes or misunderstandings are my fault...
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I was impressed at the incredible variability in yon kata. There are apparently very many different acceptable ways to do it. It seemed to me (and to some of the other old heads) that Henry has taught this thing several different ways over the years. I suppose that is to be expected as our proficiency and understanding improves and so does his, but it seems as if virtually anything that gets the desired throw with the desired energy or feeling, counts as an okay yonkata.
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We started the floating throws with shihonage because that is where the offbalance changes in junana. everything up to this point has been catching uke on a downstep and bumping him into offbalance, but the premise in these techniques is that you miss that downstep, and draw him perpendicular to his feet into offbalance, causing him to rise and float for a moment. That's right. I usually characterize these things as floating throws because of the distinctive feel of the otoshi throwing action following the offbalance, but Henry was talking about the offbalance being the floating aspect of the floating throws.
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Shihonage illustrates a properly-timed guruma offbalance. Maeotoshi is rushed and spoiled but you can still float him by lifting under the arm. Henry was throwing sumiotoshi an instant later than I usually throw it and teach it. Hikiotoshi is still a bear for me.
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This weekend, YK#1 and YK#2 had wholly different feels - not just "wrong-sided" versions of the same thing. YK#1 was pushing perpendicular between the feet on the down, into the face on the rise, then pushing through otoshi and into guruma on the next down. YK#2 was evade, pop the hands up in his face, and turn with him.
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YK#3-4 hang them on their second otoshi step, then stride through them on their next weight shift.
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YK#5-6 can be a pulling sumiotoshi if tori is shorter than uke.
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Another surprise this weekend was Henry characterized it as a really aggressive, practical, self-defense kata. That's interesting because I've always thought of it as a compliant uke theoretical drilling type kata.
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We practiced several of the throws from YK part B from 2-hand grabs, where they are usually one-hand grabs. They work great either way.
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What did you other guys that attended take away from this clinic?
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Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
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