Shoulder, hip, ankle.

Which joints are important in Aikido practice?

The three joints mentioned in the title are the subject of today's post. Shoulder, hip, ankle. These three body parts are able to make round movements.Shoulder and hip can be considered as ball in socket joints while the ankle also can be rotated fairly easily?

When dealing with forces outside the body going into your structure these 3 joints are important. In drawing it would look like this:

 

The three joints mentioned are in a position stacked above each other and can be related through practice. The circular movements made by these joints are 3 dimensional. That 's why spiral movements are possible.

This drawing also shows that each hip joint is capable of 2 circular movement directions. In the next picture I will try to explain what happens inside the body when outside forces act upon the structure.

 

When you're standing one one leg, like above, there's a clear line between earth(ground contact) and, in this case, the hand(point of contact). The red line passes three stations. Shoulder, hip ankle. Each of these joints can influence the direction of this force. There also capable of a short release of tension which creates a feeling of total relaxation in that specific joint. The hip joint is capable of moving the force from one hand to the other. Compare the red and green lines.Through practice it 's possible to move the line of force quickand effortless. Ikkyo is a technique which is suited to train and experience this principle. Please watch video min. 12:38-14:07

Multiple excercises can be used to rotate these joints and relax them totally. Try rotate these joints separately in all directions and make small and big figure 8's. The relaxation of the joints is best practiced in a pose known in Yoga as Corpse(Savasana).

So put your attention on these three pairs of joints and you are likely to improve your capacity with dealing and giving direction to forces which act upon you.

Youtube clip is about musubi, how to connect to your partner.

 

 

Today's saying: "Hand, waist, feet." How to move during practice of Wu style tai chi.

 

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