Fujita sensei part fifteen.

Whole body movement.

 

 

 

The Aikido of Fujita sensei is often described as powerful but not hard and agressive. How is this done? Whole body movement is the base from where his power originates. He is using the basic excercises to illustrate this point. The balance breaking or projections are a result of the movement of his structure by means of his footwork. If you study his movements one will notice that his body moves like a solid unity transported by, usually, okuri ashi. This one step movement will cause a powerful and sharp hanmi posture while moving. So try to use your whole body and not only hand and shoulder power or fragmented use of the body.

 

Here's a demo from the 80's?

 

 

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei part fourteen.

Triangle, circle, square.

Fujita sensei used his signature drawing on the back of your gi at seminars. It consists of three figures namely the triangle, the circle and the square.

 

My own ideas concerning these symbols in relation with the Aikido of Fujita sensei would be the following:

 

The triangle stands for hanmi kamae. The posture represents the most stable position and has a strong focus of energy in front of your hara. This could be compared to the offensive stance in the sword arts of Japan. So in your Aikido one should be aware of always maintaining this stance even when moving.

The circle represents the round posture of the arms and circular movement.

The square stands for the finishing of a technique which should be solid and hips square. Katame waza could also be named square and firm.

 

In the following demo the three principles are easily recognized.

 

 

 

Enjoy practice.

 

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How to use second hip.

 

 

How to use the second hip and what does it mean. Yamashima sensei is known for his use of his hara. In reality he uses both his hip joints to full effect. In the next clip this is shown by using your rear hand and hip in unison to attack the centerline of your partner. So imagine your holding a sword or knife and point this to the hara of your partner. This creates a center to center movement which can be used to upset your uke's balance. Ikkyo is best suited to study your second hip joint, but it's used in all Aikido movements. Hips, hips, hips. Don't use arms, use hips.

 

 

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part thirteen

Laser.

To me a laser symbolizes a highly focused and concentrated energetic principle. In Fujita sensei kihon waza one can identify this as the concentrated energy in which he projects into sumi otoshi points. In Chinese internal martial arts this is often translated as Yi, Qi, Li. A simple explananation of this would be that in projecting energy one uses to full effect mind(Yi), breath power(Qi) and body(Li). These three powers combined will produce a laser like power into a single spot. Usually the most weak part of your partner's balance is used. When doing atemi this principle can also used to create a power which is multiplied because of the joining of energy into a single point.

Use of laser in kokyu nage by Fujita sensei. Notice the projection extends beneath the surface of the mat.

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part twelve

One step.

 

 

Fujita sensei uses ashi sabaki which are clear and precise. His favorite movement would be the transfer of his whole body structure in one step. This step is called okuri ashi. Foot movement like this is most used in kendo. One should be in hanmi kamae and push of the back foot. This results in a forward movement where the front foot moves first. The end position will be the same as the starting one. Irimi movement and Hanmi principles are therefore maintained.

 

 

Usually his first step is okuri ashi as shown in this clip.

 

 

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part eleven

Project through the ground.

Fujita sensei uses projections of whole body movement into sumi otoshi point of uke. Mae otoshi point is also used but the point on the ura side of uke is his most weak spot. It's not enough to just point at this spot or restrict your movement to the edge of the earth. The mental training consists of projecting the energy through the ground towards the center of the earth. Of course this will be impossible to do, but the movement changes because of the effort made. It's like the board braking excercise of karate. Project body, mind and spirit behind the board to go through it.

 

In irimi nage like movements this is best demonstrated.

 

 

 

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part ten

D.

The letter D represents a principle which Fujita sensei uses to illustrate that there should be both round and straight energy projections. When one divides a circle in half it will look like two D's put together.

 

 

You will notice a lot of Fujita Sensei techniques use this kind of mixture of round and straight movements. Usually round energy is used to create harmony with your partner, while the projection is a straight energy line directed into sumi or mae otoshi point. Try to identify the use of the letter D in the next clip.

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part nine

Armswing.

What does Fujita sensei mean by using the Armswing?

When walking, the arms of every human being make the same movement. It's a natural movement in which the arms swing like a pendulum. Both uke and nage will move in their most natural and effortless way when this swinging motion is to be used. Fujita sensei uses this knowledge to full effect. The arms are held in the structural strongest posture. Relaxed, not stiff, not weak and circular. The whole body power is therefore expressed through the arms and hands. Uke will naturally be unable to resist his own natural movement.

 

This clip shows the principle of the armswing combined with whole body movement.

 

Enjoy practice.

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Fujita sensei study part eight

Same.

O sensei and Fujita Masatake.

What does point no.8 on the list mean? Same refers to the harmony of posture which uke and tori will have when doing kihon waza of Fujita sensei. The 4 steps of Fujita sensei all involve a sense of moving in a manner which ends the same.

 

 

 

 

When you study this clip one thing you will notice that the end position of the 4 taisabaki ends in the same posture for uke and tori. Hence the principle, same. Hanmi posture for uke and tori.

 

Enjoy practice.

 

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Listening

Listening.

Endo sensei, known for his listening skills.

 

 

What does listening mean? Listening energy is a term used in the internal martial arts. Tai chi chuan being the art which uses it the most. During a conversation between two people you would have a talker and a listener. In a physical interaction you could translate this to the ability to "read" the movements of your partner. In Judo, wrestling, brazilian jiujitsu and Aikido the use of this listening energy is possibly more important than the knowledge of all the techniques.

 

How to improve one's listening skills? First of all when you want to listen you have to be still yourself. During a conversation this would mean don't talk yourself and interrupt your partner. In a physical sense it means to not to take the initiative and do things. Instead you listen to the movements of your partner. In Aikido we have an excercise which is really interesting in practicing this kind of energy, suwariwaza kokyu ho. This excercise alone contents a lot of aikido principles hidden in plain sight. Unfortunately it is commonly only used to end a class session. You could easily fill a lot of lessons only with variations of this excercise.

 

A few excercises I recommend to improve listening skills would be:

- Zhan zhuang chi kung. Standing meditation.

- Tai chi push hands.

- Zazen. Seated meditation.

- Yoga pose called Savasana or Corpse pose.

 

Good listening requires:

- Stillness. Physically and mentally.

- Balance. Every deviation from being balanced is felt.

- Being in the moment. Now is now.

- No ego. Mushin. No thoughts of winning or losing.

- Highest grade of sensitivity.

 

 

 

So a good excercise would be to try to improve your listening skills instead of forcing your techniques upon your partner. Usually trying to do a technique is felt by your partner and easily countered. If you meet a partner with better listening skills than you, all your actions will be futile because the other person will understand, with his body, what you're trying do.

 

As an example outside the realm of Aikido I would like to introduce one of the greatest martial artist in BJJ. Marcelo Garcia has perfected the listening skills in his art. His theory consists of always being a step ahead of your partner through listening and small attacking movements to get a reaction which he can use to his advantage. This way his partner reacts like a puppet on a string with him being the puppet master.

 

 

 

This clip shows the effortless of his movements while body and face show little excertion or aggression. So for Aikido training one could try to not win, don't throw or otherwise force your movements upon your partner. Just listen to what is available and use it to your advantage. This will also improve compassion with the aggressor.

 

Enjoy practice.

 

 

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Heavy hands and where to put them.

I would like to share with you two of the most important tips for creating or experiencing the so called internal power.

At a seminar on the island of Ameland, the Netherlands, Yamashima sensei was giving a seminar. The translator at the event commented on the Japanese text of Yamashima sensei in English. There are two sentences which stood out for me and which I currently try to include in my practice.

1. Use heavy hands, for when you use heavy hands your center will turn naturally.
2. Put your hips in your hands.

What one can try to experience is the sensation of creating a feeling where the hands and lower part of the arms are heavy. Like gloves filled with sand. Why should one do this kind of strange imaginative excercise?
The whole body structure wants to be balanced at all cost. Otherwise we would be falling continously when trying to walk. When the hands are used as counterweights just like a a tightrope artist, balance is assured by small corrections of the hips. This is the same feeling a lot of sensei speak about when they try you to urge to use "your center". Simply put, your hands and hips will always make movements which are opposite in direction. This will create the possibility of using your strength of the lower body into your hands.

So in your practice, and more important, during every day walking and tasks, try to imagine your hands are heavy and make a connection between hands and hips. You will be surprised by the results of this simple excercise over the course of your Aikido career.
Yamashima has practiced this for a long time I would imagine and in the next clip you can see what it can lead to.

Enjoy practice.

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