Meatheads, Atemi, and Timing

  If you read Nariyama's book there are three principles and six concepts.  It makes me want to check with Webster to remind myself what in the hell principle means and what in the hell concept means.  So lets be f*cking Voltaire here and define our stupid terms. 

1.principle: : a law or fact of nature that explains how something works or why something happens .  2.concept: an idea of what something is or how it works(something conceived in the mind)
3. (for the hell of it) idea: a thought, plan, or suggestion about what to do.

So principle answers why some one got an atemi waza or a kansetsu waza put on them, or the other side of the coin why they didnt.  Principles represent the things contained in the unfolding situation, what we are given, or gifts laid on our front step. These are the things done to us. Concepts represent things that we physically have to do.  The ways that we effect the outside world. 


So heres the 3 principles come from judo and my Okie translation of each of each

• natural posture( a way of standing and thinking that is unbiased in any direction and allows for both defense and attack)
• non-resistance ( most folks say dont oppose force with force but really it means giving away a dollar to gain ten.  Nariyama says you yield in order to gain an advantage.  If yielding doesn't give you an advantage then keep doing what ever the hell you were doing. 
• breaking balance ( you attack once the other guy is bent out of shape on something either mentally or physically and this principle cant stand alone with out the first two) 

 when you have a natural posture its because the situation allows it.  Swing a sword at a natural posture and it changes.  You give way to force because the situation allows it.  And balance is broken because the situation allows it.   The real hard lesson about aikido is knowing what the situation allows and what direction of movement contains the most options. 

 Here are the concepts that are things that you actually have to construct yourself.  the things that have to be regulated moment to moment  Most if not all of these concepts are borrowed straight from Kenjutsu.

1. Maai--  This is distance between opponents, and the angular relationship between opponents, it also determines the speed and timing. Its the distance that you can cover in one step to hit a guy/  One can argue that judo has its own maai, but judo doesnt work the  hit but cant be hit angles that aikido/kenjutsu does, and it isnt concerned with the speed of distance covered in one step.  
2. Metsuke--point of focus.  eye contact and vision that allows the entire body of the opponent to be observed.  I have heard tale of blind folks being very good at Judo, this is probably because of their innate understanding of principle, of recognizing what the situation is allowing. 
3. Seichusen-- this is keeping your center, and directing power from your center.  Its keeping your center closed, while opening up his.  Its keeping off his centerline, while putting your center line on him.
4. Tegatana-- this is the principle of using your hand and forearm as if it were an inanimate weapon.  This alone contrasts with the grasping quality of judo.  While I know little of judo, it seems that most of their techniques stem from a two handed maintained grip.  The grip is the precursor.  In aikido a grip is only employed to prevent a further attack by a weapon.  
5. Toitsuryoku-- this is unbendable arm, concentrated power through your arm though body movement.  Its shomenate.  
6. idoryoku-  this is start to finish movement.  it entails controlling maai, avoiding an attack, closeing the distance, breaking balance, positioning for a technique, and final application of the technique.  

  I have always had a problem with Geis Line Tomiki Aikido, because I have to finally admit it, I am a Tomiki Meathead. (And by meathead, I mean I concentrate on the concepts rather than the principle, the principle comes hard for some us folks. ) The problem with Geis Line tomiki is the concept of maai, the distance you have to cover to hit in one step is glossed over.  Because covering distance means speed, and Atemi waza and distance and speed are related.   

I'm probably the luckiest Tomiki Meathead on the planet,  because I am surrounded by Non-meatheads who understand the principles of Tomiki Aikido/Judo.  So in effect they are collectivelly building a better meathead.  

I love meatheaded Tomiki, and get a thrill out of watching Darth Nariyama ripping the arms off of college kids.  I totally understand the 17 kata better than pretty much anybody, because it was designed for meatheads. Any attempt to refine it is just a waste of your time.  I don't mean to be a spoiler on your budo journey but there isnt anything refinable or subtle about a punch in the nose.  And the 17 should be delivered like a punch in the nose. Kihara/ Geis line has a lot of chains of the 17, but if you ever cranked up Randori you would see the 17 is just one chain that leads up a " punch in the nose."  




Anyway,  I put a video up above of Tomiki and The Kenjutsu stuff in there and we'll look at it.   Look at the Tegatana of the shodokan line, that is the Imperial Meathead line. You'll notice a chop down and then a shomenate like movement.  These represent timings.   They happen to be Timings that aren't represented well in the Geis line.  look at the ikkajo in Yoshinkan and the first movement in Koryu dai ichi.  

In the Yoshinkan line Ikkajo, or what we call in the 17 oshi taoshi is done on a provocation. This represents the first movement of tegatana dosa.  This is the first timing.  Hit first.  The second timing is actually the first technique in the 17.  shomenate.  Watch the hand in the set up.  It doesnt get the provocation, it has to deflect an attack. Basically the provocation provoked the wrong damn thing.  The third timing represents the other side of the coin, is the second movement of tegatana dosa, striking when the Sword is at its highest point.  

Here is a daito ryu perspective.  The very first suwari waza represents catching the rise or the second tegatana movement.  Its also the first move in San kata.  Its the third timing.  The second move of San kata, is the Third timing except with a more direct technique. 

The fourth timing is when you have to vacate space and actually step offline to avoid being chopped in half.  You can see this in the second technique of the 17.  Aigamae Ate.  At least the meat head version.  You step offline grab the hand, get a failed Ikkyo, Ikajo control, and then pop the guy. 

Anyway, my whole point is there is a lot of Timing lessons in Tomiki Aikido. And the timing is about maai, about covering the distance of one step. And its essentially about realistic Atemi Waza. Atemi waza is a matter of  Timing. It's matter of concept and not Principle.  Atemi waza is how you affect the world, not a matter of Big 3 Principles.  It's not a matter of recognizing the gift of the situation.  Its a matter of Timing.

Timing is a matter of rock scissors paper.   With big guys, you dont have the luxury to match up and feel for things or you will be overwhelmed with strength.  Remember that the principle of Non-Resistance applies if you can win an advantage from the act of Non-Resistance.  Its better to provoke a movement rather than to match a movement that can overwhelm you.  Or its best to vacate and get out of the way entirely, which can be called non-resistance, but is more of a matter of Maai and timing.  Non-resistance should not be timing oriented.  It should be done when you recognize the advantage.  Too often we try to tell folks to loosen up, and feel for it.  But this just allows them to be overwhelmed more easily if they don't understand the advantage of non-resistance. 

Anyway, the paternity test has come back and Kenjutsu is the Daddy of Tomiki Aikido.  And its about maai and Timing.  Meatheads live and die by timing.