VKS KI TRAINING NOTES, AUGUST '97 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to provide a dialog between students and the instructional faculty on training issues and answer questions regarding technique or training practices or procedures. It is NOT a forum for dealing with philosophy, except as it applies to training, nor business issues associated with the VKS. NOTICES: AUGUST INSTRUCTOR'S CLASS Class will be held on August 23rd, a Saturday, at the Merrifield Dojo at 2PM. I plan to cover information received at the Portland Seminar with Tohei Sensei and focus attention on a couple of the standard exercises. All instructors are invited to attend. SUMMER CAMPS CAMP: MARYLAND The Montgomery County Ki-Aikido Society will host a summer camp August 8, 9, 10 at Frostburg State College, Frostburg, Maryland. The visiting instructor will be Sensei William Fowler, 6th Dan, Arizona Ki Society and, incidentally, the founder of what became the Virginia Ki Society. Save the dates on your calendar. Cost is: $110.00 for the weekend. There is a $20.00 supplement required if you wish a single room. Send your application to MCKAS, 19004 Rolling Acres Way, Olney, MD, 20832. NOTE: You must be a member of a Ki Society Dojo to attend this camp. OTTAWA CAMP: While attending the seminar at the Kingston Ki Society training facility I was made aware of a weekend seminar in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on 5,6 and 7 September. The sponsor is the Shinkido Institute in conjunction with Ryurei Aikido under the direction of Sensei Peter Bussell. Instructors for the seminar are: San Dan Rev. Bill Bickford, Head Instructor, Kingston Ki Society; San Dan Fran Turner,Chief Instructor, Aikido Shugyo Dojo (Aikikai); Sho Dan Margaret Maplebeck, Chief Instructor, Yoshinkai Ottawa Dojo; and Yo Dan Peter Bussell, Chief Instructor, Ryurei Aikido, Ottawa. The fee, Canadian $150.00 includes 2 nights accommodations, meals and the seminar. You are asked to bring one or two dogis, a bokken, a jo and an open Aikido mind. The seminar will include Buki Waza, meditation and breathing sessions, and Futari Gake. For more information call Ryurei Aikido at Ottawa 591-3223. If you are interested in seeing what "others" are doing these days and having an open instructional experience this may be just the conference for you. I have practiced with Rev. Bickford and Peter Bussell and they are fine people, providing a positive view of Aikido. The address and phone # for the seminar are: 47 Humphrey Way, Kanata, Ontario. K2L 2S9 and Phone (613) 591-3223. You can also e-mail Sensei Bickford at: bickford@limestone.kosone.com for added information. SUPER WEEKEND 23rd ANNIVERSARY: The celebration will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 13 and 14. Morning sessions will start at 10AM each day and Afternoon sessions will begin at 1:30 PM. Training will be conducted by Senseis Simcox, Reed and Singer. Sunday afternoon we will, in lieu of our normal demonstration period, enjoy observing Sensei Jonathan Doner perform a demonstration of skills which will qualify him for advancement to San Dan. With at least two ukes attacking for all techniques it should be a very spirited demonstration. There will be a no-host dinner at the China Chef at 6PM on Saturday. Please bring a dish or snackies on Sunday for a "pot luck" after Sensei Doner's demonstration. Came and bring your friends. This is a time for celebration. GUEST AUTHOR COLUMN We Don't Fight - Mind Set is the Key by: George Simcox While driving a group of students on one of my trips this summer the subject of fighting came up and I commented that "Aikidoists don't fight". Some of you may now be asking, "If this won't help me in fighting, why am I studying it?" That is a fair question. Let's explore the answer. While Aikido is indeed a martial art that does not automatically make it a fighting art. We are an art of peace, not fighting. Our object is to not fight, but rather to restore peace where it is absent. This is not done by reducing your antagonist to a bloody hulk. Our techniques are developed to a place of calm rather than one of agitated tension. We work on harmonious relationships rather than contentious ones. We espouse relaxation in the face of tension. None of our behaviors support the concept of fighting. Now, what is fighting? Fighting is "To struggle against in battle or physical combat." (Britannica World Language Dictionary). In my view it takes two or more to have a fight. An antagonist may try to fight us but his efforts are ineffective because his perspective is flawed. While he is fighting or struggling against us, we are simply trying to find a resolving action to bring the individual into harmony with us and the nature around us. If we elect to fight we have changed our mind set to one which is not consistent with Aikido philosophy and so have departed from the practice of aikido. This "attitude adjustment" is what takes so long for most of us who study aikido. The techniques can be learned in a relatively short period of time but it can be years before they become as effective as they can be because of the time it takes to learn, and internalize the spirit of aikido. Until that time most of us are simply using aikido techniques to fight more effectively but we are not truly practicing aikido as the founder, O Sensei, and Master Tohei envision it. Eto Sensei, during his seminars in Virginia and Maryland, stressed the absence of "fighting mind". When he learned to throw away fighting mind he was able to truly find the power of aikido. Should we do any less in our lives? When you study aikido to become a better fighter you will learn some good techniques to help you in your quest but you will never find the path to true aikido. Only by setting aside the goal of becoming a better fighter and adopting the goal of developing a non-fighting mind will you find the true path to aikido and its message for the world.. During daily training you will find this path by seeking the flow associated with a technique: Where is the power of the opponent and how can it help me in creating harmony of movement? How can I lead this power during a technique? If I have mis-read the power or it has changed, how can I find the path to achieve a state of harmony? These are the real questions, not how quickly can I throw or trash an opponent. These latter questions are those of fighting while the more complex questions asked earlier are those of the questor for aikido truth. NOTES FROM THE INTERNET Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 05:33:04 +0900 From: "Michael J. Hacker" Subject: Re: Ukemi I submit the following... First, let's examine the job of the Nage. Nage has to deal, in an appropriate manner, with aggressive energy directed upon him, destroying the balance and timing of Uke, while at the same time maintaining his own. His job isn't to kill Uke or show everyone how "powerful" his technique is. Now, let's look at Uke. Uke's job is to attack. Period. When Nage sets up a technique, Kotegaeshi, for example, if it isn't good enough to actually "work" on me, then it doesn't "work." Here are some mistakes I've noticed in various Uke: 1. Uke falls before the technique. I've noticed that this is usually out of fear or simple ignorance of what they are 'supposed' to be doing. This is fixed through practice, experience, and the mutual trust that should eventually develop. 2. Uke resists with muscular strength up to the point of pain when taking a fall becomes an immediate necessity. This approach teaches both Uke and Nage to use physical force to complete or get out of a technique. This approach is VERY dangerous and VERY detrimental to the learning process of both Uke and Nage. It erases sensitivity and degrades practice to a contest of strength. 3. As soon as Nage starts to set up the technique, Uke gives up and goes with the throw. If Uke's job is to attack, attack, attack, then how can this be of any use? Nage has to "make" Uke fall... or Uke keeps attacking until Nage is defeated. If Uke doesn't fall, it's Nage's fault. I realize, of course, that a different level of attack is required for Nage of different levels, and this is where "blending" on the part of Nage comes into the practice, but it always needs to be real. When Nage sets up Kotegaeshi, I am still attacking, even well into and after the breakfall. Would it be appropriate to give up if it were a real life or death situation? Train as you live, Live as you train. Aikido is about raising BOTH Nage AND Uke to a higher level, not a game of "Thank you, Sir, may I have another." CHIEF INSTRUCTOR'S NOTES: The internet comment of the month is the best of a series of commentaries which were submitted on the subject of ukemi. Different schools of aikido emphasize different styles of ukemi. Some focus on break falls from virtually any aikido throw and the students prize themselves on becoming accomplished uke. Other schools place more emphasis on harmony between the uke and nage with the ukemi practices that which is appropriate to the throw being practiced. Both approaches have merit. If you stay within your won school, your ukemi style will probably suffice since it is a product of that school. If, however, you venture outside the confines of your school or system, be alert to the fact that different folks give different strikes and so expect different ukemi. It is best to practice all forms of ukemi so that you are prepared to fully practice at any seminar you may elect to attend. I suggest that during the next three months each of us look at our ukemi and work to its improvement. Instructors, place added emphasis on ukemi during instruction so you can give guidance to your students. COMMENTARY: The Kingston Summer Camp was just wonderful. The camp was located in town at the gymnasium of the Correctional College. It was about 500 miles, one way. We had training Friday evening, all day Saturday followed by a dinner at the College and a visit to the Annual Bustards Festival which was going on down by the water front, and training Sunday morning. We left shortly after lunch at the College, arriving home at 11:58 PM. Kashiwaya Sensei was the instructor and he was in rare form. There were visitors from Michigan as well as Virginia. The interaction among the students was a highlight of the camp, as always. Senseis Doner and Pham were used as uke by Kashiwaya Sensei on several occasions. That way all of the local folks were able to get a full view of the material Sensei was teaching. I recommend this camp experience to each of you and will publish the plans for next year as soon as they are provided by Sensei Bickford. TRAVELS: Bob Pavasi and I will be going to the Camp in Ottawa in September. We will make a report in the issue of Training Notes appearing after we return.