Adapted Aikido: Catching Rhythm - Freestyle Exercises.

The basic exercise looks a bit like dancing. It should, since mainly what you're trying to do is move in sync with your partner. I started moving a bit late right at the beginning but it smoothed out as we went along. The idea is to move your whole body as your partner approaches, not just block with your arms or legs. The "attacker" should move at the "defender" with long, obvious movements that are slow enough to be easily read and matched. When this is done correctly, the feeling should be that the defender and attacker are moving as one (though not necessarily identically).

The intermediate exercise is faster and shorter in movement style. The temptation is to become preoccupied with intercepting and/or deflecting the "attacker's" movements, which will interfere with moving "as one" with the "attacker." One way to recognize that you are thinking too much about defending and not enough about matching rhythm is that your arms and legs will be moving rapidly to defend, but your body will be increasingly less and less in motion. When matching rhythm is your main focus there will be moments where you will be so linked to your partner that you will find yourself intercepting "attacks" almost pre-emptively, rather than just reacting, which is usually what happens. This happens a few times during the exchange in the clip.

This is not fighting; it is merely rhythm-catching practice. Please don't look at this clip and make stupid remarks like, "She doesn't know how to punch!" or "What kind of attacks are those?!" This is an exercise concerned with timing and whole body action, not actual fighting.

Give the exercises a try and if you have any fine-tuning suggestions or feedback, please feel free to share them with me.

Thanks, and have fun!

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• martial
• art
• self
• defense
• aikido
• sensei
• jon
• hay

[quickxfactor]

I understand what you are doing! It is really good excercise. You should pay more attention to your posture, it seems that you move just to sync with the partner but you forgot to control your body too. I feel your mind not stable ^_^ . Seems so, sorry if i'm not right

[nwaikikai]

@quickxfactor:

My mind is unstable! Well, that would explain the pink elephant I keep seeing... :D

I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you're saying about posture and body control. Maybe you could explain a bit more?

Take 'er easy!

[ficklampa1]

influenced by systema much?=)

i like it.

[nwaikikai]

@ficklampa1:

Ah, you can see that, can you? :D Yes, there is definitely the influence of Systema in what I'm doing. I find the largely unrehearsed, natural, free-form movement of Systema an excellent balance to the very precise, structured forms and exchanges typical of Aikido. Right now, I'm dabbling with trying to synthesize the two kinds of movement and practice. Its a fascinating investigation!

Glad you like it!

[aiki3d]

Good attitude. Explore all and absorb.