Class Update: Exploring the Kihon (DAT)

Class review from friday 10/30/09

   Awesome class this past friday. I started out with reading a note of a dear  friends recent Japan experience. This served as a guide as to where the training started.  The aim was to concentrate on the correct distance for the partiular technique demostrated.  I ask someone to show “Iso Arashi” from the Kukishinden Ryu. From this basic technique, who would’ve known iso arashi served as a vehicle for many henkas to follow.  Many things I took notice to, regarding the movement and subtleness of budo taijutsu.  People would see a technique and quickly try to mimic the movement without never realizing the basic structure. Perhaps this habit comes from not connecting the basic waza to the flashy or more advance technique. Everyone wants to move like Sensei and the Japanese shihan. Desireable novelty if I may say so. I like to call it “The road less travelled”.  Why would anyone desire to take shortcuts? 1000 dollar question.

Budo taijutsu takes years of continueous practice learning the basics of proper distance & effective angles. Being consistent one can’t help notice a change in time.  In my understanding this is the fundamentals of our art. When I was last in Japan I saw how the japanese shihan have made these fundamentals there own. It’s mesmerizing to see Soke and the Shihan move from mastering the kihon. Everyone of them add their own individual flavor to give a better understanding of Hatsumi Sensei budo.

On friday from the basic waza we saw many variations with and without weapons. The basic principles was the same, although the movement had its own adaptation. It was cool to see how everyone was so eager to finish their uke off, yet forgetting to play and explore in the movement. This mindset is so defeating because you cheat yourself from exploring the potential of the waza from being born. Our movement is alive, and exist in the moment or present for lack of a better word. If your having difficulities with a particular technique, maybe its because your not in the moment (mentally). We corrected this observation and everyone seem a bit more easy on themselves and managed to have fun with their individual creativity.

Anyway I’m not going to rant, just wanted to share our training with those who are interested.

 

Thanks for reading our dojo blog.

   All the best and always,

       Anthony Lucas