My name is Ben Fitzpatrick, I have been teaching Aikido for more than twenty years now, and I still come across new ideas or different perceptions of old ones.
The source of these ideas comes from teaching complete beginners. Their interpretation of a technique is as individual and unique as they are themselves.
The Essence of Perception
Perception in its essence is the way we see specifics as individuals.
A certain hand movement “Te sabaki” or a body movement “Tai sabaki” is perceived differently by everyone, as individuals we each see different things while looking at the same series of movements.
It’s very important as an instructor of anything that we understand this true fact. Even though when practicing Aikido we all see and understand at different levels of consciousness, this fact remains and because of this fact we all learn at different speeds because we are individuals.
I find it fascinating still to witness the way a simple movement within Aikido, by an Aikidoka (practitioner of Aikido) or a complete beginner, can cause so much confusion within the same technique. Even the accomplished Aikidoka can perceive the same technique in a very different way. This is why we practice and repeat and repeat and go over and over again and again to perfect a single technique, but no matter, it will always be done as individuals. We all have different postures, arm lengths, leg lengths and individual understanding. It’s what makes us different. This is all part of the ESSENCE of PERCETION.
For many years now I have prided myself in realising the fact we are all individuals, we all progress at different speeds and different abilities to understand and recognise subtle differences in the movements within a technique. These subtle differences can cause some people to almost pull their hair out, while others wonder what all the fuss is about.
Week by week practice does make perfect, not necessarily a perfect technique, but a perfect understanding of the movement and posture needed to create the result of that technique.
Repetitive training and constant perfecting of understanding will result in a competent level of skill and knowledge, thus giving us the ability to defend ourselves and our loved ones should the need arise.
Practice and Ability
If we are partnered by a person who struggles with footwork, and understanding its benefits within a technique. We must slow down our pace to the point of mutual understanding, so we all understand and benefit from the experience.
Why rush through the technique only to be slowed down again because of our partner’s lack of knowledge.
It definitely benefits all to practice at the speed of the struggling person so he/she truly understands the technique at a pace which will give insight and confidence so they enjoy practice. This also benefits the more accomplished Akidoka as moving slower than usual will enforce their own understanding of technique because they become the teacher in this instance, and as teachers we must bolster confidence and knowledge to the point of mutual understanding.
The Key
The key to Aikido is “Don’t Get Hit”
If you move you will not get hit or at the very least you will not be injured as much as if you were stood still.
If you move well and your balance remains unbroken you move faster. It is just a matter of practicing till you are able to defend yourself adequately to allow you to be uninjured in the event of an attack.
Balance and posture will ensure that within an attack you can manipulate the posture and balance of an attacker, using his/her body against them, thus rendering their attack useless or pinning them to the floor or in an uncompromising position.
Movement with posture and balance is a skill in itself, attaining these skills just takes practice…….a lot of practice!
The direction you move is determined by the attack and the defence we choose to use.
If an attacker pulls back an arm or withdraws in his posture- we ENTER (Irrimi)
If an attacker strikes or drives forward – we TURN (tenkan) to defuse or minimise the power of the strike.
If an attacker does neither, we can choose, and instigate a response in a predetermined way, which in our mind we would like him/her to do in order for us to use a specific defence.
Developing these skills requires a commitment by us in our training, knowing that these skills take a long time to become second nature, we must practice and practice with the correct intensity to perfect our movements.
The principals of movements become more apparent when using weapons.
Training with weapons increases the reactions and responses of our bodies. You must endeavour to move quicker over longer distances at greater speed, but still in a balanced and calm manor.
You must move Irrimi, tenkan or sotto (to the side) of your attacker dependent upon the weapon he uses and the defence we have chosen to use. Tai sabaki should be swift and intentional so as not to get hit.
NEVER turn your back on an attacker with or without a weapon.
Do not move to the live side of a weapon (the cutting edge side)
This requires ZANSHIN (awareness).
Zanshin is more important than ever when training with or being attacked by weapons.
You must remain aware of your attacker and or anyone else close to you or within striking distance.
Spatial awareness will enable you to disarm an attacker safely for you and him.
Treat the practice sword (boken) as you would a real katana (samurai sword).
Treat the practice knife (Tanto) as a real knife. But at the same time we need not fear these weapons, we must practice to become fluid with skill and movement to disarm an attacker whilst using Zanshin.
When I teach the defence from an attack with a weapon I use this analogy, look at the boken as a katana and the katana as you would a boken, wood becomes metal and metal becomes wood. I use this train of thought as a way of losing the fear of the reality yet still using zanshin and remaining aware of the blade.
We do not touch the blade area with our fingers, we disarm with skill and conviction not sloppy and slap happy.
We must leave our attacker in awe of our skill, so much so it will defer him from another attack and make him think twice about attacking someone else in the future maybe.
Our art should be and in my Dojo (place of learning) is practiced in the pursuit of a higher consciousness and understanding to perfect skill and ability.
NOT TO INJURE OR CAUSE HARM to anyone.
So to conclude this introduction to me and the way we practice.
AIKIDO: Develops you as a whole being.
1. Spiritually
2. Mentally
3. Physically
We must learn to perfect these 4 principals.
1. Keep one point Balanced
2. Relax completely Calmness
3. Extend Ki (inner energy) Energised
4. Keep weight underside Light and Flexible
This is my way and the way I intend to teach. It’s practised and perfected for over twenty years.
WELCOME TO JIRIKIMUSUBI DOJO