Keep Your Frame

As my training progresses my understanding of Yoshinkan Aikido deepens.  I can see how some of the more ethereal concepts begin to overlap.  Mustard Sensei makes a point to state over and over “To truly have power, don’t use power”.  Sounds mystical.  Sounds cryptic.  What does it mean?

In a previous post I discussed how to release your and flow to yeild to Uke and steal his power, to “Steal His Heart”.  This is also accomplished by keeping your frame. 

When we move we need to move as a unit.  The movements in Yoshinkan Aikido may seem as if they flow, well they do, kid of sort of.  This has been the focus of my training as of late.  Bindner Sensei has opened my eyes to something that is so simple yet complex.  At first glance when watching a technique it may seem to a casual observer that the person was thrown to the ground with a closeline or had their wrist bent with Shite’s hands but this is not so at all.

Here is the ethereal part:  It is all in the hips.  I have heard this many times.  Control Uke with your hips.  Keep Uke in your centre (Where your hips just happen to be).  So how do you hold a person’s wrist and drop them to their knees with your hips?  Keep your FRAME!  Move as a single unit.  Keep your body locked and in alignment, then when you move you drive forward with your hips which in turn brings the entire power and weight of your whole being against Uke’s wrist.  Uke is helpless to resist such a movement.  Your entire being targeted against one part of Uke.  This is what makes Aikido so impressive, so magical and to the casual observer almost mystical.

It sounds like such an easy thing to do.  Sure, keep straight.  Not so.  We are not hardwired to move in this manner.  We need to practice moving with our body as a whole, keeping our frame.  We need to overcome the natural reaction to move part of our body and allow the rest to catch up.  This takes practice and focus, the spirit and essence of Yoshinkan Aikido.

Ous!