VALENCIA TOMIKI AIKIDO

SPANISH STUDY GROUP AUTUMN SEMINAR & JAA GRADING

EDDY WOLPUT 7^th Dan, JAA SHIHAN

ALMUSSAFES DOJO

Municipal Sports Centre (Pavellon)

Carrer Poliesportiu,

46440 Almussafes,

Valencia ,

SPAIN

Event:

Seminar con Shihan Eddy Wolput:

for Valencia Tomiki Aikido · by Michael Thraves

Date:

16^th November, 2018 at 19:00pm to 18^th November, 2018 at 14:00pm

Almussafes , Valencia , SPAIN

Details:

Seminario con Shihan Eddy Wolput 7 Dan JAA. Este seminario es para todos los niveles y grupos. Para mas información contacte Michael Thraves

Host:

Valencia Tomiki Aikido

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - Friday 16^th November, 2018

This evening's session started with Tandoku undo and with eleven of us participating.  We looked at the importance in the connection of stretching the Torso and releasing this stretch in order to bring the arm downwards from the elbow.  There must be no forced muscular power in this action.  Gravity assists the action by tilting the body forwards.

The knee of the leading leg is moved forwards which allows the heel to be raised and create a "rounded" foot action.  The trailing leg swiftly moves forwards which assists stability.

We used various routines to illustrate the concepts.  For example, starting from a static push-up position and relaxing the bracing muscular power from the arms in order to induce a feeling of emptiness in the arms.  Afterwards we partnered up, touching palms to see if the arms were more relaxed!

To illustrate the skin effect concept we put our forearm on the mat with the hand palm down. Using the other hand to loosely hold the arm near the wrist, move the arm along the mat.  This movement of the arm is possible due the movement and flexibility of the skin.

An application of this is when gripping the wrist, start with the middle finger and thumb then progressively add the other fingers.

The “real” skill now is to introduce these ideas and concepts into our Aikido.  We used Basic Kata 1 to 6 to study this.  Always meet in Tegatana with the arm relaxed and not tensed.  Some key points were:

SHOMEN ATE

·         Attack the forearm, but not by striking it in a brutal way.

·         Reinforce this action by swiftly placing the other hand on Ukes wrist.

·         Move the hand to just in front of Ukes chin, not touching. During this action, the avoidance footwork has taken place.

·         Move the knee forwards and through Ukes foot-line. Tori using the rounded foot principle.

·         The hand touches Ukes chin and uses the skin effect to move Ukes head.

AIGAMAE ATE

·         Control the elbow, stretch Uke’s arm and don’t pull.

·         Control Uke’s balance so that they cannot step.

·         Attack Uke’s chin and don’t touch.

·         Use gravity effect to control Ukes balance to their rear.

·         Step and touch Ukes chin to throw.

·         Use skin effect on Ukes chin.

GYAKUGAMAE ATE

·         Grip Uke’s forearm close to their wrist.

·         Use skin effect by gripping using the middle finger and thumb initially.

·         As the other fingers engage there will be a slight and natural rotation which is not forced.

·         Attack Uke’s head without touching.

·         Use gravity effect to reinforce the control of Uke’s balance.

·         Step and connect with Uke’s upper chest, use skin effect to throw.

·         Don’t use opposing force against Uke’s chest.

GEDAN ATE

·         Grip Uke’s forearm close to their wrist.

·         Use skin effect by gripping using the middle finger and thumb initially.

·         As the other fingers engage there will be a slight and natural rotation which is not forced.

·         Threat an attack to Uke’s head, don’t lean in towards Uke.

·         Uke close-off all Chudan entry options by raising their arm.

·         Tori drop their posture and enter in below Uke’s arm; avoid attempting to push the arm up.

·         Step and connect with Uke’s lower body to throw.

USHIRO ATE

·         With Inside Turn action Tori connect with Uke’s inner elbow with one hand and on the wrist with the other.

·         Continue by first dropping Uke’s arm then pushing the arm across their body to create a turn using Tsugi Ashi action.

·         Maintain contact with Uke’s wrist whilst making contact with Uke’s far shoulder.

·         Tori use Tsugi Ashi action across to Uke’s back and place the other hand on Uke’s other shoulder.

·         Using an imaginary “rotating the Jo” action, pin Uke to their heels.

·         Tori move back to use gravity to throw; don’t pull Uke.

OSHITAOSHI

·         Grip Uke’s wrist with one hand, with the other in place and ready to grip.

·         Use a Kyokotsu driven winding action to twist Uke’s arm up and across.

·         Whilst stepping, outside leg, inside leg, Tori rotate both their wrists forward.

·         Tori use gravity effect to control Uke’s balance; don’t brace or use Uke as a prop.

·         Push and rotate the arm downwards whilst continuing to rotate the wrist.

·         Take Uke to the mat using Tsugi Ashi action with the outside leg.

·         Tori place Uke’s wrist joint onto the knee joint and stretch the arm forwards.

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - Saturday 17^th November, 2018

To open the morning session we worked movements of the Kyokotsu and Tenshikei and the link with the elbows and how to check each other for correctness.  To start the practical part of the session, Eddy and Michael performed a demonstration of Basic Kata as an example of how to present it and including the etiquette.  The style emphasised many of the points currently covered in the Study Group sessions.  It has to be emphasised that this is just one way of presenting this and it is not the only way; having noted that, it was an excellent performance.

For the balance of morning session we continued with the elbow techniques from Basic Kata.

We looked at and discussed the differences in starting the Joint techniques, Kansetsu Waza. One hand passing to the other or both hands together, styles of gripping.  In earlier days the Masters tended to clearly start the techniques with one hand then add the other.  This has developed into what appears to be both hands together.  The perspective could be interpreted either way as the time between one hand and the other is so close; maybe it is really just about the delay between each hand gripping?

ISSOKU ITTO NO MA-AI

We had some discussion on this concept of optimal distance between you and your opponent.  For example, once the decision is made to attack the distance must start at one step to the target.  It is the closest point that you can get to your opponent.

PERSPECTIVE

·         A particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

·         A point of view.

TAI SABAKI

This has three components.  It is important to grasp the concept of the upper and lower body sections working independently.

o        Loosely the arms (Te Sabaki)

o        Loosely the feet (Ashi Sabaki)

o        The Torso, specifically the Koshi and with this being under the control of the Kyokotsu.

In the afternoon there was a short practise and preparation session followed by a JAA Grading for four students.

·         Juan Rabadan                   3^rd Dan

·         Carlos Armero                  2^nd Dan

·         Ann Robson                      2^nd Dan

·         Tony Marti Munoz              1^st Dan

The JAA panel comprised:

·         Eddy Wolput                     7^th Dan

·         Adrian Tyndale                  6^th Dan

·         Michael Thraves                5^th Dan

All the candidates were successful and so our congratulations extend to each of the four students.

In the evening we travelled to Xàtiva town centre to try a, new-to-us, restaurant called “Ganesh” where we enjoyed food and drinks courtesy of Audrey and Michael.  The waitress spoke in Dutch, to our surprise.  Thank you both for an excellent choice.

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - Sunday 18^th November, 2018

With the class being, all-bar-one, at black belt level today, we ran an Aikido Master class.  We continued to use Basic Kata as a testing ground for our ideas and slowly completed the last two sections.  Eddy spent some time demonstrating and discussing the different levels of practise.  Yesterday we watched a demonstration of Basic Kata performed at the level of 7th Dan.  The theme throughout featured involved concepts which would not be expected from, for example, a 1st Dan.

What should not happen is to mix different concepts within a single technique, which is so often seen.

The level shown in each technique, for example, for 1st Dan must still be logical and correct but the expected standard will be lower than for higher grades.

For Budo techniques don’t change the interface.  In the practice of Randori or free-play it is described as chaotic (random) the attacks are not prescribed and are an unknown.  Furthermore the role of Uke and Tori is continually interchanging.  For Shiai it is a little more formal in so far as there are a series of known and fixed attacks.  In Budo the aim is to keep and maintain the interface between Tori and Uke and not to change it.  In Sports Aikido one of the skills is to keep changing the interface in order to fool or trick your opponent.  The interface is the specific connection between the two partners, whether it is the application of a wrist technique or any other.  To re-grip, modify or change the grip would be deemed as changing the point where the two partners meet or changing the interface.

Whilst in Xàtiva we stayed at the local Hotel Vernisa which was pleasant, comfortable and convenient.

It was lovely to see and train with our Spanish friends and to Audrey and Michael thanks for a great weekend.

After the seminar a time to chill out and relax in the untypical Spanish wind and rain!  L

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO SESSIONS FOR 2018 . . .

07-09Dec2018 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

(Proposed) STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO SESSIONS FOR 2019 . . .

04-06Jan2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput (New Year Kampai)

25-27Jan2019 Almussafes, SPAIN with Adrian Tyndale

15-17Feb2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

08-10Mar2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

??Mar2019 SAKURA Dojo, Brussels, BELGIUM with Akira Hino

16-17Mar2019 BAA NOTR Seminar, Basildon, UK with Yoshiomi Inoue

16-17Mar2019 DAIKAN Dojo, Malaga, SPAIN with Tadayuki Sato

13-14Apr2019 Rising Dawn Seminar, Dublin, IRELAND

26-28Apr2019 Sofia, BULGARIA with Eddy Wolput

17-19May2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

07-09Jun2019 Almussafes, SPAIN with Yoshiomi Inoue

14-16Jun2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

SUMMER BREAK

13-15Sep2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

07-14Oct2019 13^th International Aikido Tournament, Malaga, SPAIN

19-25Oct2019 Master Class Paris, FRANCE with Akira Hino

25-27Oct2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

15-17Nov2019 Almussafes, SPAIN with Eddy Wolput

06-08Dec2019 Antwerp, BELGIUM with Eddy Wolput

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - Tradition and Knowledge

Chief Instructors/Examiners Study Group Tomiki Aikido

Eddy Wolput                 7^th Dan (JAA) - JAA-Shihan

Frits van Gulick              7^th Dan (JAA) - JAA-Shihan

Yoshiomi Inoue              7^th Dan (JAA) - JAA Senior Instructor

Instructors/Examiners Study Group Tomiki Aikido

Adrian Tyndale               6th Dan (JAA/BAA) - JAA-Shihan Dai - International Silver Medallist

Gina De Weerdt             5th Dan (JAA) - JAA-Shihan Dai - former European Kata Champion

Koos de Graaff               5th Dan (JAA)

Mike Thraves                 5th Dan (JAA) - JAA-Shihan Dai

Pierre Alain Zeiter          5th Dan (JAA) - JAA-Shihan Dai

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - TECHNICAL WEBSITE:

https://studygrouptomikiaikido.wordpress.com

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - ARCHIVED REPORTS:

http://www.aikidouk.co.uk/study-group-reports.htm

STUDY GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO DOJOS:

https://studygrouptomikiaikido.blog/content/

Valencia (Xàtiva) Tomiki Aikido AP484,  Camino Pinana,  Xativa 46800,  Valencia   SPAIN Phone: 0034 96 228 7528          Mobile: 0034 685 022 514 Email:                                  support@xativa-aikido.co.uk

© Valencia (Xàtiva) Tomiki Aikido 2006