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STUDY
GROUP TOMIKI AIKIDO - Friday
26th January, 2018
The
purpose of this weekend’s seminar is to study the connection or link
between the Sternum or Brest bone (Kyokotsu) and the elbow and how we
might use this to benefit our Aikido.
There
were six of us present at this evening's Study Group Yudansha Session.
Initially we ran through our series of functional exercises or
Exercises for Budo and Well-being.
ANKLE
ROTATION
First
starting with ankle rotations this is achieved by a large circling of the
hips. For full benefit the
head remains static and from the neck all the way down to the ankles is
circularly moved. The feet
remain flat on the mat which further promotes flexibility in the ankles.
CENTRAL
AXIS ROTATION
Cyclically
rotate the vertical line between the centre of the head to the perineum.
This is done by starting with the torso and allowing the arms to
freely swing and wrap around the body.
In performing this action the sensation of this central point can
be felt. The spine is not in
the centre, it turns around this central axis.
ABDOMINAL
ROTATION
Moving
up the body to just above the hips, the lower abdomen, we focus our mind
on the muscles in that area and move only that part of the body and the
parts above it. It is easier
to start by sitting or kneeling whereby the hips cannot move.
Once the stretching sensation is felt and retained, try standing
with the feet a shoulder width apart and then attempt to recreate the
sensation without deliberately or intentionally moving the hips, knees and
ankles.
This
movement can then be extended to a diagonal stretch, starting low in the
abdominals on one side of the torso and ending on the other side at the
back of the armpit. To achieve
this you will have used muscles which associate with the Sternum.
STERNUM
MANIPULATION
To
begin with we looked at moving the sternum up then back.
The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone shaped like a necktie
located in the centre of the chest. It
connects to the ribs via cartilage, forming the front of the rib cage, and
thus helps to protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels from
injury. It is one of the
largest and longest flat bones of the body. The
word sternum originates from the Greek word, meaning chest.
To
speak or write about moving the Sternum is clearly an abstract as it is
located amid a bone structure. However,
in realty we can move the associated muscles in this area if we focus our
mind on them.
The
first exercise uses those muscles to drive the elbows up and back (Arms
circling backwards). The
sensation of a stretch and release in doing this is sought.
The
second part of this exercise extends along the spine to the Coccyx. (Arms
circling forwards)
 Use
the muscles associated with the Sternum to drive the elbows up into a
vertical stretch. Now bend
forwards from the hip which moves the Coccyx upwards.
As the stretch is released and the arms fall, move the Coccyx
forwards (between the legs) by rotating the hips.
The knees will move forwards as you then raise the Sternum
vertically (stand up). The
movement of the knees is as a consequence of the action of the hips.
 In
a combination of the previous exercises it is possible to move the Sternum
region in a multi-dimensional figure of eight, which is turned through 90°.
The movement of both elbows are simultaneous and rotate on the
central body axis. With the
aid of a Jo (used in a Kayak like rowing action) this can assist in the
mastering of this complex movement. This
complex exercise becomes more manageable when preceded by the exercises in
the Functional Warming up sequence.
 Next
was "Gravity Effect" training, this was in the format of
forwards and rearwards repetitive Tsugi Ashi moving.
Feeling the effect of gravity and using this to assist efficient
movement is power for nothing.
Using
this concept has a stabilising effect when practising Tegatana Awase.
PUTTING
THE WEIGHT ON
Taïjū
no Dendō: or transmission of body weight.
Shotei Awase is “not” about pushing, but about putting the body weight into the training partner.
The muscles become of course under tension, but don’t actively tense the
muscles. It is possible to lift either the left or right foot and still have a body
block. Body block is not only
used during Shotei Awase, but has many applications.
Putting the weight on, is a clever application of gravity effect
while keeping control.
We
have the phrase, “Putting the weight on”.
This is not about getting fat.
J
But
it is the ability to put your weight into that of another.
WINDING
AND UNWINDING
 We
considered how to dissipate the effect of a twist which is being applied
to the arm. This
movement was absorbed by Tori as they "buckled" and wound their
limbs until all was tight. 
Tori
then released this stored energy by unwinding their limbs. First
Uke winds the wrist then the elbow then the shoulder through the sternum
and all the way down to the opposite foot.
Tori then releases this stored energy by starting with the foot and
progressively unwinding all the way up to the wrist.
This power is unstoppable by Uke.
STERNUM
CONNECTS WITH ELBOW
It
matters not if the wrist is free, the wrist is gripped by Uke or if Tori
grips the wrist of Uke. The
link with the Sternum driven action is the same.
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