Last week I introduced the concept of connecting with our opponents, and how a good uke may actually hide flaws in our technique. When we lose this connection, we feel a loss of ability to control an opponent and resort to clashing or using excessive force. Through ardent practice, we can gain the feeling of truly connecting with our opponents but it is also helpful to have a philosophical grounding which reinforces our understanding in this area.

Two of my most significant breakthroughs in my Aikido training are related to this very topic.

No sane person can deny that our limbs are connected to our torso, however this fact is often not trusted in our minds during execution of our techniques. Whenever we are required to produce force through our limbs, but feel that there is inadequate connection to our hips we try to reinforce this connection with muscular strength and stiffness. More often than not, we place a higher priority in having this sense of connection and as a result sacrifice the structure in our hips. We may for instance, maintain a solid and strong upper body, however lose our balance by letting out hips rise.

If you can deeply and profoundly accept that your body is by its nature completely connected, you are able to keep your joints free which facilitate good aikido. Some of this acceptance comes from exploring the physical nature of one’s joints – understanding the ligaments, tendons and muscles, and their relationship to range of movement. By allowing your arms and legs to simply be, and driving movement from your core we are able to produce force without the sensation of doing so. This can be disconcerting, especially from the standpoint of living in a society where success is synonymous with putting in hard long effort at work, and study.

It takes a bit of a leap of faith to accept that at the instant we are born, we are connected to the universe and everyone in it. However, when you contemplate upon this matter, this fact is no less deniable than our limbs being connected to our torso. This relationship with others may feel tentative however when confronted with hostility, it feels very real.

Whenever we attempt to apply more strength to our grip, or attempt to throw harder we actually concentrate our contact point with our uke to a smaller area. In essence, the harder we ‘try’ to establish a good connection with our attacker, the further we separate ourselves. By having faith in this innate relationship with everyone, we free ourselves from having to ‘try’ and throw our opponent. Herein lies the answer to performing aikido while retaining your centre.

Contemplate this study of connectedness and implement in your next class.