Following on from my earlier article, when receiving a hard attack we can be overcome by instinct and fear causing us to move in a non-ideal way. One common symptom of losing one’s centre is to ‘reach’ out to meet the attack with our defending arm. Taking a yokomen attack as an example, often our arm will be at the wrong angle to provide an adequately large contract area, exposing ribs, and even possibly channelling the blow there.

While it is clearly wrong from a technical point of view, that does little to help us correct this mistake until it becomes a part of our martial arts philosophy.

If we recall the aim of Aikido, it is not to throw or perform a technique on our opponent - that is purely an egotistical goal. I would even argue that it’s not to protect ourselves, and that self-defence is a resulting side effect of putting oneself in an unassailable position. The true goal in my mind is to place ourselves in such a superior position so that the futility of any attack is apparent. By spiritually striking into the heart of our attacker, we illuminate them to the fact that any attack they perform will result in their immediate defeat.

In the process of entering and attaining this position, we shield ourselves and potentially deflect the attack in such a way to highlight the weakness in our attacker’s structure. As with any shield, its effectiveness only extends so far as it covers our own body. So when raising our arm in defence against a strike to the side of the head, it should lift just enough to cover our temple, and remain with the area where we are structurally strong.

This is extremely beneficial in our training, as our tegatana (blade hand) can snap pretty much the to same position irrespective to the nuances of each attack. This movement can be repetitively drilled to be a reflexive shield which will activate when attacked unexpectedly. It also provides us with a tool to free ourselves from the attack mentally, by letting our shield do its work while we can maintain our centre and enter to our opponent’s weakness.

If you train kumi-jo you will know full well that the forms always place our weapons at an angle and position to form a defensive shield. If you are ever been guilty of allowing your spirit to be caught by your opponent’s weapon, I am sure that your Sensei would have berated you for participating in chambara type weapon play. Use this same principle with your empty hand techniques and feel the difference it makes.