Aikido: The learning of natural movement

[Mike Hamer]

I was over at a party a couple of days ago with a friend, and I saw something there that I will never forget. Me and this friend of mine (who has been going to Aikido latley) were conversating on the concept of ki. There were two small children in the room, a boy and a girl, both toddlers. The girl was being held and starting reaching for a cup, trying to communicate that she was thirsty. She couldn't talk, so she just kept reaching for the cup. I pointed this out to my friend and told him that the baby more than likely had the "unbendable arm" sensation going on at that very moment. This in turn led to more conversation about ki and it being natural in every human, and that baby's use ki very regularly,subconsciously, without making a conscious effort of it.
Anyway, the girl got a drink and started walking into the living room where we were. She tripped on the edge of carpet and fell down, but she just reached out her hands to absorb the impact. Anybody get what I'm trying to point out here? Here's the best part. After she got up she walked over to the couch and picked up someone's cell phone. She started jumping around just laughing and playing with the phone. The other child, the boy, ran over to her and tried
to snatch the phone from her hand. What happened next is the closest thing to a real "no hands throw" that I have ever seen. As the boy reached for the phone she started to circle around him, tenkan if you will, and the boy of course kept on reaching farther to try and grab the phone from her. The next thing I see is the boy fall flat on the ground, while the little girl simple completed her spiral motion and happily resumed playing with the cell phone. I'm serious! This is exactly how it happened! Phew, I just had to get my thoughts out on that event! Feedback please!

 

[Mike Hamer]

Is it that I'm the only one taking me seriously, or do you guys not have anything at all to say about this? (no replies for a few days!)

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Mike,

Actually I have observed this on several occasions with my own two children. One child will have intent and be trying to grab something and the other will move it away circularly while the other child continues to reach and finally ends up off balance and falls down.

It is pretty cool to see things like this applied in a natural untrained manner.

Speaking of that I saw someone snowboarding this weekend and they went face first into the snow. Fortuantely they reacted in a manner just like our forward breakfall and they bounced right back up.

 

[theletch1]

Is it that I'm the only one taking me seriously, or do you guys not have anything at all to say about this? (no replies for a few days!)

No, I'm taking you seriously. I read this not long after the initial post but didn't respond because I wanted to get into the dojo tonight to really analyze a few things. It's been so long since my children were toddlers that I have to stop and think about exactly how the movements came across. I have to wonder if the toddlers are moving in a circular fashion because they inherently know that the movement will unbalance their "foe" or if it's just easier for them than running with their "prize". I have indeed noticed that there are no straight lines in nature but many circles. It is possible that as a child has not been "trained" to think and act in a linear fashion like most adults that moving in a circular way is just more natural. It was man, after all, that began using straight lines for construction and therefore had to start thinking along a straight line. Maybe, as we study aikido we're not really learning how to move in a new fashion but rather re-learning how to move naturally.

Enough rambling from me for now. I'm leaving for class in an hour and I want to discuss this with a couple of classmates and sensei. Thanks for the topic, BTW.

 

[MA-Caver]

I've done the same thing when I was cruising down a long hill on my bike doing about 35 mph, hit a bump and went over the handle bars... By all rights and intended purposes I should've cracked my head on the sidewalk but instead I just tucked into a roll that had my left side asorb the impact and ended in a sitting up position on the sidewalk. Didn't plan it just did it. Whether it was natural or from previous training or both.
Some people do end up face-planting themselves because they're not thinking and relaxed when they fall. The tuck and curl may stem all the way back while we're in utero as we move around and try to compensate for the mother's different movements, sitting, lying down getting up all the sudden.. and so on. So yeah, small children seem to handle that without thinking... it's why many toddlers do well or take to gymnastics so quickly. They're like... "hey, I remember this!"

 

[zDom]

I've done the same thing when I was cruising down a long hill on my bike doing about 35 mph, hit a bump and went over the handle bars... By all rights and intended purposes I should've cracked my head on the sidewalk but instead I just tucked into a roll that had my left side asorb the impact and ended in a sitting up position on the sidewalk. Didn't plan it just did it. Whether it was natural or from previous training or both.

Had a very similar experience when I was a teen.

Somebody pulled out in front of my 10-speed while I was cruising FAST on a paved bike trail. Locked up brakes, went over the handlebars, tucked, rolled, ended up on my feet. The person who caused the accident and his buddy dropped their jaws, eyes as wide as saucers, and said,

"COOL!"

Grrrrrrrrrr......

 

[Mike Hamer]

I have indeed noticed that there are no straight lines in nature but many circles. It is possible that as a child has not been "trained" to think and act in a linear fashion like most adults that moving in a circular way is just more natural

This is exactly what I'm trying to get at here. I think as we grow up, we conform to the strict, ridged, rules of society, and this has an effect on everything we do, including movement. I believe that by practicing aiki, I am slowly starting to become more relaxed and instinctive in everything thing I do do, whether it be walking, avoiding people in a crowded room, or just plain relaxing itself. Have you ever gotten that feeling that sometimes when you perform a technique smoothly for the first time, is when it's the easiest? When you stop worrying so much about what to do next, or if your doing it "right" and you just go with the flow? I recall my Sensei saying on multiple occasions during training, "It's simple, not easy" The mentality of a baby is a simple one, they don't second guess their movements. The little girl in my case, simply wanted to be left alone to play with the phone. Her movement led her "opponent" away from his goal, which is exactly what she wanted, and her mind moved her body automatically to accomplish this goal. As we get older, this automatic reaction sort of dies down. Maybe it's because we start learning more about the world around us, and based on certain doubts and fears, we start second guessing ourselves. So maybe one trains to fine hone their reflexes, and reactions to their surroundings? They still have to go through the "middle man" if you will, or the second step in the process of stimulus to action. The small child puts their entire willpower into his or her minds desire, and mind and body move as one. IMHO!!

Enough rambling from me for now. I'm leaving for class in an hour and I want to discuss this with a couple of classmates and sensei. Thanks for the topic, BTW.

Thank you, let me know what your peers think.

 

[morph4me]

This is exactly what I'm trying to get at here. I think as we grow up, we conform to the strict, ridged, rules of society, and this has an effect on everything we do, including movement. I believe that by practicing aiki, I am slowly starting to become more relaxed and instinctive in everything thing I do do, whether it be walking, avoiding people in a crowded room, or just plain relaxing itself. Have you ever gotten that feeling that sometimes when you perform a technique smoothly for the first time, is when it's the easiest? When you stop worrying so much about what to do next, or if your doing it "right" and you just go with the flow? I recall my Sensei saying on multiple occasions during training, "It's simple, not easy" The mentality of a baby is a simple one, they don't second guess their movements. The little girl in my case, simply wanted to be left alone to play with the phone. Her movement led her "opponent" away from his goal, which is exactly what she wanted, and her mind moved her body automatically to accomplish this goal. As we get older, this automatic reaction sort of dies down. Maybe it's because we start learning more about the world around us, and based on certain doubts and fears, we start second guessing ourselves. So maybe one trains to fine hone their reflexes, and reactions to their surroundings? They still have to go through the "middle man" if you will, or the second step in the process of stimulus to action. The small child puts their entire willpower into his or her minds desire, and mind and body move as one. IMHO!!

As we get older we tend to stop doing what comes naturally and start analyzing what we do and changing it. After years of analysis and change we hit upon something that works for us and it becomes habit. Then when we want to learn something, like a martial art, we have to be retaught how to react with a childs mind, naturally, relaxed, and without thought. We go the long way round to get back to where we started. Your Sensei is right, it's simple, not easy. Enjoy the journey.

 

[charyuop]

There are many things that happen in life that can remind the way of Aikido. My Sensei speaking about to receive always uses the example of someone going out of the elevator facing someone trying to get in. It comes as natural movement a kind of tenkan, natural movement that Aikido has taken.

I watched my 21 month girl, but I didn't see anything reminding my the circular motion, but something interesting I have noticed. Kids have a natural way of sinking low to estabilish their balance...LOL and they can go extreemily low!!!

 

[zDom]

I read something (wish I could give the source..) along these lines that was related to the "no mind" concept and how it comes full circle.

When you first learn combat/to fight, you don't think — like white belts, they just DO things.

Then you get some training, and you find yourself thinking about EVERYTHING you do during a fight/combat.

Eventually you train enough that you re-achieve that "no mind" state where you just DO things.

 

[charyuop]

I noticed yesterday a curious thing. I got 4 dogs and 2 of them kinda play/fight all the time. One is always jumping against the other and it is weird how the defending dog always carries out a tenkan to avoid the other dog. Not only that, but he usually goes on with the turning motion and hits the other dog with his butt. Maybe I should learn Aikido from my dog? LOL!

 

[theletch1]

I noticed yesterday a curious thing. I got 4 dogs and 2 of them kinda play/fight all the time. One is always jumping against the other and it is weird how the defending dog always carries out a tenkan to avoid the other dog. Not only that, but he usually goes on with the turning motion and hits the other dog with his butt. Maybe I should learn Aikido from my dog? LOL!

A new style of kung fu perhaps? You could call it...doggy style!:uhyeah:

 

[crushing]

A new style of kung fu perhaps? You could call it...doggy style!:uhyeah:

That sounds much better than my idea of the dogs doing Byatchslapdo.

 

[charyuop]

That sounds much better than my idea of the dogs doing Byatchslapdo.

I like that one hahaaha.