Yoko Okamoto

[Taiji Rebel]

So back to your question. What will I do with the information? Grow.

Grow strong and prosper

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

you’d still have to go the path of developing the aiki principles.

Are these using Aiki principles?

 

[Taiji Rebel]

Are these using Aiki principles?

The 10 key principles in Aikido - Aikido Blog (.net)

What are the ten fundamental or key points to have in mind and to stick to when practicing Aikido? Here they are...

aikidoblog.net

 

[Taiji Rebel]

 

[JowGaWolf]

The 10 key principles in Aikido - Aikido Blog (.net)

What are the ten fundamental or key points to have in mind and to stick to when practicing Aikido? Here they are...

aikidoblog.net

So everyone trains differently but this shows the 10 principles of Aikido. The problem with this is that not everyone has the same principle. If the first statement is true, then there's no way to define 10 principles because not everyone trains the same standard.

 

[JowGaWolf]

The one thing that I see in her that I don't see in some of the other Practitioners is her strength as she applies the techniques. Compare her to Rokkas when he demonstrates the technique.

 

[Taiji Rebel]

The one thing that I see in her that I don't see in some of the other Practitioners is her strength as she applies the techniques. Compare her to Rokkas when he demonstrates the technique.

I have no idea who Rokkas is, or why he keeps being brought up in aikido threads. Trying to use a few joint locks or techniques from aikido in MMA is not in keeping with the art and philosophy of aikido. My guess is this Rokkas guy is just another YouTube personality (social influencer) making money with his channel.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I have no idea who Rokkas is, or why he keeps being brought up in aikido threads.

Rokas is a youtube guy who taught Aikifo and gave up on it. The reason I bring him up is because things the wrong way on in an ineffective manner. He makes for good contrast between what should be happening and what often doesn't happen.

Trying to use a few joint locks or techniques from aikido in MMA is not in keeping with the art and philosophy of aikido.

That depends on the perspective of the person and how that person views Aikido. I think it falls in line with it because he's not trying to win and he's not trying to compete. He's trying to Learn how to apply Aikido.

Nothing wrong with making money. Most martial arts teachers do. Either for themselves or for the school or both. I don't agree with most of what he says but he makes an effort where most may not try. The best thing about what he does is that he is fairly transparent about his failures, which people in general have a difficult time doing. This is especially true with TMA systems. Part of learning is getting stuff wrong. And he does a lot of that but he sticks to it. People can learn not to make the same mistakes that he makes and as a result they should stumble less in the learning process.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Is Aiki principle as simple as you force your opponent to move (in circle or in straight line). You then take advantage on his weight distribution? It happens all the time in wrestling.

No. While Aikido does use that principle, it's not aiki.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Are these using Aiki principles?

No.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

The 10 key principles in Aikido - Aikido Blog (.net)

What are the ten fundamental or key points to have in mind and to stick to when practicing Aikido? Here they are...

aikidoblog.net

That list doesn't actually touch most of the core aiki mechanics, though it does mention things that (when used within Aikido training) make correct usage of aiki body principles more likely.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Perhaps the most important part of that video is where she says "this has nothing to do with the arm". She's referencing the aiki body mechanics, and telling them not to bypass those by using the arm to activate the technique.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I have no idea who Rokkas is, or why he keeps being brought up in aikido threads. Trying to use a few joint locks or techniques from aikido in MMA is not in keeping with the art and philosophy of aikido. My guess is this Rokkas guy is just another YouTube personality (social influencer) making money with his channel.

He started in Aikido, and was teaching it. He tried to use it in sparring, and found himself unable to use it effectively (he was mostly reaching and grabbing for "techniques", using no aiki principles I could spot). He then went to MMA/BJJ, and has done well there. As best I can tell, he never really grasped the aiki foundation. I consider myself kind of middling at aiki, and I see very little of it even in his pure Aikido videos.

 

[Taiji Rebel]

Rokas is a youtube guy who taught Aikifo and gave up on it. The reason I bring him up is because things the wrong way on in an ineffective manner. He makes for good contrast between what should be happening and what often doesn't happen.

When watching Yoko Okamoto, you are seeing somebody with more than forty years of experience in the practice of Aikido

 

[JowGaWolf]

Perhaps the most important part of that video is where she says "this has nothing to do with the arm". She's referencing the aiki body mechanics, and telling them not to bypass those by using the arm to activate the technique.

That's what I think I'm seeing as well. One of the things that interest me in Kung Fu is using the body to generate power vs just using the arm. This can be done in numerous ways but it's always the same. The body moves, the arm follows vs, the body stays still and only the arm moves. In the video you can see when the body is still, her moving arm pulls her into the student. Moving the body prevents this. All martial arts have similar principles where a technique doesn't work unless the body or waist is what moves. This is why I hate the uniform from the perspective of someone outside looking end. The pants hide the parts of the technique that are crucial

I like the white uniforms instead of the black ones. The black ones make it feel like I'm missing 80% of what I'm seeing

As best I can tell, he never really grasped the aiki foundation. I consider myself kind of middling at aiki, and I see very little of it even in his pure Aikido videos.

This is accurate in regard to the little bit that I understand about using the body. Chasing the technique, forcing the technique, only trying to use arms are similar issues in Chinese martial arts when trying to apply joint locks and just techniques in general. Water flows where it's allowed to flow. Martial arts techniques should be like this. If my opponent's stance means that my technique should flow to the right, then I shouldn't force it to flow to the left. If I want it to flow to the left, then I must encourage my opponent to change his stance.

If I force the technique, then my opponent will resist. If I blend with my opponent "move in harmony" then my technique will naturally fit and my opponent will not resist and this will help the technique. Parrying a straight punch is a simple example of this relationship. If my opponent punches straight, then I can push the punching arm to the side where there is no resistance. Because my opponent was fully committed to punching straight, he helps the technique to work by not creating resistance to the side of his punch.

I'm not sure why Rokas hasn't picked this up by analyzing his own videos. He muscles the techniques as if he's wrestling, but even wrestling flows in similar ways. A highly skilled wrestler will disrupt your balance and enter where you aren't resisting. Even if he's training BJJ, he should be able to at least sense that type of harmony of moving with the opponent someone easily controls him on the mat. And control is probably not the right word, as it's more like his opponent is flowing with him and he is not being able to find a point in which he can begin to resist the opponent.

I would assume that his teachers would have pointed this out to him at some point of his training. My guess is that he's not listening ,(paying attention to the feeling of what is being done to him) he doesn't quite understand yet., or he's over thinking it. One of the things I train and teach in kung fu shadow boxing is to be able to do kung fu from any position my body may be in. By doing this when I feel that position then I know that something can flow from it and into my opponent. it's more difficult than it sounds. The brain gets in the way and tends to scroll through possibilities instead of feeling possibilities.

But back to your statement. The same thing you are seeing is the same thing I'm seeing. He has gotten better, but has not found Aikido yet.

 

[JowGaWolf]

When watching Yoko Okamoto, you are seeing somebody with more than forty years of experience in the practice of Aikido

I'm pretty sure it's the pants. lol. I've seen her practice in a different uniform and it's easier to tell what I'm seeing when she practices in that uniform. I probably pay more attention to legs than most people because one of my specialties to sweep and hook my opponent's foot. I've done it so much that I can tell leg position by looking at the arms and hands. If a person hits me with combos, I can tell if they are rooted or light on their feet. I can also time steps by the punches that are incoming. All of these are good skills to have if I'm a sparring with someone. They are useless when watching video or watching someone teach.

To be honest I think the black pants (don't know the formal name for them) were made intentionally to hide the footwork. visually. If I want to stop to my right at 45-degree angle, then I don't want my stance and my footwork to give me away.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

To be honest I think the black pants (don't know the formal name for them) were made intentionally to hide the footwork. visually. If I want to stop to my right at 45-degree angle, then I don't want my stance and my footwork to give me away.

The hakama is a holdover from the samurai. They were part of the formal attire (earlier, possibly derived from part of riding attire?), and were kept as part of the formal etiquette in Aikido - originally, apparently just whatever hakama they could lay hands on, so mostly their grandfathers’ colorful silk formal garb.

 

[JowGaWolf]

The hakama is a holdover from the samurai. They were part of the formal attire (earlier, possibly derived from part of riding attire?), and were kept as part of the formal etiquette in Aikido - originally, apparently just whatever hakama they could lay hands on, so mostly their grandfathers’ colorful silk formal garb.

Thanks. I looked up Hakama so my guess about it's function was off the mark. Turns out that they weren't worn to hide the footwork of martial artist. That part is just a by product but was never the purpose. Turns out it was mostly worn for status and by Samurai Soldier for riding on the horse., but it was also used by the foot soldiers as well, who would tuck them in. I can see it being a Status symbol but some of the other other explanations seem off, but it is what they say it is. I guess Fashion doesn't have to make sense.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I probably pay more attention to legs than most people because one of my specialties to sweep and hook my opponent's foot.

Leg skill are useful such as bite, sticky, scoop, sweep, cut, sickle hook, inner hook, spring, lift, break, block, twist, outer hook, ...

For some unknown reason, I haven't seen much leg skill used in MMA today.

 

[marvin8]

Leg skill are useful such as bite, sticky, scoop, sweep, cut, sickle hook, inner hook, spring, lift, break, block, twist, outer hook, ...

For some unknown reason, I haven't seen much leg skill used in MMA today.

Some leg skill, trips and throws used in MMA...