I saw this online recently and just had to write my thoughts down.
The original post which was written in Japanese, and by a Japanese female Aikido practitioner. It indeed took me by complete surprise that a Japanese person would speak out like this in public.
Perhaps the opening of Aikido to the general public post war, and the Japanese culture of being careful and mindful of your practice partner, has spread a training habit to be polite and 'pretend your opponent's techniques are working'.
I sometimes meet martial artists who are saddened that Aikikai-style aikido is just a “consider someone's feelings” style of aikido.
Doshu is a kind man, and I think that he doesn't say too strictly that doing this is prohibited because he genuinely wants to "increase the number of people who love aikido".
I would like to refrain from practicing Aikido just pretending that everything works.
Right, that’s a lot to take in for a post. I am assume she means pressure testing. She wrote it in reaction to a post by Miyagino Aiki Kenren Dojo (red logo above).
Things we hear from people when we say we do Aikido:
“Is it true that people fly?” or “Are they flying by themselves to protect their joints?”
“But, you know, even though you don't touch them at all, they fly as you simply just turn your hand a little? Is that real too?"
When asked this by a person from the Kansai region, I reply with a wry smile. That's a lie. The person is flying with the discovery of the master’s technique. I call it a 'discovery throw'.
When a disciple tried to take ukemi on his own initiative, O-sensei scolded him, saying: “Don't do it yourself!” He is said to have scolded his disciple for trying to take the passive stance on his own initiative.
There may be situations in everyday life where discovery is necessary, but when you receive a real technique, discovery is not necessary and your body will naturally fly in the air.
Aikido that competes with the flamboyance of ukemi, and aikido that requires discovery by the master, are no longer necessary.
More to take in…
What I will say is that I think the way of training Aikido has been flawed for a very long time. In other martial arts, there are three ways of practicing.
(1) Katageiko - the practice of form only.
(2) Resistance of the opponent during katageiko practice (resistance that is not unpleasant for training, where we all learn but there is some pressure to explore natural reactions.)
(3) Randori and sparring.
Aikido has only katageiko practice and not the next two stages of training. In my experience of Aikido, no matter how long you have done the art, when someone strong resists you, it’s basically impossible to do anything because they know what technique you are trying to do, and because it’s usually always static or slow. You need to go into your toolbox and pull out a way to combat it and it should never be the technique the teacher showed. You have to move to plan B immediately. That’s why Catch As Catch Can wrestling is called “physical chess” because we plan a few steps ahead hoping they’ll bite. That is all part of steps 2 and 3 of training.
A lot of people use strength immediately when someone resists them. It's a natural reaction, and it's because we don't practice the final two stages of training in Aikido.
These three stages are very important, but of course it is fine if you only want to participate in katageiko too! But all options should be available in the dojo.
Why are stages (2) and (3) important?
Without (2) and (3), it becomes, like the woman said, doing it to appease the feelings of the other person.If you stay in your "comfort zone" all the time, you will not improve. It took me leaving Aikido and getting out of my comfort zone to improve my Aikido.
I’ve also come across many people who will bully you on the tatami too. I always call them 'Blackbelt Blockers' which I have not come across in my other martial arts training.
I think the rest is a matter of mindset.
(1) You don't have to have a perfect technique every time. Making mistakes, not doing well = study, training = improvement. Hell, I am the last one to be able to do 4 perfect techniques in a row! It’s the pursuit of perfection but never actually being able to do it perfectly every time, that strives us to keep going.
(2) We still practice without talking, and just imitate the teacher. It is good to practice without talking, but if this is all we do, our progress will be slow. It’s important to practice hard (which only means your 100% best you can offer on the tatami) and make mistakes and be happy to be corrected.
(3) I don't like the world “taking” ukemi. I think it should be “doing” ukemi. Current modern day ukemi is simply striking or grabbing, do nothing, look down while waiting for the opponent's technique and continue to do nothing until it’s time to move on your own. Advanced students should not be practicing this way. Strike or grab and move. Keep those foot going. React naturally and your technique will flow and your training will go to another level.
Then again, as Mike Tyson once said:
Everyone has as plan until they get punched in the mouth
Don’t get punched in the mouth!