Month: February 2020

A quick note on training – training is a fundamentally cooperative endeavour. It’s not win/lose. Kata-based training has pre-determined attacks to let us train pre-determined responses there is no “winner” as both parties are practicing.

There are opportunities during randori to see how changes in speed an intensity will affect things but it is up to the dojo-cho to decide how and when to do this. If your technique is poor when you’re going slowly speed, resistance and intensity really won’t improve things.

Resisting techniques or trying to move to counter what is happening or reduce its effects isn’t just very low quality training it’s actually dangerous. I choose my ukes based on their ability to simply accept a technique. This allows me to demonstrate what I need to and explain what I want to. If we’re practising omote gyaku for example it is uke’s job to attack correctly and receive the technique correctly. If you think it’s a win/lose situation and that resisting the technique makes you the winner you’ve completely missed the point. The reality is that it simply forces your training partner to use more power or to alter what they’re doing to adapt to your low level understanding and ukemi. This poses a great risk of injury. It also makes you a poor training partner and hard to teach.

Relax and learn to accept the pain and discomfort of training. Help your partner to learn correct timing, angling and structure by letting them practice correct technique. Mastering your fear of pain and discomfort is one of your first steps to developing fudo shin (an immovable heart).

There will be two seminars with Dai Shihan Ed Lomax in May 2020. Ed was long time resident of Japan where he studied with Dai Shihan Nagato Toshiro and Hatsumi Soke. Ed is a very experienced practitioner of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and these seminars will be a great opportunity for all Bujinkan practitioners (also lots of fun). The seminar dates are:

Saturday, 16th May – Bujinkan Dwyer Dojo in Celbridge. Fee €50

Sunday, 17th May – Bujinkan and Amatsu Therapy Galway. Fee €50 (€40 if you have also attended the Saturday seminar)