Benefits of Ukemi in Aikido
Taking breakfalls in Aikido is fundamental and is an important process regardless how far we progress in Aikido, Ukemi will always remain present in our daily practice.
Ukemi teaches us to get out safely with forward rolling and backward rolling and it should be mastered from the very beginning if we want to really enjoy Aikido and all its techniques it offers. But the reality, is this: no one truly likes to fall, if I am honest, we prefer being Tori doing the technique than being Uke receiving it.
Why is that? Partly because of our upbringing I suppose, where we are taught from very young age to be the best, to win competition, to rule and to be the strongest, to win games so we want to be the winner. We get praised when we are the winner. The loser is seen as failing the task or as failure.
Thankfully, Aikido gives us a new and more advanced vision than conquering or winning. We practice respecting one another, there is not winner or loser, we support each other. The Art is teaching us a new and more peaceful way to live together.
So when Uke falls, he is coping under extreme pressure and retains his center despite being off balance for that reason, Uke is no longer losing but coping with the situation and gets out of it as best as possible to avoid being hurt.
When you see Uke taking a beautiful breakfall, you may be amazed by Tori doing the technique (for the beginners eyes) but when you are fairly advanced, you will also appreciate the work of Uke taking such a beautiful breakfall and you will respect Uke for his ability to do them. Not just Tori.
So I suppose this bring what I think is magical about Aikido: we respect both Tori and Uke for their part and they both have a role to play that is equally as important as each other not more important than the other. So Tori is not just the one we would truly appreciate. We would appreciate the work of both Tori and Uke when they perform a technique from any specific attack.
On the street, you would be very hesitant to do a breakfall if you were wearing a suit and tie. The dress code may hold you back for a start as one you would not want to ruin your suit, 2) you could could fall awkwardly because your suit may give you limited mobility with your shoulders when you roll over, 3) you could hurt yourself if you do not know well enough how to fall. However, you may be amazed that if you were wearing a different attire, such as gym gear, or your gi, you may feel ok to try and do a fall.
But that is not the main point of this topic here, why am I discussing Ukemi in Aikido? Well after practicing for over 35 years, I have experienced many breakfalls during training and we surely get better but I have noticed that some Aikidokas may feel more and more reluctant taking breakfalls because of perhaps injury, or simply that they feel their age and fitness is making them stall and think twice from doing this so they prefer doing Aikido as Tori and put more emphasis in doing the technique than receiving it.
To me, there would be something missing to further your Aikido. We all get older and it is important to look after your body by doing regular stretching and conditioning your body so that you can continue to enjoy Aikido to its full as it is meant to be. In fact, when you are Uke, you are actually learning the technique better ,which I have already explained in one of my previous blogs.
What I have also come to realise is that when you are receiving the technique you are facing a challenge that you need to adapt and deal with the pressure whether you are on your knees, or ready to roll over, you do so by coping with the context you are subjected into and you handled the situation by maintaining your centre, zanchin at all times and learn to discover where you should be position to best receive the technique and how to get out of the situation. To me Ukemi is like a problem we face in life: how do you cope with the situation? Do you give 50% to commitment and then change your mind or do you make a sound decision and commit 100% to what you have decided to do and accept the outcome or deal with the outcome as it comes a step at a time and deal with the present moment? To me Ukemi really teaches us about the struggles of life we are all facing and fear. Some may fear to fall but once you have got the basics mastered, you get some form of confidence to accept if the fall is inevitable you embrace this moment and do the fall at the right time (not before it happens nor after as it would be too late). The Ukemi brings us to the very moment of now so to speak and when you do fall, there is a moment where you are in no time zone during the fall, where there is no gravity either. It is difficult to explain but something does grow inside you and you feel you are being sucked into a timeless moment that is connected with you and your Partner (Tori). A good Uke, will sense how strong the power is being used and therefore how much power you must engage into your own breakfall whether it be a rolling breakfall or a high projected breakfall on the spot. The situation will only depend on Tori who will decide but this can only be done when Uke has the ability to receive normal breakfall and advanced breakfall. The Ukemi is done without fear too and the body is in tune with its centre so you are feeling relax and yet very alert to that very moment. But Uke should not be striking preempting that the breakfall will take place. When Uke attacks he should do so believe he can get Tori, which gives Tori a better training to get the technique and Awase right. In Iwama Aikido, we would often begin with Kihon so Uke begins his strong attack and Tori has the worst starting point so to speak but the training is done to also help Tori find the technique so it is not done with excessive amount of strength to subdue Uke. In fact, when technique is done correctly, there is little effort from Tori but there is only specific ways to do this. When Kihon is practiced in that manner and that both Tori and Uke can benefit 100%, we can then begin the Awase training (blending), which adds a new challenge. Uke should still attack as if he believes he will control the situation quickly. Tori has to blend in well with the attack: too soon, Uke can redirect and strike again or too late and Uke will succeed hitting Tori. The rignt blending would suggest that it is when Uke is fully committed to his/her attack and that it would be impossible to change and it would be at this point that Tori must blend and draw the power away from Uke to carry out Nage technique.
When Uke is down to the ground, many tend to switch off their zanchin when getting up, to me this is a mistake, Uke must remain connected with Zanchin towards Tori when he is falling down and when he is getting up. The Zanchin should never be switched on and off, but switched on all the time. This gives Tori a better training too as Tori will sense a higher presence and will help Tori to maintain his/her Zanchin too.
Ukemi does not mean you are ‘losing’ but that you are coping under such extreme condition rather well and that you have a plan to cope under this extreme condition. When you understand Ukemi, you will apply this thinking outside the Dojo, in your workplace and wherever you are facing any challenges that may be coming onto you. You will gain greater confidence in your physical ability (thanks to Aikido training) and this in turns will boost your mental strength in coping with pressure in life.
Aikido has so many attributes to help you and help others and to me, it has given me the ability to fight back not only against other people but to fight back against your own doubts and fears. When you conquer Ukemi, you definitely feel much stronger, more confident in you, in my case it gives me confidence I can do things just like anyone else despite my profound hearing disability. Aikido has its own way to build your body but to forge your mind and Ukemi has its magical tools transforming each one of us to be stronger.