Why Being a Good ‘Uke’ is Better Than Being a Good ‘Tori’

Quite a few Aikidokas have not even thought about this question deeply in my honest opinion. Many believe that we ‘learn’ Aikido when we are ‘Tori’ executing techniques and so they need ‘someone’ or Uke to perform in order to learn Aikido. With that in mind, they also think that ‘Uke’ is ‘sacrificing’ their time receiving & waiting for their turn to be Tori again.

If you think this is the case, then I would ask you to take a moment to read my post further, as I am convinced you are only learning a fraction of what Aikido is…

It is very much like yin and yang being the opposite of each other, but truly they need each other to form a complete shape and each is side is equally important. With Tori and Uke, there is no difference, apart that when you learn to be a good Uke, you will understand the technique better, hence why I say being a good Uke is more important than being Tori. Why is that?

Well, I can explain again from my experience in practicing this Art for over 33 years and I can give several reasons that led me to understand why being a good Uke is really crucial to understanding Aikido, to truly know how the techniques work and simply realise when they don’t.

Too often during practice, I notice every now and then Aikidokas who simply disregard their attention to being a good Uke, like how to perform a good forward or backward or sideway breakfalls. Some Aikidoka are better being Tori and than being Uke so to speak. Partially because, they believe Aikido is when Tori performs techniques, so they don’t pay much attention how to maintain their composure when they lose their balance.

Frequently, some Aikidokas will ‘quickly’ fall down when Tori performs a pinning technique such as Ikkyo, Nikkyo, Sankyo, Yonkyo or Gokyo. They drop down quite easily losing their composure or more precisely, losing their ‘centre’ (Hara). I could say the same thing when they get up after a pinning technique is finished.

I tried to understand why I see this with quite a few Aikidokas and I guess, they respond in this manner to avoid any potential pain a pinning technique could inflict, so they give themselves up quickly waiting for their turn as Tori to execute the same technique…

Some of you may say that it would be the Instructor’s fault for not teaching the breakfalls enough to their students. I would concur if there is little of this taught in classes.

To me, falling is an important part for any Aikidoka. Uke should retain their composure when they lose their balance, also they should retain their centre during any fall and likewise when they get up on their feet.

Also, Uke needs to feel the pinning technique to understand it, that way they will develop extra sensitivity and to be cautious when applying this technique with their partner.

I notice lack of Zanchin (awareness). Indeed quite a few Ukes tend to ‘switch off’ their Zanchin as soon as they lose their balance and as well as when they get up. Then, their Zanchin is back again when ready to attack, like a switch going on and off frequently.

When you step on the mat, your Zanchin should be on permanently during the whole session, so the ‘switching on-off’ should have no place during any session.

To me, being a good Uke means that they find a way to keep their centre (and Zanchin) even when they fall in any direction!

Another benefit is that Uke learns to build sensitivity with Tori, so if Tori throws you gently, you should feel their intention and adapt your fall in a gentle manner, by keeping your centre (and Zanchin), if Tori throws you harder, you would feel the intention and swiftly adapt hence forming a high breakfall (considered to be an advanced breakfall) instead of normal rolling breakfall.

By the way, worth mentioning: if Tori is performing a technique fast with Uke, it would be right to assume that Uke has got enough experience to manage such situation so that Uke can fall safely and well. Tori should not do this if Uke is not ready for advanced breakfall.

Learning to fall as Uke truly teaches you to understand how the technique works, or when it begins to work, so that when you are Tori, you will know how to subdue your Uke more effectively in certain position or angle affecting his/her balance.

Another common issue is that Uke tenses too much during the fall or pin, which could have the potential to hurt them more than staying relaxed. Being a good Uke, means you should stay relaxed and centred; thus you will be in a better position to handle the technique.

I guess the tension comes into play when Uke is anxious of certain techniques that Tori may be doing. This would be for several reasons: Uke may have had a bad injury and is fearing for a repeat of the same or another injury, or that Uke is apprehensive as Uke is not so confident in doing a forward or backward breakfall for instance.

One way to tackle this fear with Uke, is for Tori to guide Uke that Tori will not hurt their partner and that they will go as far as Uke can go with confidence. Bit by bit, Tori can redo the technique by adding more bits to it when Uke is more ready in time.

If Uke is more experienced than Tori, it would be quite easy for Uke to be more difficult for Tori to perform a technique properly, because Uke knows how to block or prevent their partner from executing a particular technique. Uke should avoid this and allow a less experienced Tori to do the technique and guide their partner so that there is a good mutual practice; otherwise, it would be quite frustrating for Tori to be blocked constantly.

However, if Tori is more experienced than an experienced Uke, then I feel that Uke should be a little bit more honest with Tori, meaning to remain strong where possible. This would give a better chance for Tori to know if his/her technique is correctly done or where they need to practice more to improve their Aikido.

Bearing in mind, that we should avoid any wrestling or any ill feeling by proving a point to your partner. This would mean you are being guided with your ego and not with your heart.

So, it is very important to always train with a good heart and to give our time to assist our partner in the best way possible. Both Tori and Uke can truly benefit a very good session by bearing this at all time.

If you practice your breakfalls (forward, backward and sideway), keep your Zanchin at all times, understand when you are beginning to lose your balance, know how you keep your composure using your centre, maintaining Kokyu feeling in your hands.

When all these are in place, I can confidently say that you will begin to discover how and when techniques work, so when you are Tori, you will achieve a deeper understanding with the techniques including increased sensitivity.

Being a good Uke will make you a stronger Tori!