We have had a request to do an in-depth seminar covering Ukemi (the Art of Falling). This seminar will cover the finer details of correct techniques, teaching and back-leading Ukemi, and multiple Ukemi drills. The seminar costs $25.
Techniques covered will include, among others:
- Slapping Drills
- Crossing Drills
- Floor Techniques
- Long (Distance) Falls
- High Falls
Ukemi Seminar: $25
Friday, April 3rd, 2014
6:45 – 8:15 PM
The Cultural School
255 Magnolia Ave., Goleta, CA, 93117
Below is an excerpt from an article written in 1998 by John Sing.
The Importance of Ukemi, Rhythm, and Timing in Aikido
Question: Sensei, you feel extremely high emphasis on advanced Ukemi as the first and most important ingredient for good Aikido. Why do you feel so strongly about this?
Ota Sensei: My experience has been that advanced Ukemi (breakfalls, high falls, kickouts, ‘body-only-slap‘, etc.) is the most important, essential skill necessary to allow Aikidoka to progress as quickly and proficiently as possible. But for surprising reasons in addition to the traditional reasons you might expect.
We discovered in Goleta that with advanced Ukemi speeds, students would naturally begin to develop the speed, rhythm, timing, and endurance necessary to do Aikido at real-life speeds. I am responsible to see that all my students can express O’Sensei’s “Way of Loving Harmony” not only in the dojo but outside in real-life situations. In order to do that, long ago aI started to develop ways to teach each of them to be able to do Aikido at real-life speeds, both physically as well as mentally: and to do it smoothly, relaxed, enjoyably, accurately, and subconsciously.
Now, I am well aware that high speed Aikido training, improperly done, will surely cause serious injuries. Yet, no one could ever do good Aikido at real-life speeds unless you’ve specifically trained at those speeds and levels. We have successfully developed training methods and tools that can safely and reliably create this kind of high level Aikido training for everyone. The foundation that makes it all possible is high technology advanced ukemi.
