Ukemi skills and Counters

[pboylan]

Once you can do ukemi, I think you should start learning counters. Knowing how to counter a technique is a great skill for you and your partner. I'm not talking about stopping a technique, but actively taking control away from tori and applying something else to them. If a technique is solid, you can't do this, but if they are leaving openings you can. However, until you've got good ukemi skills, you can't take the next step to counters. This is what I wrote my latest blog about.
http://budobum.blogspot.com/2016/02/ukemi-skills-flow-and-counters.html

Do you practice counters, and do you ever use them to demonstrate a partner's openings and weak points?

[Scott Harrington]

In the words of Saito sensei:

There is a Kaeshi-waza for every technique. But Kaeshi-waza is too dangerous for the beginner. Perfect command of authentic basics and constant harmony with your partner's movements are the indispensable prerequisites to untrammeled Kaeshi-waza performance. In other words, Kaeshi-waza is a sophisticated art by itself.

In olden days, Founder Morihei Uyeshiba used to initiate his leading disciples into the art of Kaeshi-waza in strict secrecy as a "manual for martial competition" prior to sending them out in the world as undefeatable instructors. These instructors, armed with Kaeshi-waza, were thus able to gain leadership always in their training sessions even when they were in a defensive position.

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While not a particular fan of Saito's Iwama system, I do hold him in high regard as the "Encyclopedia of Aikido" and his writings are superb in dissecting O'sensei's techniques. I only wish he had trained with other Daito ryu practitioners to say, "Oh, now I see why Ueshiba sensei does it that way!"

I had the luxury of training once with him and it was an honor and a learning experience.

Scott Harrington

[CEB]

My 'career' was based on counters. I probably scored more points with Tani Otoshi than any other technique. This was back when Judo was still legal in Judo shiai.

[pboylan]

My 'career' was based on counters. I probably scored more points with Tani Otoshi than any other technique. This was back when Judo was still legal in Judo shiai.

You and me both. I love my tani otoshi. I still hit it more often then any other throw, and probably as much as all the others combined. People leave so many holes when they attack. I look forward to them correcting the rules once this Olympics is over.

[CEB]

Ukemi is probably the most useful thing I got from martial arts. Numerous falls on ice ..... then there was this one time I am sitting on a X-bench playing a show. I got my butt too far to left side of the bench and it flipped I landed on a large floor monitor then rolled off a 4 foot stage on to a conrete floor. The audience was probably convince I was a drunken or stoned rock 'n' roller keyboardist. I was completely sober just extremely clumsy. :D

I've done stuff like that my whole life but Ukemi is my ally and a stronger ally it is.