They stood across from me in complete darkness, the two of us frozen in the moment. My training partner assuming a downward posture, while I stood ready to shift my body to a flying bird posture if needed.
In that moment that the attack came, the moment my training
partner swung the stick at my legs, I shifted away and avoided the attack in
that moment.
The training drill was to practice movements against attacks
in the darkness where one could not see the training partner fully, or they
type of training tool they were using.
Why did some of us avoid the attack, while others did not?
Early in our taijutsu training one begins to study the rokushaku
bo- the six foot stick. One of the reasons this historical training tool is
explored early on is so one can understand distance. Distance being one of the
movement laws of the martial arts: distance, timing, rhythm, and balance.
Distance can be hard to understand, as each technique has a
correct distance between you and your training partner to work. Correct
distance and it works correctly, if the distance begins to be off, it might
work with some adjustment or chance, distance completely off and not only won’t
it work, but also it can be easily countered (kaeshi waza).
The six foot stick allows one to see distance at a large and
long model, big movements are easier to see, and through the use of angles one
learns when on is in distance with the stick and out of distance.
Martial arts of distance.
Over time and by experiencing taijutsu, one naturally learns
the optimal and correct distance for techniques and training tools.
In the darkness of that exercise, as your training partner
stands across from you, while you are not able to see the training tool as it
is hidden in the darkness, be it a sword, stick, or spear, you can *see* and
feel the distance.
Correct distance for the correct training tool dictates how
to use taihenjutsu (body changing skills) to get out of the way.
All one needs to know is the correct distance.
No comments:
Post a Comment