Hey all, The aikido forum has been a little stagnant for a few days so, as I prepare for my next shinsa, I guess I will share a subject that I've thinking about for awhile. Henka waza - change technique - I have been questioning what the purpose of it is. From a practical point of view, it obviously helps a student display and ability to maintain control and form through an elongated execution of technique as well as allowing the student to explore some creativity. If anyone wants to touch on that, great, but what I am curious about is what henka waza represents. I've kind of broken it down into two possibilities: (1) Simply a combination of techniques? -The idea being to display proper form and fundamentals while manipulating uke through a longer series of movement than typical waza. Basically doing a combo-chain of one solid technique to the next...even if you don't throw, you take it to "uchi komi" to display the first technique could have worked...then transition into your secondary technique for the actual throw. (2) Or a representation of what could happen when one is trying to flow from a botched or no longer appropriate technique? -The idea being the initial technique started gets screwed up and needs to change into something else, or the initial technique is about to throw uke into a wall or person, etc.... Does anyone hold one more true than the other? My teacher told me both, but I'm looking for a more in-depth discussion on both of these ideas. Maybe number one is more popular, maybe number two, or maybe I am way off base in my thinking and should push my test back another year ;o). More than likely I will display both during shinsa, but I want it to be a clear distinction with what I am doing. Oh, and for jo nage, I was thinking of letting uke actually take the jo from me very temporarily and immediately countering with a jodori technique. But I'd only do that once or twice during a test, because that's a little out there....
The 2nd definition is more true to me: However, this is very tough to show with a compliant partner. With a compliant partner, the first definition you mentioned probably is more true. Instead of thinking of switching techniques, try to visualize no set technique. Use atemi to strike through a kuzushi, then take whatever technique is given to you. If you can integrate atemi into your switching techniques, that would be very cool to watch because it is easy to forget about atemi after initial contact is made in Aikido.
We do atemi 'on the reg' where I train. I guess my biggest thing is whether or not to primarily focus on combining effective techniques or displaying an ability to control uke through botched techniques that transition into solid and appropriate ones. I dunno, I will prob do a bit of both...
Hopefully nage's technique is good enough to be effective on uke....thus controlling him or her. Of course there will always be botched techniques...so one of the things I am pondering is simulating a botched technique and transitioning to a remedy.
It doesn't necessarily have to be botched for you to need to transition to snother technique. For example one common transition I used to use is from hijiate kokyu-nage to ude garame when they resist by sinking their elbow. Another I was fond of was ikkajo nage to ude garame when they resisted. It's just a matt of finding what flows into what and then when you find the resistant bit of energy you can flow into something else. This doesn't mean you've botched it just that they're not quite as easy to control.
Yeah, and that's my question: which situation should I try to set up during the conduct of a test? Is it a reaction to a tech that becomes no longer appropriate (ie uke counters or you run out of room/space, etc).
I don't think you should try to set up a reaction to a tech that is no longer appropriate, you should instead be ready for that situation when it occurs. You do that by internalizing the tech and waza and understanding that like in poker you play the player, not the hand, and can evolve (henka) tech to fit the situation when it occurs. The essence of achieving this is not being attached to the textbook implementation of the tech, but knowing when you are truly in control, or losing control, of Uke.
