Back to Aiki . . .

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Let’s review: (All that follow are derived from Ten (gravity), Chi (normal force), Jin (specific intent)

Aiki #1: Linear co arising, mutually dependent oppositional forces
Aiki #2: Aiki #1 revolving around a central axis, creating a circle
Aiki #3: Aiki #1 and #2 with the addition of Torsion.

Now let’s see how this occurs in different areas of the body:

Creating Aiki 1,2, & 3
In the limbs –

Aiki #1 is created when tissues are in tension and bones are in compression
Aiki #2 is created when Aiki #1 is present and the limbs extend and retract, as long as both limbs move equally (A curl for example will not create Aiki #2) the two sides of the joint must move equally like a pair of scissors.

Aiki #3 is created when Aiki #1 is present, the limbs extend or retract as described in Aiki #2, and the upper and lower limbs are torsioned simultaneously. The upper and lower limbs can torsion in the same direction or they can torsion in opposition to each other. Obviously, if they torsion in opposite directions this creates even greater tension. (In this usage torsion is meant as “the twisting of a bodily part on its own axis.”

Funakoshi Gichin performs Naihanchi. He has tied his belt on the side of his body (not front).  One can see that his pelvice is staying lined with his feet.  However, his torso is clearly in torsion.  It is hard to tell from the picture, but his sternum should be in line with his belly button.  Not also that his knees remain in line with his feet.

Creating Aiki 1, 2, and 3
in the human trunk or torso –

Aiki #1 is created when tissues are in tension and bones are in compression
Aiki #2 is created when Aiki #1 is present, and the femur of the lower body extend and retract as long a the femurs and trunk move equally like scissors.  This basically is a box squat, but one is not necessarily required to squat all the way down.
Aiki #3 is created when Aiki #1 is present, Aiki #2 is present as described above, and the the trunk is torsioned. (Torsion here is defined as the twisting of a body part on its own axis.)
The best way to create torsion in the limbs is as a result of torsion in the trunk. So what is the best way to create torsion in the trunk?

Let’s focus on that:

When the tissues of the trunk are in tension it is easiest to to equally torsion the trunk. Creating torsion in the trunk equally is important to prevent sheer. Sheer in the body is not desirable. As mentioned in the caption under Funakoshi Sensei, the sternum should stay in a vertical line with the belly button.
Next, the musculature around the heads of the femurs must be relaxed so that they do not act as a break or barrier for both movement and force transference between the femurs and spine.
In particular, we want to have the muscles of the psoas in tension and free to move. The psoas attaches to the femur, weaves through the pelvis and attaches to the lumbar spine. Through the pass, movement of the femurs moves the spine and vice Versa.

This is important: The goal is not to coordinate the movement of legs with the torso, like a conductor coordinates the separate individuals in an orchestra. The goal is to utilize the direct physical connection between the legs and torso (and eventually torso and arms, but we’ll talk about that later) so that movement of one is the movement of the other.
Our body comes “pre” connected in this way. One doesn’t have to “make” connections. In fact, usually when one tries to “make” connections they either coordinate separate movements or, more common and worse still, they contract to create unification. The actual initial process is more one of “specific not doing” in the body such that the desired connections are free to “do their thing.” This is a seemingly endless process.
I’m going to write this one more time because it often overlooked and vitally important for progress.  Aiki is more often than not backwards from our instinctive sense of how things work.  It works logically, but it just isn’t obvious.  With this in mind, remember that we are going to use gravity and normal force to create movement in our bodies.  Consequently, proper Aiki movement is more often than not a conscious UN-doing, that allow movement that we desire to happen.  This is counter intuitive, but important to realize.
So, for example, when one reaches the seeming end of a range of motion, at that moment we pause and ask ourselves, search inside of our bodies, for what we need to relax, to let go of, for our range of motion to extend just a bit further.  Usually one will find places where contraction is present and inhibiting optimal movement.
Easy, right?  If you are doing things correctly, it usually is difficult at first.  It takes concentration, awareness, and the ability to access areas of our body we may not have even known about.  To be able to do this habitually requires a significant amount of mindful practice.  And, more often than not, the reward at the end is the discovery of further limitations and blockages that we had previously been un-aware of.  As Sagawa Yukiyoshi said, “You can always do less.”  And that is just the UN-doing part.
Once one begins to UN-do enough, one quickly discovers that the  level of physical development required to be an Aiki hero isn’t there yet. There is an adaptation process that begins as one begins to use their body in this unique way. Consequently, there are no “overnight successes” at this. Discoveries and realizations can come in a flash, but physical and neurological development progresses at each individuals own pace . . . which is usually a whole lot slower that we would like  That is the bad news. The good news is that it seems that progressive adaptation can continue to occur well into one’s “golden years.”
There are two basic forms of movement available. When the feet are “anchored” to the floor the torso can move. And the torso can be anchored and the legs moved. In all cases, there is torsion in the tissues of both the torso and legs.
I will mention one more thing before I wrap up for this week:  Not only are we manipulating Yin/Yang is specific ways to create Aiki.  But the results of the Aiki that we create in our bodies are not just evident outside of our bodies, like when I casually hucked that Olympic Heavy Weight Judoka across the dojo (before I woke up.)
The results of Aiki are happening within our bodies as well.  His is about as close to “eternal youth” as one might expect to get.  The tissues are used in such a way that they thicken and develop elasticity.  Since they are attached to the bones, the bones adapt in unison with the tissue development.  And instead of stacking our joints such that there is conflict, resistance and damage, we concentrate on always using the joints such that they are rolling and dissipating forces within.
Next week we can explore some useful ways of discreetly developing the torso and leg movements  movements mentioned this week.

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