Ukemi 

Ukemi

When people see Aikido demonstration, they are often amazed by how elegant and smooth the techniques are. It is partly because of the uke who knows how to perform ukemi (falling correctly). Uke performs ukemi to safeguard himself from unnecessary injuries. Ukemi is not only useful in Aikido, it is also useful in every day life and in certain sports. A person practicing a certain kind of sports can benefit from ukemi, for example motor sport racing. Once, I saw on television a motor sport racer got thrown from his bike as if he was flying because of a collision; I thought he was going to be injured badly by landing with his head first or landing flat on his chest, he instead performed a smooth mae ukemi (front roll) which save him. That action was replayed in slow motion so I could observe it; I bet that man had learned ukemi, possibly he had learned Aikido. I think there are many kind of sports that have risks of falling that can benefit from ukemi. In every day life, sometimes ukemi can save us from injury. Once, I fell because I stepped on slippery floor and I managed to perform yoko ukemi (falling to the side) instinctively saving my back bone and the back of my head from hitting the floor.

In my opinion, Aikido has an extensive array of ukemi. In Aikido, there are mae ukemi and ushiro ukemi (backward roll) from sitting and standing position; and yoko ukemi. From that basics, aikidoka learns how to take the fall from different angles according to the technique performed by nage. An adventurous friend of mine who holds black belt in Aikido said that he once attended Judo and Jujutsu class and he was able to become a good uke; with his ukemi skills in Aikido, he could adapt more easily to other ukemi techniques.

Ukemi has always been beginner’s drawback. Most of the new students can’t do ukemi. They don’t know how to take the fall. Therefore, training with new students requires extra care. Nage must perform the technique gently thus allowing uke performs basic ukemi. At later stage, whenever uke is more capable of performing ukemi, nage can perform techniques with more speed and power. Uke in the other hand, must be consequent. He must take the fall from whatever angle with no fear in order to let nage learning a technique. I read in one of my Aikido books, it is said that not only nage who emanates ki when performing a technique; uke must also full of ki and emanates ki when performing ukemi. Uke also has an advantage of performing ukemi by being able to ‘feel’ the technique. By being uke, one experiences and has the feeling of how a technique is being performed so one can perform a correct technique when being nage. There is a saying in Aikido: “To be a good nage, one must be a good uke first.”

I found it difficult to perform ukemi in my early training days. When I attended Aikido test, I saw third kyu (equals blue belt in my organization) examination. The blue belt holder was required to attack shodan (first degree black belt) as instructed and the shodan performed the technique with enough speed and power to make the blue belt performed nagare (‘flying’ ukemi). That examination bothered me. I was afraid at that time that I would not be able to perform nagare and get injured. Luckily, through practice I could perform ukemi properly later when I was at third kyu.

To be able to perform ukemi, especially nagare, correctly, it is important to master the basics that are mentioned above before. From there, it is important to practice gyakute mae ukemi. It is the basic position to perform nagare from various techniques. After that, practice nagare as uke from a technique, particularly technique that starts from grabs. Katatedori Sumi Otoshi (one hand grab, hand – push throw) is a good technique for uke to begin performing nagare from. Then practice to be uke performing nagare from Katatedori Kotegaeshi (one hand grab, wrist twist) and Katatedori Koshinage (one hand grab, hip throw). Extra care should be taken when performing nagare from Katatedori Shihonage (one hand grab, four direction throw). To practice falling from behind, practice nagare from Ushiro Ryotedori Koshinage (two hands grab from behind, hip throw). The key is to practice to take the fall from various angle safely.

Body positioning is also important when performing ukemi. Uke must take a safe position to perform ukemi. In order to do that, uke must blend with the technique in a controlled movement, not ‘over – extended’ and it is important to be relaxed. If the body is stiff and not relaxed, then when it hits the mat the resulting sound will be “Bukk!” It is because when it hits the mat, its weight is not distributed but centered in one point. It will be unpleasant to fall that way. Instead, if the body is relaxed, then when it hits the mat the resulting sound will be “Bumm!” That is the sign of correct falling; it is not painful as it seems, even more it is like getting a massage for the body which is good. As I mentioned before, uke must also be filled and emanates ki in order to take the fall with no fear.

Visualization also helps when performing ukemi. I read in a Zen or Tao comic book, there was once a wrestler who got defeated by his own student. He seek help by going to a temple. The monk told him to meditate and visualize himself as a big wave that cannot be stopped. After a while, he came back and he defeated his ungrateful student. I tried that before I took my third kyu examination that I mentioned above. I visualize myself as a nimble uke performing various ukemi correctly. It worked. But visualization only helps if there is a good foundation first. The progress of performing ukemi can be gained by constant practice.