Good afternoon from Tokyo!
We had a follow up question regarding Mituhashi Sensei's ZOOM Aikido class on the 12th of March and the technique shomen uchi shome iriminage (1). One of the students attending asked:
"It seems that Sensei before starting the technique, somehow he is sending energy towards uke by shifting his hanmi stance and his hips. I was wondering if he would talk more about this."
This movement is one that Ando Sensei has recently been teaching in his classes and which comes especially from his study of the principles of movements with the sword.
In this movement, we bring the weight strongly forward onto the front axis leg at the same time dropping our center lower. We also bring the heel of the back foot in further. This opens the hips up slightly and helps straighten and strengthen the back leg. Then we bring the opposite hip in more to counterbalance the slight opening of the hips. This revolution and counter-revolution of the hips helps create and bring power to our center. The combination of all these movements will help us avoid colliding with uke's power as we begin the technique as well as drawing uke in towards us and helping us absorb their power.
I hope this explanation is clear! It sounds very complicated and is a long explanation but is actually quite a simple movement and theory. Please feel free to ask any follow up questions!
Thank you for the explanation. I will try to integrate this into my practice but I would need some help. Can you point to a video where Sensei is teaching the movement?
And then, a follow-up question if I may. After the first movement that you already described, there is a slight straightening of the front knee. Why is that?
Thank you again for being so helpful.