| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Bels
Old Hand
15 Posts |
 Posted - 23/11/2006 : 10:10:42
|
THis purpose of this post is considering how to help our taijitsu improve but without necessarily training. I was wondering what activities to do that will be of benefit to training and taijitsu?
I find yoga helps my flexibility thus my understanding of how my body works and doing fire staff has helped me use sticks but unfortunately hasnt helped my foot work. So the question is what do people on here think about how to benefit training and taijitsu that can be done outside of the dojo????
bels
It ain't no sin if you crack a few laws now and then, just so long as you don't break any
|
|
|
PaulB
Overfiend
50 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2006 : 14:07:30
|
Ah, great question bells!
On of my own outside practices is crazy ninja walking! Its a good habit to get into, and one you can practice anywhere after you've practiced enough to make it reasonably subtle/invisible(otherwise people might mistake you for an early human ancestor and capture you for archaeological study- at least, thats what i'd do...ahem.)
Ok, getting back to the topic in hand, practicing walking:
with your toes pointing out at 45 degrees or so (eg, from shizen), taking small steps, rolling your weight from the outside of your foot to the inside as your weight lands, and with your knees slightly bent, back straight, ribs raised, chin in, and trying not to bob up and down while you move..
can help you to improve your taijutsu and particularly your maneuverability and weight transference. As hatsumi says, if you can walk then you can do ninjutsu, and he's said to practice this and other kinds of walking for two hours a day around Noda in Japan with his dogs.
I'd recommend reading the exercises for greater sensitivity section of "Shadow strategies" by the late Doc Morris (see the library) for a really good description of how to do this, the above points are meant to be a rough illustration of some of the things involved, not a how-to-do.
Experiment with it at home or in between techniques and the warm-up in training (if you've noticed me wandering in a slightly odd fashion at any point at training, I'm actually practicing and experimenting with the above), then when it starts to feel good (really it does when you start to get it) then try using it in some techniques and using a less exagerated version in your every-day walking....
Much mobile fun! (oh yeah, can help your ukemi as well, if you're prone to falling over!)
paul
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Although we may be meeting for the first time, I accept everyone as a friend.
In truth we already know one another, profoundly, as human beings who share the same goals:
We all seek happiness and do not want suffering"
-HH the Dalai Lama-
|
 |
|
|
Owen
Old Hand
22 Posts |
Posted - 23/11/2006 : 17:11:06
|
Following on from Paul's mandate from the Ministry of Silly Walks... 
I'm practising moving from one stance to another around the house at the moment (particularly useful in the kitchen hicho is great for closing cupboards!) in an effort to try and develop smoother transition, and also trying to feel more natural in the stances.
Of course, my flatmates think I'm completely mad, but by friend Harvey says it's perfectly normal! 
"It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?" - Ronald Reagan |
|
|
|
thekeeper
Waffler Extraordinaire
55 Posts |
Posted - 24/11/2006 : 16:36:55
|
Hard question. If i recomended exercises for you to try then that would still be "training". just not in the dojo sense.
be careful with ur staff spinning. although it gets u used to having a stick in ur hands and moving it around its not teaching u ninja movement and if u try to mix the two together it could lead to problems.
It is not "I am doing this" but an inner realisation that "This is happening through me". |
|
|
|
Alex_W
Old Hand
21 Posts |
Posted - 24/11/2006 : 20:37:10
|
Oh please by god (buddha/jehovah/anyone who cares) dont let me got on a rant about circus and their ability to "use weapons"!!!!!!!
Yes, it gives you experience of having an object in your hand, but it drums in so many bad things (like to see you use the full length of a fire staff) that im sure i have pointed out in the past!
I find the best way to practise my taijutsu is to change the way i walk very little, i.e trying not to lock my knees whilst walking by lowering my body weight, but only very slightly, and using the hips a little more. Aswell as this, be aware of your surroundings. see where other people are walking and any objects that may be getting in the way. i.e through crowded area, shopping centre (girls) pubs/clubs (blokes) see how many people you bump into, walls/boxes you walk (roll) into
Second, and last (of my unusually long post). From the original question, look at what you consider to be training... i think that walking into uni of a morning a way of training, moving around the house as a part of training, playing with my cats when at home as a form of training. Just because im not in the dojo does not mean im learning about the environment in which i live... i feel im wandering so i will stop rather abruptly. I find i can never get my thoughts in line when posting on the forum!
Feel free to ask me in pub after training to tap into the strange ideas that form my days!
Catch you all later
Alex
Damnit! I cant think of anything intelligent to say! - Me |
|
|
|
Alex_W
Old Hand
21 Posts |
Posted - 25/11/2006 : 10:47:41
|
Just another point on the practising of my taijutsu which i ment to make in my last post! (like i said can never order my thoughts) I only change the way i walk a little, as otherwise its just not natural. Yes the japanesse walked a different way to us westerners, but they also different in many other ways! For me now to start trying to walk like a japanese person after about 22 years of walking like a westerner just isnt going to happen. Thats why our martial art os so effective, its adaptive to the practitioner. Yes my movement is going to have to change, but not so much that i look like an "early human ancestor". Like i said, its not natural for me.
In short, whilst outside the dojo, try and think how what your doing and how your movement affects it. Dont know how clear that is, but its what i do, and i very rarely trip over my own feet
Alex
Damnit! I cant think of anything intelligent to say! - Me |
|
|
|
Paul G
Newbie
2 Posts |
Posted - 25/11/2006 : 17:48:18
|
I find new street station at a weekend a good test of taijutsu skills...........and self control  |
|
|
|
PaulB
Overfiend
50 Posts |
 Posted - 27/11/2006 : 14:21:26
|
Ah, the good posts keep rolling in!
One point from earlier tho, a few people have seized on bels fire staff comment, but I'm pretty sure she was simply referring to it giving increased familiarity with holding sticks of different lengths and finding their balance, rather than saying the movements have practical combative applications, or have dictated her long weapon work- hence her footwork comment! I've found similar things useful from working with a multitude of digging tools on site, but certainly wouldn't consider any of the motions combative....except maybe against aggressive moles...
Anyway, certainly wasn't seeing much firestaffy about all the long weapon work she was doing at the seminar over the weekend (tho thinking about it, a burning spear would have been even more intimidating....!)
Liked the point you made alex about finding your own natural way, using traditional stuff as a basis for pointers, but not getting tied up in it. Tie's in nicely with many admonitions mr bogsater was recently making about finding natural feeling and giving your training real life!
Lol- Also seems that New street is a fave spot for extra-curricular training amongst the club, pretty sure that i inadvertantly avoided being pick-pocketed on that ramp through practicing my ninja walking- be fun to see some of the cctv footage the club has generated there methinks !
Take care and see y'all soon!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Although we may be meeting for the first time, I accept everyone as a friend.
In truth we already know one another, profoundly, as human beings who share the same goals:
We all seek happiness and do not want suffering"
-HH the Dalai Lama-
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Things to help our taijitsu?
