The word maai is part of Aikido.

Perhaps there is no defined distance for maai (it makes sense since it roughly means ‘safe distance’ in fighting), but at least one dojo (Totuka dojo, a Youshin-kan affiliate) specified this distance as ikken （一間） – an old unit for a length measuring 1.8m. This is the same length as the long side of a tatami mat.1

Out of the corner of my ear sometimes I hear someone say, “Watch your maai.” What does that mean? What does the speaker want it to mean? It is a multi-dimensional construct that cannot be measured with a single SI unit. Does the speaker want more speed? Closer distance? More distance? More compassion for aite?

Through multiple accounts in Japanese texts (thanks K!), maai has several meanings: one is distance (starting and through a waza), another is timing, and another can be about (human) relationships. In Aikido, I like to think it is all three.

For those who are curious, it is pronounced /ma?ai/, not /mawai/ just like CO-OP is pronounced /ko?ap/ not /kowap/ or “co-wap”.

1. http://www.seiseikai.org/totsuka/waza.html [↩]

Look at how Doshu pins this time. He doesn’t seem concerned with pinning with his one knee in the armpit. Actually, he has it in Uke‘s ribs. Could this be a casual variation? Let’s see.

Nope.

I like how Saito Hitohiro does nikyo beside Uke instead of facing him. Why would you want to face Uke when doing nikyo? In that case you would be gifting him a closer distance to strike you. Uke has to move to alleviate the pain of nikyo. Also, because Tori does nikyo on the side, he doesn’t need to crouch or bend his back which is common (at least in my technique before practicing this way).

Nikyo beside Uke

Nikyo

Uke down

Note that Saito Hitohiro’s Aikido linage diverges from Aikikai’s so his technique is closer to the North American original O-Sensei style when one looks at the footwork.

This is better

But this is bad, he says.

「これは、ダメ」って

Look at his hand movement.  I like how he does not make himself momentarily vulnerable by crossing one hand over the other hand.

Block/Stop Ukes’ striking hand before it has a chance to get to past his center.
So if uke strikes with right hand. Tori blocks with both hands, one close to wrist and one close to inside of elbow (this blocking is supposed to take Uke balance since his hand will be kept back while his body still wants to move forward, hence, upsetting his balance). The Tori does a switch grip and performs and ikkyo Ura movement and takes Uke to the gorund.

Then finish with a Gokyo pin.
For this pin the transition from the Ikkyo pin is to keep hold of uke right elbow with your left hand and slide the Ukes wrist with your right hand so the Ukes’ hand makes a vertical Z like shape. The back of Uke‘s palm will be on the ground completing the pin.

Lesson to myself:

After performing the Ikkyo Ura movement for Nikyo.

Even if you go low with the hands, keep hooking with the thumb as you bring Ukes’ hand up to chest/shoulder level then do the switch to the Nikkyo grip as you bring the hand up.
Then apply the nikkyo and after Uke taps continue the circular movement and finish the technique and pin.

I had a good day today and a very useful test with lots of good feedback and ways to improve.

Keeping that in mind I also wanted to convey a special thanks to everyone at Calgary Aikikai and Masa Kokoro Dojos for their time and support in working with me and all the others that tested.

I must say that I could not have done it with out your support and guidance. Thank you for welcoming me into your Aikido Family.

Domo Arigato.

Thank you to everyone from Masa Kokoro and Calgary Aikikai for all of their support and encouragement.

Thank you to Ben-sensei for his instruction, guidance, and encouragement right from the start of my Aikido training; to Eric-sempai, Norm-sensei, Eric Josue and the instructors from Calgary Aikikai for their guidance and efforts along the way (especially as testing drew near); to the senior students of both dojos for their guidance and assistance in correcting and refining my techniques. Thank you to me cohorts for their hard work and help provided with each-other’s training; and thank you to the kohai I trained with as your questions and willingness to train has helped me further my understanding of the techniques as much as the guidance from our sempais and senseis as you have encouraged self reflection upon my training, helping to illuminate areas of improvement or when clarification of a technique was required. Thank you to you all, I look forward to the continued training with, and learning from, that will occur in the days to come.

A special thank you to the testing committee for their time and feed back, helping me understand and learn from my weaknesses; your comments and guidance are invaluable.

Tori starts in good hanmi. Uke comes in past your guard, grabs your presented wrist, and proceeds to pull you back – this is a static waza, or you were unable to react in time. Being a good aite, you anticipate the pull back and blend with Uke‘s pull so you step back of your own volition. However, there is no rule that says that you have to step back into a good Aikido hanmi. That would actually be crazy. The Aikido stance is inherently unstable so we can respond earlier, so it is suicide to go back into that stance when, say, your wrists are grabbed from behind. Instead, pick a stable stance. May I suggest kibadachi?

I would give Uke permission to pull Tori over if he conveniently and to his own detriment steps back into unstable hanmi.

Some days are good some days are bad some days are so so.

Never trust your Uke. Well that is advice for myself, not for anyone else.

An Uke can be helpful and assist you in doing a technique but then they can change and make it difficult for you. But it is not really that they are making it difficult, maybe they or maybe they are not. Regardless, do not trust your Uke. Its every man for himself.

I learnt that the hard way today. So the solution is do the technique properly from the get go. DO NOT ASSUME  your Uke will be helpful. They may simply just not know the technique or are poor at blending or trying to help you by making sure you do it right.

This is a good thing because it will ensure that you are doing the technique correctly.

Anyway thats my advice for me for the future.

Now on to some of my observations.

U.T.Sankyo Omote:
Stepping to the front (NOT the open side). test version June 2010.
Slide out to ikkyo (ikkajo) omote, while drawing Uke‘s hand to the front and into Tori (keeping the hands low).
The grab fingers and get the sankyo grip. The step through pushing Uke forward and then spin and cut at Uke‘s elbow and bring to ground and finish the pin. Grab all fingers including the thumb when doing the pin.

U.T. Sankyo Ura,
As yout step out to the front side do Ikkyo Ura, so you will essentially be steping behind uke.
After do the Sankyo grab and bring Uke to standing on tippy toes, you should now be mirror imaged to Uke.
Cut down and behind as you step behind Uke again. Make sure you cut the Uke‘s hand behind his back and keep spiraling down until you have taken Uke to the mat.

S.U. Nikkyo Ura,
After Uke stikes as you do your Ikkyo turn (kaiten like step/spin), take Uke‘s hand low and then grab like nikkyo omote the transition to Nikkyo Ura‘s grab. Finish by spiraling Uke to the mat and pin.

All sitting pins. Make sure you clamp Uke‘s hand/arm with your knees firmly.

Gyaku Gedan Kamae: Left hand is open and open palm is resting on your center (navel area). left hand is also making a V between thumb and index finger on the Tsuka (handle).

Katate Toma Uchi: make deep step/slide back when you bring the Jo over your head.

Hidari Nagare Gaeshi Uchi: Start with Men Uchi. Then finish the rest.

Migi Nagare Gaeshi Tsuki: Start with Gyaku-yokomen uchi. The finish the rest.