Being the guy (or gal) who runs the dojo doesn't have a whole lot of advantages; long hours, legal and financial obligations, marketing, trying to keep everyone happy, working to vary lesson plans and avoid boredom as much as possible are examples. One clear advantage however (of running the dojo) is that of changing the curriculum and class focus when the mood strikes. Sometimes that mood consists of new training drills to help the beginners, sometimes it might be rolling into a old-new (new-old) kata that no one has seen for lord knows how long, and sometimes it might be something really different and far from the normal keiko.
As an example, our primary kata set is known by several aliases including "Ju Nana Hon", "Randori no Kata", or "The 17 Attack Movements". All beginners are immediately introduced to this work almost from day one and promotion to 1st and 2nd dan is based on an improving ability to show this work. It is foundational with most of the more advanced kata sets being based in large part upon these specific foundational techniques.
We also teach a system of knife fighting that was developed for the military by special operators for survival in the field. One night we had the idea to combine the two and show a larger picture of how Aikido can be the platform upon which one can build. It is a cold reality that if attacked from too close a distance then you (the defender) will be unable to draw any weapon, be it knife, gun, or otherwise which means that you (the defender) will have to intuitively resort to empty hand techniques first (such as The 17 Attack Movements) before reaching for a weapon. They call this the "Tueller Rule" and it is widely discussed and taught in police training circles.
So in class one night we discussed the reality of over-dependence on the weapon being carried, and when to go for it during an attack. In Texas this is very pertinent since so many citizens have concealed carry permits or carry a knife for self-defense (known as EDC or Everyday Carry). Because of this legally granted ability (to carry) combined with a lack of hand-to-hand training, the untrained non-martial artist develops an acute over-reliance on that weapon.
The result was a class session in which everyone put a rubber training knife in their obi and then had their uke attack. Tori the defender had to avoid the attack, do the empty-handed technique, and only after throwing or pinning the attacker pull the knife to finish it.
So this was a spur-of-the-moment that had value but that can only be done if you the Sensei run your own dojo, or are a senior enough Sensei such-that the Dojo-cho/Kancho allows you to do so (in our dojo our most senior people have this level of teaching authority). My old Sensei from years ago would never have allowed any such lesson (unless he himself thought it up) so that freedom of creativity (of hand-to-hand then to knife) came in the form of a very practical drill (based on a well recognized training rule, i.e. Tueller) for an important life lesson.
Another example would be drills in randori or a modification of a basic technique normally taught to beginners or intermediate players as an expanded example of what can be possible. While one may argue that beginners only need to work on the very, very basics the counterargument may be made that exposure to more advanced ideas early on results in developing curiosity about what is to come and offers a different way of doing a basic principle that may improve their current overall understanding.
So basically the ability to be creative (as the Sensei in charge) can result in better lessons, a more open-minded curriculum, and an expanded view of the principles that make everything fit together and actually work.
Your job as the deshi or junior Yudansha is to not become confused when you see something that you've never seen before (sometimes known as the "Whut tha'?" response) but instead, focus and do the work and while doing so consider the larger picture. You may be surprised at how your horizons open and how much "new stuff" you learn.
L.F. Wilkinson Kancho
The Aikibudokan
Houston, TX
July 7, 2023
Excellent post. Thanks!
Posted by: Rick Matz | July 10, 2023 at 08:08 AM