INTRODUCTION

First some definitions for beginners.

• Uke is the person doing the attacking,
• Nage is the person defending themselves with a throw or pin,
• Dori is a grabbing attack such as grabbing the wrist, performed by uke,
• Atemi is a striking attack performed by uke,

A good uke is essential to training in aikido. In Aikido you and your partner rely on each other to train efficiently. Learning Aikido is not easy in the best of times but if your uke lacks the experience to bring the correct energy, grip or strike or the ability to receive the technique being practised correctly then learning becomes very difficult.  Also, since you will spend half your training time being a uke, understanding how to be a good uke is important so you can reciprocate the task for your nage.

So what does it mean to be a good uke? How much resistance should I apply? How should I stand and move? How should I grab (Dori) or strike (atemi)?  These were all questions that caused me significant concern as a beginner, not least because it was rarely taught or spoken about.  After 10 years of training, it is something I am only now beginning to fully understand.

Perhaps the best way to explore this question is to understand the martial objective of Aikido in the first place and then apply this objective to the essence of being a good uke.

THE AIKIDO OBJECTIVE

Aikido is a non-aggressive martial art which means that a defender does not initiate an attack. Akidoka learn to defend themselves when attacked, not by striking or kicking, but by absorbing the attacker’s energy and turning it to their advantage to either throw or pin the attacker.

If you accept this definition then it implies that to learn aikido techniques you need to be attacked. Further, that attack needs to be appropriate to the technique or drill being practised, as dictated by the instructor.  So, if, for example, the instructor calls for the practice of a throw called Shiro nage from an attack called shomen uchi, then it is uke’s roll to attack the head of nage with a shomen uchi attack, and it is nage’s role to defend using Shiho nage. It seems axiomatic that for nage to learn this technique correctly then uke must bring the correct form and energy to the practice, in this case, shomen uchi, (an attack to the head of nage and then be able to accept the throw and fall safely. Anything else would not result in correct learning.

Too weak, an atemi and nage will not learn how to blend with the force, or how to move effectively or apply the appropriate shape and movement to the attack. Too powerful an attack and the ability of nage to correctly perform the technique with good form may be inhibited (depending on the proficiency of the nage). This fine line between too strong an attack and too weak an attack is a difficult one and introduces another variable, the current proficiency of the partner you are training with.

Introducing too much power and energy to the attack of a beginner can potentially cause pain, inhibit learning and discourage the beginner. As proficiency and learning increase it is necessary to build up the intensity so that as you progress, the art does indeed become martial and capable of using in defence. To add a further complication, you are often training with many different ukes throughout a typical training session and you can start to see that running a successful class requires a lot of skill and attention from the sensei.

Excepting that there is a significant distance between the very experienced and the beginner, let’s look at each match up across the two training types, kihon (basics training) and kino nagare (flowing continuous training).

• The experience and skill level of nage,
• The experience and skill level of uke,
• The type of training being asked for from the sensei, Kihon (basic from) or kino Nagare (flowing continuous form),

Each or all of these variables will have an impact on the training that’s possible.

KIHON TRAINING

BEGINNER PAIRED WITH BEGINNER

This is the most difficult training combination.  Neither uke or nage yet knows how to perform the technique with any degree of confidence and uke does yet know enough about the art of ukemi. In short very little can be accomplished in this situation and should be avoided. An instructor should actively break up such an arrangement and organise the class such that beginners are always paired with experienced aikidoka. The instructor must, however, also take care that the experienced are matched with the experienced for a portion of the class even if it means beginners sit and watch for a while.

EXPERIENCED PAIRED WITH BEGINNER

This is a good situation, especially for the beginner. The experienced Aikidoka can lead somewhat showing the correct way to attack and with whatever force is appropriate. The experienced Aikidoka is also able to help step through the technique with the beginner giving pointers and directing the movements. Of course, both should always defer to the instructor for help if in doubt and attempt to perform the technique at the intensity required as directed by the sensei.  The amount of advice needs to be tempered somewhat by the amount of experience and knowledge of the experienced partner and care should be taken to never cause injury.

EXPERIENCED PAIRED WITH EXPERIENCED

This is where learning and improvement can begin to occur.  The experienced aikidoka can absorb the lessons of the instructor quickly and make adaptations and adjustments to further improve. Also, the ability of the experienced uke gives nage added confidence that whatever the technique being practised uke will not be hurt or injured.

KI NO NAGARE TRAINING

BEGINNER PAIRED WITH BEGINNER

Two beginners practising free-flowing continuous techniques should be avoided. It is not likely that the techniques will be known well enough to practice at this level yet and the likelihood of injury increases significantly.

EXPERIENCED PAIRED WITH BEGINNER

This is a good way to introduce the beginner to free-flowing techniques.  The experienced aikidoka can guide the beginner through the motion and most importantly control the speed.  The beginner can also practice with the confidence of knowing that hurting their partner is much less likely.

EXPERIENCED PAIRED WITH EXPERIENCED

Practice can now be brought together and the techniques practised in as real a speed and intensity as possible. Care needs to be taken that the practice level does not exceed the ukemi (falling) ability of each of the aikidoka. Injury is not the aim of the game – learning in a high repetition environment relies on every Aikidoka looking after each after.

SUMMARY

Learning other martial arts seems to be so much more straight forward and therefore easier than Aikido. Karate, for example, begins with Kihon training, learning the basics of striking, kicking and blocking in straight lines on your own. Kata, the most important element of traditional karate is a solo practice were injury is possible but only to yourself. Kumite (sparring) involves a lot of drills and form before free sparring begins with protective gear in controlled situations.

Learning Aikido involves understanding a different way of using the human body, a different way of moving and standing, of coordinating arms hands and feet that is completely baffling to beginners. Its all the more difficult for the fact that you are always reliant on your training partner to learn. The proficiency of your training partner will have a big impact on how well you learn.

It is therefore essential that the instructor spend some time on each technique explaining uke’s role and the intensity and force of the attack required for the technique being practised.

A note to any beginners reading this:

Just stick with it.  Your ability will approve in waves as you build up the understanding and repetitions to have this new and wonderful way of moving, throwing, pinning and falling becomes ingrained into your psyche.

This is just the beginning of our discussion on the role of uke and ukemi.

What are your thoughts on the role of uke? Please add your opinions in the comment section below and help us all continue to pursue this exhilarating martial art.