Aikido nikyo
Ki no musubi
I am practicing Aikido since 26 years. My teacher of the last 21 years, Walter Richter, has a deep understanding of the Aikido techniques. He shows us connecting the ki energy of uke and nage, ki no musubi (connecting ki).
Nikyo ura deeply connects uke (receiver of the technique) and nage (applying the technique). No other technique has such a substantial area of body-contact between uke and nage. Much energy flows from uke to nage and vice versa.
Normally we understand nikyo as a torque of uke’s hand against his forearm. Applied to uke’s right arm, nage fixates uke’s hand at his right shoulder region beneath the clavicle. Pressure and rotation against uke’ forearm with nage’s left hand intensifies the torque on uke’s wrist joint, causing pain, mainly on the ulnar-side (side of the small finger). When uke rotates his upper body to his right side, then the technique becomes more effective.
Nikyo is complex technique, because there are so much components of fixation, rotation and whole body movements. Aikido beginners often need years to perform nikyo effectively. Even more advanced students may have difficulties.
Recently, Walter taught us an additional component which is effective and makes nikyo easier. Connecting the centers of uke and nage gives a better feeling and makes the technique more effective. Mechanically speaking, it is a compression. The right hand of nage applies the force towards the center of the uke, while the left hand applies the force towards nage’s center. This compression enhances the basic rotation of the forearm against the hand.
This component connects the centers of uke and nage also in other techniques. Take kote-gaeshi, which is a mirror image of nikyo. While the uke’s hand in nikyo rotates outwards, thumb down, in kote-gaeshi the hand rotates inside, thumb up. Therefore, the same principle applies to kote-gaeshi. Nage moves uke’s hand into uke’s center, and the forearm into his center.
Try it. Onegaishimasu.
Peter
