Here's a Timestamp's List: Thank U! I will keep improving THE LIST. 0:00 Intro 3:50 Bowing 4:30 Seiza 5:25 Ukemi 5:40 Front Roll 6:12 Back Roll 6:45 Shomenuchi Attack (Strike To The Center Of The Head) 6:49 Ikkyo (1st Wrist Technique) 7:27 Shomenuchi Ikkyo Omote 9:57 Shomenuchi Ikkyo Ura 10:50 Shomenuchi Nykkio 13:19 Shomenuchi Nykkyo Ura 22:05 Shomenuchi Sankyo (3rd Wrist Technique) 28:25 Shomenuchi Sankyo Omote 29:38 Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura 30:21 Shomenuchi Yonkyo 34:00 Suwari Waza
I bought this VHS directly from Yamada Sensei at the Winter Seminar in 1999 or 2000, in Hollywood, Florida. During a break in the training, he came outside, lit up a cigarette, leaned back and put his bare feet up on the table, and sold copies. I also owned Sensei Waite's Ukemi tapes. My Sensei used to say "I guess if you can learn Aikido by watching videos, those are the two to have."
To explain a bit further in Aikido you are training for the worst case scenario meaning actual combat / contact. While it is true that many Aikido schools practice Aikido like they have no spirit in them, there are useful techniques for leverage / limb control and throws. Most important thing however is evasion, meaning to not let yourself be struck by the attack to begin with that's why next to dodging and deflecting we also cultivate a mindset where we tend to solve daily conflict with the least amount of violence possible, the result is a life where you dont need to use physical techniques to settle disputes. The moment an Aikidoka puts himself out there to fight and be fought is the moment that they raise the likelihood of failure (since perfection is an unreachable goal) to 50/50 chances. Will your technique work? Probably not. Could it work? Depends on the situation. It's really hard to tell. In MMA if you have a fighter that uses aiki its usually aikijutsu and even then rules and co. can lessen the effectivity. If you want to do real aikido like Morihei Ueshiba did you need to go out there and fight people on the street which is insanity in today's standards. You will get hit. You will get shot. You will get cut, sliced, gutted and murdered. The reality of violence is unpredictability and its best to let people dance violently by themselves rather than to seek and attract such situations
But why even bother with Shomenuchi? Why not train against a jab or an ACTUAL attack. No-one ever will attack you in real life like this, so why bother training it? it's a waste of mat time. Surely adapting existing waza against jodan tsuki etc would be far more useful? Tradition for traditions sake is pointless, the art HAS to evolve or die. have a look at what some of the clubs in NZ and Aus are doing, training against realistic attacks, formally teaching students to strike and kick, jiyuwaza and actual sparring, this is what will keep the art alive.
