Randori (Intro)
December 26, 2006
It's been over ten years since I last practiced Aikido…And before I stopped, I have been practicing for 5 years. Although the later part has been on and off due to an injury on my right colar bone. And when I joined a religous organization, and became active in it… I simply had no time to practice anymore…After a few years I returned to my hometown and thought Aikido would just be another part of my memories. I don't even read my books anymore.
Ahh.. but someone up above have some other plans… For there is a dojo here…
At first I didn't bother to join. The dojo was quite far… but then again… a few months ago, they moved it very close to home. When I knew about it, I didn't hesitate this time.
Now, one part of the Aikido practice that I missed the most is the randori. Let's define the word Randori first
Randori (乱取り) is a term used in Japanese martial arts to describe free-style practice or sparring, sometimes with multiple attackers. The term literally means "chaos taking" or "grasping freedom," implying a freedom from the structured practice of kata.
The exact meaning of randori depends on the martial art it is used in. In judo and Shodokan Aikido, it most often refers to one-on-one sparring where partners attempt to resist and counter each other's techniques. In other styles of aikido, in particular Aikikai, it refers to a form of practice in which a designated aikidoka defends against multiple attackers in quick succession without knowing how they will attack or in what order.
-Source: Wikipedia
Note: In this article and following, I will use the term Randori as it used in Aikido Dojos (last description).
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Next : A Randori Scene
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