Aikido Test

Also over the weekend, I went to watch someone I know in my program (that being the program I applied to in order to come to Japan to teach English) test for his first level of black belt in aikido. His test group was interesting to watch, but after the level 1 group (which is actually the lower level of the black belt, not the top), we were able to watch the tests for level 2, 3 and 4. I've gotta say, if you ever have a chance to watch anyone test for the upper-levels of the aikido black belt, do it, especially if you like Jackie Chan, Jet Li or martial arts movies in general. It was fantastic. It's really difficult to describe, but the moves are beautifully choreographed...the attacker and the attackee both have to know exactly what to do and when they do the moves seamlessly, it's kind of like watching Brazilian capoeira. They don't just throw each other around either. From level 2 up (if I'm remembering correctly, and I'm probably not), besides the unarmed, one-on-one 'combat,' you not only defend, attack and disarm with wooden swords and spears, but also with short-length wooden knives AND you have to defend yourself against multiple attackers! THAT was incredible to watch! From level 2 up, the testers had to take down 2 assailants who already had grabbed both of your arms....one move was a simple bending back of their wrists and almost 'laying' them out on the ground in front of you. But the other move somehow intertwined their arms, making it look like you are bashing them together, and somehow they ended up in the air before landing on the ground on their backs....exactly the way we see it in Asian martial arts movies! I know that sounds like a stupid thing to say, but I guess I always assumed that there was some sort of choreography going on for martial arts movies that was done simply for the purpose of making a movie, but no....the choreography is built into the martial art itself. I never fully realized that before!

But my favorite part of the level 3 and level 4 tests was when the tester had to defend themselves against 3-4 oncoming attackers at once! Again, just like in the movies, the attackers didn't all come at one time, but kind of in a steady stream, one after another. The defender blocks and throws one attacker to the ground on one side, then does it again, to the other side, with the second attacker, and so on. The attackers bounced back up after being thrown down and came back at the defender over and over again until the test judge called time. There was one guy who tested for level 4, and he had to defend against 4 attackers at once. It was fantastic to watch! And some of the other moves he had to do to defend or disarm...he was flipping people around all over the place! There were a couple of women testing, but only one at level 3, and she was great to watch too....this peaceful looking lady with her hair braided in a circle around her head flipping these guys over her shoulder, twisting their arms so they flipped themselves in midair, defending against 3 guys rushing her at once, it was great! :-D Makes me wish the YMCA in Fort Dodge had had aikido classes instead of just karate classes when I was a kid....and that I knew better to take the classes!

Anyway, if you're curious, see if you can find black belt level test videos on YouTube. It's worth it! And just in case you're wondering, the fellow English teacher (who is a very tall, blond, Scandinavian-looking dude from Seattle...definitely stood out in the testing room!) passed his level 1, so now he's a black belt and gets to wear the special dark, flarey pants distinctive of the aikido black belts, apparently icing on the cake for him in getting to the black belt level. :-) The level 3 lady passed too, as did the level 4 guy!

OH! And one of the funniest parts about going to the test was meeting a woman from Iowa (Waterloo), who started learning aikido 37 years ago....in Iowa....came to Japan 32 years ago to study aikido IN Japan, and has been here ever since! I don't know what she's been doing the entire 32 years, but she's an aikido teacher now. And apparently she's also an avid paraglider, her favorite place being near Mt. Fuji...just a funny mental image of a late-50's female Iowan aikido instructor paragliding in front of Mt. Fuji.... Random ol' world we got here.
(^_^) \/

Side note: If you have kids and can find the classes in your area, I HIGHLY recommend signing them up for aikido! I think it's the only Japanese martial art that doesn't teach you to aggressively attack someone. It teaches you to use the attacker's power and inertia against them, and 'lock' them in a simple position using their own body chemistry against them so they can't attack you anymore. I've watched kids as young as 3 years old practicing aikido as well, and the get the biggest kick out of learning how to throw themselves all over the place on purpose without getting hurt...can't beat that!!! Plus, then, when they are ready, there are wooden swords and sticks and all that fun stuff too. :-) Not only practical (especially for girls), but fun too! And of course they have to learn discipline in order to really go anywhere in aikido, with it being a Japanese thing and all, and what parent would turn that down! ;-D