Mastering Combat

Ma-ai ( ~ distance)

Ma-ai is a bit hard to explain, especially in the unarmed fight. The distance between two persons as in judo is very small. Though when the distance is to wide, if you want to throw your opponent, he can pull you backwards easily and you can not make a proper technique anymore. This is the same when you are to close to one another. In kata ma-ai is also applicable, in the beginning of a kata distances are wide (to-ma), no direct danger yet. When you come nearer (chika-ma) danger is increasing and in the end (uchi-ma) you are at a distance where in one step you can perform an attack (I to no mai). At this moment there is zanshin ! It can be compared with a tiger on a long chain. It is lying there looking at you approaching towards it. Out of reach of the chain there is no danger, but when you come into the circle...

Kime ( ~ check, decision)

We know the name kime from kime no kata, a well known judo and ju justsu kata (for godan and up) Every time you perform a technique you must use kime. It has to do with the timing and the moment of reacting on an attack. When you react to early for instance, your opponent will notice this and will adjust his attack at the last moment so you can not defend properly against it. There are three moments of reacting to an attack. This is called mittsu no sen. The first form of sen is to wait until the attack of your opponent can not change anymore and then react to it. This is called go no sen. The second form of sen is to react simultaneously with your opponent. This is called sen no sen. The third form of sen is the ideal the samurai where striving for. A sixth organ of sense; to feel when a foe is thinking of attacking, before he actually has made a move. With this sense you can avoid a fight !

Ri-ai (~ coherence)

With ri-ai coherence is meant between ma-ai, the knowing what or where we are going to hit and the very moment (kime). If you would be to close to your opponent so that you would strike him with the middle of your sword or jo, you could consider to use a shorter weapon. It is also logical to first choose a target to aim for. Both cases sound very simple and are simply learned, but the third part, the right moment is a more difficult to understand. Bringing these all together is ri-ai. It is important to try to train the element of danger (opponent) in practising kata. Only when you feel danger can real coherence can be approached.

Yoyu ( ~ margin)

When you see a Japanese master perform a technique or a kata, you will experience this as a special happening. Hard to tell what is so different..... With a minimum of exertion gaining a maximum of effect. Also minimal movement, only the most necessary, is typical for the real master. Yoyu is not a technique to learn, but points to the interspaces that appear between different techniques. It looks as if there is a lot of time in-between techniques. Only when such techniques are fully mastered you can speak of yoyu. It is important therefore to make the different moves as sober as possible.

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