Big 10 history
So finally here is a brief history of the big 10.
http://tomikiaikido.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... ig-10.html
If anyone has anything to add to it to make it more complete, I would love to add it. Also i am on the look out for films of other variations of it.
When you have a chance Nick, could you comment on the blog about your reasons for changing the order of the kata. The film of your demo, and the kata order listed on your website are different. Was this intentional or accidental?
The BLOG entry still has the best overall explanation of the developmental history of the Owaza I've read, but Sensei Yoji did say something funny that made it stick and make sense to me. Sensei Kogure developed it "in order to make big Americans move their feet." We all laughed, but it makes sense when you see it done dynamically ... as in the people almost running at you way.
Personally, I think it's easier when they run faster/harder, and no, I've no idea why. Easier to see, or feel in my case, the distance closing and it is VERY easy to hear the rhythm of the oncoming footsteps and blend in with that on the entry.
Something Sensei Raymond did to me one time when he wwas talking about garuma principles in genreral was to perform kata-otoshi, but with the hand-drape/catch as in kube-garuma, etc. Wallah! Instant garuma! Makes for a much more "effective" throw, but for kata, I prefer it the other way, one-handed, because of what the kata is trying to teach. Again, my probably-faulty understanding is that it is showing/teaching how to blend your force & pressure in and with uke's, while all the while rotating around it to basically project that energy or force in the same general momentum line as uke's motion, with the usual tweak to cause postural/stepping breakdown and thence something requiring ukemi to fix.