This video sequence begins with the core conditioning exercise (so familiar to Chiba Sensei’s students), segues to the small backward roll and then opens up into an ikkyo omote ukemi practice. The elements are mostly familiar, however, many Birankai practitioners have commented they’ve never seen the elements assembled quite this way, into a repeatable, solo warm up routine.
Opportunities in this sequence to attend to:
Alignment and relative position of hip, knee, ankle, foot. Remember “when the parents fight the child suffers” (when the movement of the hip and foot are out of synch the knee can torque).
What’s your recipe of muscular contraction and relaxation, as you move through the positions?
How do you use your eyes, where do you place your gaze? Eyes lead the turning movements and assist in maintaining alignment. Intention leads attention and organizes whole-body movement.
Is the arm supple and relaxed? The chest and ribs flexible? Holding tension unconsciously during technique can lead to injury.
Are you using your bones, and making good use of the ground to support your weight?
- Suzane Van Amburgh
View the brief video below. If you have trouble with the embed go to: https://youtu.be/RS2rxYqXgIM