11/04/2025
This is not my post but the content is What I consider very appropriate it crosses all martial styles and so I thank the author for the insightful words and share them here with you.
When in Japan, your job is to open yourself and be rehabilitated.
When uke for your sensei, your role is to ‘assist’ the teacher in allowing them to transmit what they wish. You are not there as their ‘sparring partner’ or to purposely make things difficult and test them to appease your ego. It's not about you. In fact, your role as uke is greater than you. You must be selfless and act appropriately for the betterment of everyones development in the Dōjō. To be a good uke, you have to sacrifice what you want. You need to be able to ‘die’ over and over again, as gracefully and skillfully as possible. As uke, you are learning about the life cycle or a sense of reincarnation to always become better in your next chance/life. You attack straight and true. You then die. You raise from the floor/earth and are reborn. You then repeat the process with a determined spirit of continuous growth.This is the mindset that allows you to live in the now 中今( naka ima ), which is vital for correct practice and living as a martial artist. Being uke is about helping the instructor give the best possible example for the others present in the Dōjō. Therefore, your role as uke is a great responsibility.
When asked to punch, punch straight and true. Nagato Sensei says this constantly. Being an uke is a test of your fundamental skill and understanding of the feeling of ‘how to practice.’ It is not a fight! Do not get them mixed up. A few times people have been asked to relax, slow down, punch straight, stop fighting etc, by Nagato Sensei. At times, he's even had to tell people to sit down and then choose another uke. I'm offering you these thoughts so you don't have to be one of these people.
“Take things slow and practice them properly. It will do you no good to create bad habits by practicing improperly. There are countless ways to punch, but as uke, you should punch straight and true for the benefit of your tori—none of those tracking, missile-like punches that float all over the place. That type of punching does not benefit anyone. Just punch straight, and if your tori does not move at the right time and at the right distance, he will get hit. And you, as tori, should not be afraid to be hit. There is no shame in being hit. Even I, as I show techniques, am occasionally hit. This is a part of the learning process. In a real fight, you will be hit and you must not be shocked by contact. Being hit lets you know that you did something wrong and need to work on it until you get it right.
Simply practice properly.”
- Nagato 先生
I'd like to relay two of many experiences I had when a resident for nearly a decade in Japan ( which is quite a lot less than many buyû , many of which are still residents ). For two years, 2-3 times a week, Nagato Sensei took me as his uke ( for both sides of the class ). After that period, for some time he took me as uke when he wanted to practice Kenjutsu. At one point, Nagato Sensei told the class to sit down. He then proceeded to throw,lock,strike,
and kick me around the Dōjō, often into people, the walls, or onto the wooden floor. As this was happening I heard people going ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh.’ Lol.
After about 5 minutes he stopped. He took my hand, helped me up and stood there with his hand on my shoulder.
He said, " Duncan and I can do this because we are not fighting each other."
At another time, Hatsumi Sôke used people to demonstrate Kyūsho-jutsu on their faces. These high ranks upon pain all tried to take Sôke’s hand and stop him. Sôke then picked me and applied the same excruciating pain. I didn’t like it but, I allowed and accepted it.
“Being Uke for Sôke is an honour”
-Nagato先生
Sôke took my hand and helped me up. Still holding my hand he said, “I can do this because Duncan trusts me.”
I belief these were two lessons teaching us all how to be uke for your teachers, show respect, and understanding the art of “given and return”.
These are my personal experiences that I’ve decided to share ( not to gloat ) but to offer as examples guiding us all to internalise better the art of being Uke.
Bufu Ikkan.
南虎
