Learning Ukemi

Last week, while waiting for the start of our tiny iaido class, I witnessed a scene in the Daito ryu class that, though not quite unique, has been quite rare. The class was a combined one, in that it included members of the teacher's karate practice. Usually, the two classes share the same space, but work on their own curricula. A sempai usually handles teaching the karate group, and the head teacher instructs the Daito group, but occasionally wades in to the karate group to make a point or a correction. Now and then, the two groups work together, which creates interesting situations and opportunities for everyone, since the movement vocabulary (on the surface at least) is somewhat different. I find these practices most interesting, as everyone tries to adapt to whatever techniques the teacher feels like introducing. I don't know about him, but I always think the deepest learning is going on in the mixed classes.

There are maybe three women in the karate class; or, at least, three women whom I have observed. Of the three, I see two more often, and, of that pair, I have seen one who comes most often, even by herself. She is very small (shorter than me, which is saying something), though she is sturdily built. She appears to be about 18 or 19 years old.

The group was working on taking down an attacker, typically for Daito, by unbalancing him/her. At the end of the technique, the defender reaches to the knee of the attacker and "helps" him into a throw. The attacker knows to roll out of the counterattack (ukemi).

Does it go without saying that nearly all of the guys in the class were taller than she was? Larger than she was? One can debate relative size of participants when it comes to unbalancing techniques, and since she is a beginner at karate and even more of one in Daito, like everyone else there, when she did the correct defensive technique, her opponent dutifully sailed through the air, and rolled out properly. If she had the angle of defense wrong, and started to struggle with the technique, the teacher would step in and correct the angle and the technique would work; but let's face it - a large guy would be unlikely to be that cooperative in a real situation (unless she reacted very, very quickly to the attack situation).

I did not find this very impressive (beyond the idea that this young woman, though she showed some trepidation at having to play with the much bigger boys, trusted the teacher enough to try). What impressed me was the dynamic when she was on the receiving end of the defensive technique. With the exception of one guy besides the teacher, they were all relative beginners. Any one of those guys could have easily sent her flying to the edge of the mat, whether through lack of control or in order to "prove" something. All of them were more experienced, stronger, and had more mass than she did (in the sense that a larger defender dropping his weight could severely off-balance her). Instead, the whole class, being as it was about practicing proper technique, performed in the best possible way to teach her to roll out safely, something that one doesn't do much in karate. The teacher corrected her form (as in, don't extend your hands to try to cushion your fall, and other points), but felt no need to either pamper her or warn the guys to go easy on someone smaller and less experienced than themselves.

I have been in classes where, when a new female student showed up, the senior student would immediately take command of her "orientation." While I never saw anything untoward, I often wondered if things went so benignly after okeiko, especially when the new person stopped coming after a few weeks. I always gave the sempai the benefit of the doubt, since many people don't find swordsmanship to be their thing after trying it (it's more difficult than it looks). But all the same, I used to wonder. He never tried that with me, because he was on indefinite leave when I first showed up, so I had the benefit of several years to find my footing in the place before I met him (and endure other kinds of discrimination - though NEVER from my teacher - but I am a very stubborn person, and I really wanted to learn). And of course I've heard stories about other dojo. LOTS of stores. Some end well, some not. With all the cultural chatter about women feeling vulnerable in mixed situations - on college campuses and in the work place, I am dismayed, but not surprised, that not many women practice budo in the U.S. I really think it is up to the people who are already practicing, not to extend women any special privileges, or treat them like some alien creatures, but to give them exactly what they want - which is to be treated exactly like everyone else. I am fairly certain 99% of guys who walk in to a dojo don't expect to be hit on, but speaking as a female, we know it's a crap shoot.

A female student being treated exactly like everyone else is what I was witnessing in the Daito class last week. The fact that I am writing about it like I am is evidence that it was a rare occasion, but it should not be.