I just wanted to take some time to talk about Zenpo Nagare(forward breakfalls). It's safe to say that I've been studying and practicing Taijutsu on and off, mostly on, for about 18 years. In this time I've pretty much accepted all the dynamics and techniques in the art to be fact. Because it's an ancient art and it's managed to be around for so long I assumed it was because it was so effective that it stood the test of time. It wasn't until recently that I began to question some of the usefulness of certain techniques and/or what their real purpose was if not for actual combat or use. The biggest problem I have with any of the techniques in the art is called "Zenpo Nagare". "Zenpo Nagare" is a foward breakfall where you bow your body foward to get closer to the ground then drop your upper body to the floor, landing on your forearms and kicking your rear leg up. All the rolls and breakfalls in Taijutsu are said to be performable on black top or concrete, Zenpo Ukemi included. Now, the rule of thumb behind break falls is to fall on the fleshy parts of the body and avoid the boney parts so you don't break anything, or at least minimize your chances of breaking something. I don't know if it's just my body or if it is for everyone but when I fall on my forearms while executing a foward breakfall; my elbows and a bone in my wrists always hit the ground first. I've practiced this nagare for a long time. I've tried to adjust the way my arms were and they way I fell but I always land on those same places. This led me to question if this technique was designed to stop you from breaking something, or to make you break LESS things. As far as I'm concerened a breakfall should be practiced only if it provides maximum protection. If this technique is only a lesser of evils then I think I may remove it from my lessons.
If something is around a long time, or part of a paradigm that is essentially good; does it mean that it's good by default? Should I teach something that may be harmful to my students just because it's been there a long time and is accepted? Or should I , at least, try to find some other more effective method to replace it? This is why I teach the way I do. This is why I've modernized the art. I'm trying to keep all the things that make the art good, and trying to remove or replace outdated, obsolete, or otherwise useless techniques that may actually cause more harm than good. There are certain things that are obvious, but Zenpo Nagare isn't quite so easy as I've never had to use it. I've fallen forward many times but have always rolled or shifted myself so I ended up falling on my side using "Yoko Nagare" (side breakfall). I guess I will think and experiment with this technique to see if it will continue to be included in my lessons.
Is it old because it's good? Or good because it is old?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
I've seen a sensei perform what looks to be a more effective zenpo nagare. I'll bring it up in class. I think its much safer. Also, a few Dodgeball people perform a variation of zenpo nagare that helps dodge a high thrown ball. I've seen it performed on tennis courts, concrete and gym floors. They spring right back up when they're done. I'm going to go ahead and take credit for introducing it though. :)
Renozrai, please feel free to take credit for any new ideas or helpful input you come up with. You are, afterall, the senior student of this dojo. So I encourage any active roll you take in helping develop the "Divine Hand" system.
Post a Comment