Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. - Wyatt Earp
Warriors strive for seikakumuhi (正確無比) or “unparalleled accuracy.” O’Sensei evolved the lethalness out of Aikido because of his philosophy of nonviolence. Thus, in order to retain the effectiveness, the techniques have to be more precise. To do this in our dojo, we train in lanes. We do this to train for accuracy but also for safety. The nage or “person throwing” is supposed to work on where they wish to place their opponent when throwing or pinning. Likewise, the uke is supposed to practice putting themselves in the right position so that they can place themselves in a safe place when falling or when being pinned. In both positions, we learn precision of movement and the accuracy of execution. If we do cross over into someone else’s lane or bump into them, we are supposed to apologize. A while back I was training with a shihan and I kept saying “Oops, sorry” when I accidentally bumped into him or when I didn’t complete the throw because I thought I might throw him into another person. At one point, he said to me, “Stop saying you’re sorry and throw me.” He then proceeded to not only purposefully bump into me but also throw me directly into other people without apologizing. The problem with this “style” of training is that it shows a low level of accuracy and an even lower level of etiquette. Other than showing a low level of skill, breaches of etiquette are a form of saya-ate (鞘当て) or “challenges.” Saya-ate was an old samurai custom of intentionally banging one’s saya or “sword sheath” into another person’s sword to goad them into a duel. By apologizing immediately when we accidentally throw someone incorrectly or bump into them, we make our intention obvious. By not apologizing, the other person could accidentally take it as a slight and retaliate or harbor ill will. Quickly apologizing is also a form of verbal Aikido. A hard or strong practice doesn’t have to be reckless. Recklessness is a sign of low skill and an even lower level of character. The best Aikidoists are always the most precise and so an Aikidoist strives for unparalleled accuracy.
Today’s goal: Don’t phone it in. What can you do in your life to achieve unparalleled accuracy?
Watch this video of Japanese printmaking to see a glimpse of precision.