Ikkyo is usually the first technique students learn — which is exactly why almost everyone assumes it's the easiest. After 45 years of practicing it, teaching it, and taking ukemi for it from partners at every level, I can tell you it's the opposite.
In this week's video I get into what separates a jammed, cranked version of ikkyo from the version that feels like the floor disappearing under your feet, the small, easy-to-miss pause that separates advanced ukemi from everything else, and why "doing ikkyo on someone" backfires every time.
▶️ Watch here:
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🌿 Your Practice Prompt
This week, ask your ikkyo partner one question after a few reps: was there a moment, however small, where your arm felt tight before contact was made? Trade roles and be honest about what you each felt. Then look for the pause — not a stop, just a beat of mutual pressure at contact — before you move from center rather than the arm.
Share your experience—I read every reply.
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Lia Suzuki
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• Mastering The Shoto
Director: Aikido Kenkyukai International USA
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