meguri – Study Group Tomiki Aikido

Fibonacci, tenshikei, meguri

Practising for health purposes is an assumption often made by marketeers for a martial art like aikido, based upon a balance between soft and hard. Movements are created following a spiral pattern. It gives a perception of harmony which is another assumption.
When aikido is promoted as a competitive sport, other factors become also important. Fitness, stamina and muscle power come to the foreground.
Although it is said “sport is healthy”, we cannot deny the many injuries of competitors. These injuries come mostly from abusing the body with the purpose to win a game.
On the other side, self-defense is also built upon using our body as a weapon against an opponent. It takes time to internalize aikido patterns in the brain. Fitness, stamina and muscle power are a solution to work around the long term vision of aikido training. Of course fitness and stamina are necessary in order to carry on the training of aikido.
Harmony during movements is a sign of aikido skills and it takes time to become skillful.

If we look around in nature, harmony can be seen in everything where human kind is not involved. Even the eruption of a volcano has harmony in the movements of the lava.
Is there a secret formula in nature for harmony?

Fibonacci sequence or spiral

The Fibonacci spiral based upon the sequence is already mentioned in another blog post, namely The Switch.
But as your read more about these magic numbers more confusion will come into your mind.

The Fibonacci sequence is one of the most famous formulas in mathematics.
Each number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. So, the sequence goes: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on.
It’s true that the Fibonacci sequence is tightly connected to what’s now known as the golden ratio. Simply put, the ratio of the numbers in the sequence, as the sequence goes to infinity, approaches the golden ratio, which is 1.6180339887498948482… From there, mathematicians can calculate what’s called the golden spiral, or a logarithmic spiral whose growth factor equals the golden ratio.
more Fibonacci

The Fibonacci sequence and human movement

Can we use mathematics to create a better movement? Some consider that there is a relation between our movements and the Fibonacci sequence.
Unfortunately there has not been much research on this matter.
In the field of dance and performance art Fibonacci sequence is utilized to make an image of harmony for the spectator.

Some research is done in the field of athletic sprint.

And Martial Arts?

In karate tsuki ( straight punch), some practitioners are alluding to the Fibonacci ratio. The fist is turning at the end of the trajectory following the Fibonacci ratio.
And what about Aikido, especially Tomiki’s method.
There is no real research in Tomiki Aikido to explain some movements according to the Fibonacci sequence.
Why should we use of Fibonacci formula?

How to transport “force”

The source of power under the best conditions is the ground, the body with all the elements – skeleton,muscles,tendons,fascia,….) are the tools to transport the force to the target.
Internal constructions are spiral force pathways and can be used to change the direction of the force. As we see above in the runner picture, there is a possibility to add a Fibonacci spiral. The picture at left is from the article “athletic sprint” mentioned earlier.
Eventually we can use kyokotsu to trigger a kind of internal Fibonacci spiral like the runners spiral.

The power at the target

The power at the target can be optimized with the Fibonacci formula. Think about “meguri” or spiral action when applying a technique. Or what about tenshikei or rotational power. Spiral power will be generated most efficiently when our structure is optimized. The Fibonacci spiral is not powered by itself, but is a tool to increase the acceleration during the transport of the force from the ground.

The power at the target can be compared to the power of the waves at the sea

An example how to adjust with a Fibonacce spiral

The picture above at the left gives shows a Fibonacci spiral in “uchi mawashi” movement. The picture at the right is from an old Tomiki book “Goshin Jutsu” and the Fibonacci sequence cannot be seen in this drawing.

Tenshikei and Fibonacci

Using the concept of tenshikei and the Fibonacci sequence will increase the power of acceleration due the longer distance. See further about Tenshikei.
Uchi mawashi will become more efficient together with the appropriate displacement of the feet. See “Tsugi Ashi“.

Tenshikei or the rotational power is generated by rotation of the body internally and is expressed by the movement of the arms or legs.
Using the spiral construction of the body, the length of the transport from the floor to the hand can be compared with the bullet in the barrel of a rifle. The construction of the riffle’s barrel creates a spiral action on the bullet and increases the acceleration of the bullet.

Leg spirals can also make the force at the target more powerful.

Final solution?

There is no final answer for the problems we encounter during martial arts training. Our body is a very complicated construction and many movements facets will influence our way of moving around. Also the mind has an influence on the body movements.

The Fibonacci sequence can be used as a proportion rule in our movements. Sometimes we start with a small circular movement which grows to a big one. In another situation we go from big to small. A perfect movement can happen but we cannot copy because the circumstances are always different.
By keeping to the principles, our body will react with the best solution at the right moment if we don’t interfere with the conscious mind, let the unconscious mind do the job. Nature will do it’s job.

The Switch

Changing the direction of power in a movement is not an easy task. We cannot interrupt the movement because is will also interrupt power generation. With every stop we have to start over again in generating power.
While your upper body muscles are directly involved with the action of the hand/arm, the force is generated throughout your body. Initial force is initiated by your lower body muscles and transferred through your core through to your upper body muscles. Any weakness or excessive tension in the transferring muscles will diminish the force and reduce performance.

6 major directions

We can move in many directions. Basically we consider 6 major directions. Other directions can be seen as a combination between 2 or 3 major directions and can become a spiral movement.
Movement can happen with the arms, the central body an/or the legs.

Switching between major directions

Switching is only possible when there is control of all the muscles involved.
An example how a switch can work can be more informative than words.

Kakae dori is an attack where an external pressure is applied to the body. Defending against such an attack needs a skill of expanding without using brute force.

If we allow the squeezing action of Uke, we will be thrown easily. If we can create a whole-body force against the squeezing, we will have the opportunity to free ourself. It is a question of using tension and relaxing at the same time. But how to do it?
It is based upon “opposing isometric force pairs”. There are of course other switching methods. If we suddenly, without any interuption, switch from outside tension to inside tension, uke may lose his grip and balance.

The exercise is to switch between internal and external pressure. The body needs to adapt to those 2 kinds of pressure images.

Push & pull vs. push-pull

Push&pull are two actions in a sequential order. Push-pull is one action. In the push-pull movement the balance between agonist and antagonist muscles creates a moving non-moving action. Push&pull or push-pull can be a straight line movement, a circular or a spiral movement.
When practising aikido or another martial art both action will be utilized to create attacking or defensive movements.
Again an example can be highly informative.

The first picture above is a push action into the ground, the second is the rebound of the power, the third picture is a pull action of the back foot bringing again close to the front foot to stabilize the equilibrium.

The first picture above is a push-pull action associated with holding a ball in the arm. Opposing isometric forces will move Uke around you.
The second picture is nearly a straight line push-pull. Although we said a straight line, the internal action relates to meguri. The meguri action is an internal spiral movement transmitted from the center of Tori to Uke through rotational movements of the hand/wrist/arm.The result will be a balance between a push-pull action. In other words an opposing isometric force.

Overlapping sequences

When we link all the singular movements of the body the result will be “rendo-movement”. During the performance of rendo movements, there are overlapping moments in the sequence of the actions. In the next example push & pull and push-pull are following a definite sequence.
But there is an overlapping between the different action in the sequence.

Picture1: grasping the arm
Picture2: pulling the arm
Picture3: body turn while keeping pulling
Picture4: keeping pulling and starting pushing
Picture5: keeping pulling and pushing while putting body into position to throw
Picture6: throwing and relaxing

Power needs some time to travel through the body, although this happens very fast. If we start too early our overlapping action, the force of the previous action will not be used to the full potential. If we start too late, the power of Rendo will be lost.

Tegatana dosa (tandoku undo) a switch exercise

These “tegatana dosa” are good examples to discuss switching the direction of force. As previously mentioned the mechanism of power generation:

While your upper body muscles are directly involved with the action of the hand/arm, the force is generated throughout your body. Initial force is initiated by your lower body muscles and transferred through your core through to your upper body muscles. Any weakness in the transferring muscles will diminish the force and reduce performance.

Uchi mawashi – Inside sweep

There are 4 arm actions in this exercise:

Turn the arm, palm hand up
Turn core of the body – tenshi
Switch the arm, palm hand down
Sweep the arm with body turn

If the exercise is done as 4 separate actions, there will be a reduced amount of power at the end of the movement. If the link between the 4 actions is established, there will be more power at the end of the movement. By using overlapping, performance will be more powerfull.

Using uchi mawashi in a paired exercise, proper unsoku (footwork) has to be added. Drilling the feet will increase efficiency.

In this example there is another concept which requires considiration.

We find Fibonacci Sequence at work in the principles, shapes, movements and strategies in nature but also within martial arts, by holding your arm with the correct angle at the elbow while extending your mind through the arm. The correct angle of human joints for movements has to be between 90* and 180°.

A push-pull and opposing isometric forces example
In the 7-hon-no-kuzushi gedan, spirals and opposing isometric forces are used to create balance disturbing. There are many variations, but basically all are build around spirals and opposing isometric forces.

we can see the Fibonacci spiral in combination with opposing isometric force pair. Uke will be fixed on the spot in an akward position.

Soto mawashi – Outside sweep

When using soto mawashi in partner training, some adaptations has to be done. The basic actions of uchi mawashi can be applied here too.

Turn the arm, palm hand up
Turn core of the body – tenshi
Switch the arm, palm hand up
Sweep the arm with body turn

Soto mawashi with partner after some adaptations.

Uchi gaeshi – soto gaeshi

In this sequence by Senta Yamada, the meguri concept is not visible. We only can guess if there is some internal movement invoking meguri.
In our research, the implementation of meguri and opposing isometric forces can increase the efficiency of these movement exponential. Switching the direction of forces is an aplication of meguri and opposing isometric forces and is needed to perform “waza” or techniques.

Tenshi-Meguri & 7-hon no kuzushi

In the 70-ties I had the opportunity to study aikido with Hirokazu Kobayashi. In that time I didn’t understand the concept of meguri* and tenshi (body rotation). Kobayashi stressed on many occasions the spiral movement of the wrist and the dropping of the elbow. Using the koshi was also one of his favorite remarks.
It was Akira Hino’s explanation about “tenshi-kei”, the power of internal rotation, that gave me a better understanding of meguri* and the use of koshi (lower back).

*A defensive movement when grasped at the wrist, is the skill of “meguri”, meaning flexibility, rotation of the forearms. The use of the koshi as engine for power release increases the efficiency of defense action.

Meguri and tenshi are the main components in 7-hon no kuzuzhi, the balance disturbing exercises of Tomiki’s Aikido. Without spiral rotations, the balance disturbing will only rely on muscular power of the arm. Only by using “rendo” or synchronizing body movements, the power of meguri and tenshi will create the necessary balance disturbing followed by a throw or control action.

7-hon no kuzushi

The concept of balance disturbing in Tomiki’s Aikido is partly the result of the influence of Kodokan Judo, but also Morhei Ueshiba’s Aikido is prominent present.

Morihei Ueshiba’s Aikido is build around the use of rotational and spiral power.

In the picture, there is the downward rotational movement of the body. By using a meguri pulling action on the sleeve or arm, the rotational movement changes into a downward spiral movement.

Some teachers use an almost linear approach, others use a more circular approach. This of course will affect the perception and will have a negative influence on the performance of lesser skillful practitioners. The external movements has to combined with internal movements, this is only possible through the skill of “rendo”.

The 7-hon no kuzushi is build around :

vertical movement
horizontal movement
central axis rotation

The basic positions are “aigamae” & “gyakugamae” for the vertical and horizontal movements. You will notice, Uke is grasping the wrist with the right hand and keeps the left hand ready for the follow-up action. This can be a strike with the fist or another grasping action.
The central axis rotation start from a rear attack position. Of course the central axis rotation is also present in the vertical and horizontal movements.

When studying 7-hon no kuzushi, we have to understand these movements are simplified and will not work in a randori environment without adaptation to the circumstances.
The movement pattern of these exercises has to be written in the subconscious part of the mind for immediate access when necessary

Vertical movement

jodan kuzushi — Combination Jodan & Gedan Kuzushi

There are 2 vertical modes in 7-hon no kuzushi:

upward – jodan-kuzushi is mostly characterized by a hineri movement
- aigamae
- gyakugamae
downward – gedan kuzushi – mostly characterized by a “gaeshi” movement
- aigamae
- gyakugamae

Horizontal movement

Horizontal kuzushi movements are mostly characterized by a hineri movement
When performing from the right posture, opponent can attack from 2 positions:

aigamae
gyakugamae

Central axis rotation

The idea here is an application of spinning top power.**

**A spinning top is a toy designed to spin rapidly on the ground, the motion of which causes it to remain precisely balanced on its tip due to its rotational inertia.

Meguri and tenshi in 7-hon no kuzushi

A “kuzushi” movement is succesful when we consider the following:

target: the wrist attacked by the opponent
the hand of the grasped wrist to indicate the direction
the elbow: the transfer joint for the full-body power by using meguri and tenshi

The target

Opponent can grasp the wrist according 2 modes:

omote dori – outside wrist
- go-no-sen
- sen-no-sen
ura dori – inside wrist
- go-no-sen
- sen-no-sen

Each mode has an influence on the hand movement of the grasped wrist. In the go-no-sen mode, opponent has the initiative of the grasping. Defender has the initiative in the sen-no-sen mode.

There are 2 grasping methods:

junte dori

kote gaeshi

kopte mawashi

junte dori – regular grip
gyakute dori – reverse grip

In 7-hon no kuzushi only the junte dori is covered. Gyakute dori or reverse grip is used in kote gaeshi, kote mawashi ……..

How to grasp a wrist?

Grasping a wrist is “almost identical” as grasping the hilt of a sword.
Most of the holding power is in the thumb and middle finger. Little finger, ringfinger and index finger are envelopping the wrist. Grasping is not a static action. The dynamics of grasping is the result of “meguri” and “tenshi”.

The hand of the grasped wrist

As already mentioned, Tori can act in a go-no-sen or sen-no-sen mode.

The hand in most of the cases can move freely. There are 2 basic modes:

upward
downward

By using the turning point in the hand, the tendon of in the forearm will stretch. If the point of turning is close to the wrist, the stretching will not happen. By stretching the tendon(s) it is easier to use the elbow in the desired direction.

Meguri and the use of elbow

Meguri is based upon the flexibility and rotation of the forearm.
The flexibility and rotation of the forearm and elbow is depending on the connection with the kyokotsu, a point at the breastbone. When pulling in the arm by using the biceps muscle, the shoulder will be locked and the power from the central body cannot travel through the elbow to the hand.
In his book “Goshi Jutsu Nyumon”, Kenji Tomiki used a picture to explain hand and elbow movement around a fulcrum, the grasping point by opponent. The picture is only showing the principle of leverage and does not include meguri action.
It is not always possible to move efficiently just by using simple leverage as seen in Tomiki’s fulcrum picture. The elbow movement is only possible if the shoulder is free of tension.

Rotation of the forearm when grasped at the wrist is possible by using the skill of “tenshi” or internal rotation. Tenshi-kei is the power of tenshi and can be used to make waza efficiency higher.

We can use body rotation and internal rotation at the same time to increase waza efficiency. An example can be the rear wrists grasping where we use an external body rotation and tenshi or internal rotation.

Basic 7-hon no kuzushi

7-hon no kuzushi is an exercise to study body movements which can be used in all forms of balance disturbing. The belief that 7-hon no kuzushi is the method for balance disturbance is a delusion. It is an exercise to learn how to use the body with external and internal movements.

There are many versions of 7-hon no kuzushi. The early versions are created when Kenji Tomiki was still teaching. During the creation of Koryu no kata, the study of 7-hon no kuzushi became a part of the training and was incorporated into Koryu no kata daiyon.

History of Koryu no kata

Takeshi Inoue the autor of a book on Koryu no kata, who knows in detail the background of the creation of the Koryu no kata wrote:

In about 1958, we practiced mainly the unsoku, tandoku undo, yonhon no kuzushi (a former version of the nanahon no kuzushi/7-hon no kuzushi) as well as the jugohon no kata (basic15 kata). In around 1960, the junanahon no kata ( basic17 kata) and the roppon no kuzushi/6-hon no kuzushi were created and then the dai-san no kata was devised as a kata of classical techniques. During the mid-60 Ohba Sensei and others worked on the creation of the kata forms of the dai-ichi (first) to dai-roku (sixth), which we practice as the koryu no kata, in order to work on techniques for demonstrations and for purposes other than randori. What Ohba Sensei particularly stressed in formulating these kata was the organization of different techniques in such a way that students could learn connections between techniques easily and naturally. After he had organized the techniques to some extent, Ohba Sensei reported to Tomiki Sensei and demonstrated what he had done for him. He received some advice from Tomiki Sensei and then added corrections to the kata. (“Bujin Hideo Ohba,” Kyogi Aikido Soseiki no Ayumi; Ohba Hideo Sensei o Shinobu, p. 67)