Open Fingers
(Extracted from Aikido-L)
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 22:53:42 -0400
From: Jim McCoy
Subject: Open fingers - Why?
In some schools techniques are executed with the fingers spread apart, while
others keep them pressed together. I never got an explanation other than
"our style is this way, other styles are that way" type answers.
So what are some reasons for keeping the fingers spread apart.
Thanks.
jm
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Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 23:32:11 -0400
From: Blake Moorcroft
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
I'm presuming you're referring only to Aikido schools?
I'm not sure why other groups would emphasize a fingers pressed
together focus...I do know that the way it is taught to me is that
keeping your fingers "loose" means you don't focus on maintaining
your energy in your hands...instead you focus on remaining flexible
and relaxed (that's kind of a contradiction in terms but it's the only
thing that comes to mind...:)
More later
Blake Moorcroft (Sei Bu)
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 12:40:57 +0900
From: Christopher Li
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
>In some schools techniques are executed with the fingers spread apart, while
>others keep them pressed together. I never got an explanation other than
>"our style is this way, other styles are that way" type answers.
>
>So what are some reasons for keeping the fingers spread apart.
It's a secret :-).
Anyway, try it and see. You might discover some interesting changes in
the way your awase works in some situations.
Best,
Chris
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Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 08:39:01 -0700
From: michael hacker
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
I'd do neither... either one creates unnatural tension in your body.
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 12:52:05 +0900
From: Christopher Li
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
>I'd do neither... either one creates unnatural tension in your body.
So does walking - tension is how your body moves :-).
There's a lot that can be done with the palm and the fingers that isn't
often explored, IMO.
Best,
Chris
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 19:46:06 +0200
From: Christian Reiniger
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
On Sunday 2002-04-28 04:53, Jim McCoy wrote:
> In some schools techniques are executed with the fingers spread apart,
> while others keep them pressed together. I never got an explanation
> other than "our style is this way, other styles are that way" type
> answers.
>
> So what are some reasons for keeping the fingers spread apart.
Disclaimer: I'm doing Aikido for barely 6 months so far.
We're doing the "fingers apart" thing here, and I actually do prefer it
over the "fingers pressed together" version: IMHO if I have my fingers
apart (relaxed), it gives me a stronger feeling of "energy/ki extending
forward". You might feel a difference when trying the "unbendable arm"
trick - at least that's how sensei explained it to us :)
Having the fingers "pressed" together IMHO also lets the hand feel more
"rigid", less flexible, less "ready" to deal with strange situations,
less "open" (roughly as in "open mind") for different situations.
(Just discovered this - hooray to this list :)
--
Christian Reiniger
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 14:23:40 -0400
From: Simon Watkins
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
fingers pressed together does make them less suseptable to breakage.
Simon
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Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 06:50:26 +0900
From: Christopher Li
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
>--- Christopher Li wrote:
>> There's a lot that can be done with the palm and the
>> fingers that isn't
>> often explored, IMO.
>>
>Would you give an example?
Well, you can use the expansion and contraction of your palm in irimi-
nage, for example. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's a Yamaguchi
thing - maybe Jun knows what I'm talking about. Kokyu-ho can move from
the fingers as well, fool around with it and see what happens :-).
Best,
Chris
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 18:06:42 -0400
From: Katherine Derbyshire
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
> >--- Christopher Li wrote:
> >> There's a lot that can be done with the palm and the
> >> fingers that isn't
> >> often explored, IMO.
> >>
> >Would you give an example?
>
> Well, you can use the expansion and contraction of your palm in irimi-
> nage, for example. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's a Yamaguchi
> thing - maybe Jun knows what I'm talking about. Kokyu-ho can move from
> the fingers as well, fool around with it and see what happens :-).
My teacher spends a fair amount of time on hand position, hand expansion
and contraction, etc. He studied with Yamaguchi Sensei for several
years, which is probably where he learned it.
I don't pretend to understand well enough to explain, especially without
an in-person demo. The short version seems to be that the hands lead the
movement, and that the position of the hands therefore affects the
energy flow. Compare, for instance, leading an arm movement with your
thumb vs. your little finger, vs. say your elbow or wrist.
Returning to the original question, we're taught that the fingers should
be "alive." Neither pressed firmly together nor deliberately spread
apart, but relaxed and dynamic.
Katherine
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Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 15:29:26 -0700
From: Lorien Lowe
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
This jives pretty well with what I've picked up at my
dojo, with the caveat that -tense- and open is just as
bad as tense and closed. Or open/closed and -floppy-.
(disclaimer: two years for me...)
-Lorien
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Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 16:32:36 +0100
From: Mike Cummins
Subject: Re: Open fingers - Why?
Giles Chamberlin wrote:
> but then emphasise a particular finger to take the technique through.
When teaching kokyunage to kids I often tell them to imagine watching a TV
placed on the
nail of their forefinger. It stops them watching Uke, makes them move their
head and
thus their hips...
We move from closed to open fingers during most techniques. The effect on Uke
can easily
be demonstrated by Ai Hanmi Katate Dori. Once the fingers open, the tendons on Uke's
wrist tighten.
Mike
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Last updated on 13 Sep 2002