George Simcox Sensei visits New Jersey Ki Society

On March 28, 1998, George Simcox Sensei visited New Jersey Ki Society's old dojo in the World Gym on Rt 130 in Cinnaminson, NJ. Simcox Sensei always has a "different" spin on all matters Ki, unless of course you always study with him. We had 6 local students, Bill Orwat, Jim Brumbau, Larry Feldman, Steve Warwick, David Morreo and myself plus Jesse Schindler and Sal Conti from New York and David Huang from VKS (plus a few spectators). Not a lot of people perhaps, but we got to do more stuff that way.

These were some of the interesting things George Simcox covered.

1. Standing and being pushed.

Floating vs rooting. Growing roots vs skating.

There is nothing we can DO to still the surface of the water. It has to still itself. Keeping one-point, half-half-half, double-double-double, etc, all involve "doing" something. We are made up of billions of atoms with electrons spinning around them, just like the planets and solar systems in space. All these atoms act as billions of independent gyroscopes, and if just leave them alone they will prevent us from being pushed over. If we tense ourselves the gyroscopic effect if lost.

Or something to that effect. Hey, it worked wonders for me!

2. Bowing.

Don't be so gosh-darned so-stiff-icated. When we bow, we bow deep! When committed to the bow, we can easily withstand a severe test, and also walk through the push. When bowing with reservation, as in "I'm being tested," we fall over easily.

3. Being pushed from all sides.

We never know in life when and were we may be approached, so we have to be stable in all directions. Using two or more partners, reach out and let them push, or be commanded to reach to any partner without falling over. I don't quite remember what we did here, and neither does Sensei...

4. Juvenile delinquents.

Using two partners, one on each side, with one (A) pushing against your arm and the other (B) with his palm against your (C) fist:

a. If you are weak, you (C) fall on (B) due to (A) pushing. Too many of our young (and old) have no confidence and collapse under pressure.
b. If you are strong, (A)'s push goes through you (C) and into (B). Others have the attitude that hey I got dumped upon, and I'm gonna dump on you!
c. If you extend (NO!!! - see below), (A)'s push will be dissipated to the ground and (B) will feel nothing. Moral: If you have mind and body coordinated it is possible to absorb the push and remain stable without passing the effect of the push onto (B), or, just because someone dumps on your doesn't mean you have to pass it on to others.

5. Same as above.

A and B pushes on your outstretched arms, as above. Extend and let the arm drop naturally. Their push creates an Udemawashi Undo and they fall by themselves.

6. Pushing palms together.

Standing in hanmi, present the rear palm. Your partner pushes his palm against yours. Use your forward hand to brush his hand off.

a. Think "NO!" and his hand brushes off easily. This is the same as extending Ki. Say/think "NO!" as you do irimi movements.
b. Think "YES!" and his hand is as glued to yours. This is the same as receiving Ki. Say/think "YES!" as you do tenkan movements.

7. Tenchi-nage variation.

From a ryote-tori (both hand grab) say "YES" with the down hand and "NO" with the up hand. The down hand moves toward your back pocket and the up hand towards his opposite shoulder. A slight hip turn towards the down side helps your partner fall. As usual in tenchi-nage, it is the down hand that does the work while the up hand gets all the credit.

8. Push fist.

Your partner makes a fist as in munetski. You push it back.

a. Push using force. Your partner may move back.
b. Imagine his fist being surrounded by an aura. Push his aura.
c. Imagine your hand being surrounded by an aura. Use your aura to push his fist.
d. Use your aura to push his aura. See which push is the strongest.

9. Shomenuchi ikkyo.

If we block the strike, the arms will collide and we have to block early to be effective. If on the other hand, we move the aura of the strike, we can be much later, and still be more effective. Uke notices a drastic difference.

10. Ikkyo Taigi.

Shomenuchi ikkyo irimi
Yokomenuchi ikkyo tenkan (new for me - George says he made it up!!!)
Munetski ikkyo irimi
Katatetori ikkyo tenkan
Katatori ikkyo irimi
Ushirotori ikkyo tenkan

Uke and Nage stand. Hai! U&N walk into positions, left foot first. U&N sit. Hai! [Clock starts] U&N bow and do techniques. U&N bow. [Clock stops] U&N stand up, turn and walk back, together.

11. Katatetori Udeoroshi.

Curl fingers and go bowling.

12. Katate Kosatori Ikkyo.

Curl fingers, relax the arm completely and let arm hang. Then swing it in a big circle to the outside rather than through Uke's zone of power.

13. Kokyo Dosa.

With or without arms, accept your partner's arms as if they were yours. Use them to reach his shoulders and after he tips over, touch his gi to make the pin. If you can feel his body, you are too close.

14. O'Sensei.

Morihei Ueshiba is O'Sensei only to the people who studied under him (or during his lifetime). Go figure those Japanese customs... Aikido changed throughout Ueshiba's lifetime, especially after WWII. Before the war, Aikido was Martial, with "slam, bam, domo, san!" techniques. After the trauma of Japan being nuked, its first military defeat ever, Ueshiba changed Aikido to promote peace and harmony.

15. Strength is weakness.

Throughout, Simcox Sensei displayed a great command of softness and I am looking forward to many more of his seminars.

16. Sensei's Comments.

You are really kind in your comments and got the gist of what I was trying to say.
As you can see, I am opinionated and think a lot about just what we are trying to 
do with our study.  Enjoyed spending the day with you and Sensei Pierce.... 
Terry deserves a lot more exposure than he gets.

George

NEW JERSEY KI SOCIETY
TERRY PIERCE, NANA DAN, JO DEN
609 MAINI STREET, RIVERTON, NJ 08077, USA
856-829-7323

If you have an opinion on what is presented here, feel free to mail us at info@njks.org.

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