In my group as a way to practice improving flow we do the following series in every class:
- Come into a neutral, relaxed stance) facing north (chosen for sake of ease of directions in this list).
- Stepping with the left, look over the right shoulder and turn into an upward, open-hand block. This will have you facing south with your right arm bent at a 45º angle and your fingers spread wide. The left arm hangs loose.
- Stepping with the right, you look over your left shoulder and turn, raising your left hand into the same block while letting your right hand fall relaxed by your side. At this point you should be facing north again.
- Stepping back with the right leg into a front stance at a 45º angle (facing approximately NE) you take your left hand and sweep it down and across, and then turn it outward (rotating your hips) into an open-hand block that goes to the edge of the body. The right hand hangs limp.
- Step up with the right leg and then turn so that the left leg is in the back, putting your facing to the NW and repeating the earlier block.
- Step up with both legs and go into ready stance (준비/junbi).
According to my instructor, he practiced it in tomiki aikido (where he says it probably originated) and in a kyokushinkai group where the instructor picked it up from the same tomiki class.
We use it to help improve flow and coordination.
I have a twofold question:
- Does anyone know where this technique chain originates?
- Does this sequence have a name? It seems very set, and if it does come from tomiki I wouldn't be at all surprised if they had a phrase or term for it.