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| Exculsive
Interview with Shane Riley |
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Rose Aikikai is an independent
Aikido Association formed in 1979
to promote and foster the practice
and spirit of Traditional Aikido,
as originated by O-Sensei Morihei
Ueshiba. Sensei Shane Riley is
head instructor with a wealth
of knowledge in martial arts.
Starting back in 1970 he studied
Wado Ryu Karate at Mirfield Karate
School where he achieved the rank
of Shodan; he has also studied
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Shotokan
Karate and Shuko Kai Karate.
It was in 1975 that Sensei Riley
was introduced to Aikido training
under Sensei Vincent Thompson
7th dan. Starting just a small
class at Huddersfield Sports
Centre for some friends soon
turned into a permanent fixture
and in 1979 the White Rose Aikido
Club was formed.
Sensei Riley has had the privilege
to train with some legendry
figures such as Mochizuki Sensei
10th dan, Tamura Sensei 8th
dan, Waite Sensei 6th dan and
Bayliss Sensei to name just
a few.
Along
side his traditional Aikido
practice Sensei Riley teaches
the North Yorkshire police PTI's
control and restraint techniques
and theory. Sensei Dave Hemming's
also from White Rose Aikido
and Sensei Riley were two of
the first instructors to be
given a license to teach self-
defence by the Martial Arts
Commission.
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| MI:
Sensei Riley can you tell us what ma ai is? |
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| Sensei
Shane Riley: Ma ai is often referred to
as the critical fighting distance. It is derived
from the use of Japanese classical weapons
practice and the terminology was brought in
to use within the unarmed systems of Japanese
martial arts. Obviously a critical fighting
distance can be used in any conflict but ma
ai is the term used in classical Japanese
martial arts. |
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| MI:
Why is it so important to learn and understand
ma ai? |
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Sensei
Shane Riley:
Ma
ai is one of the most important drills to
practice. Especially if you require your Aikido
to be practical. Timing and blending have
their part to play but if you are not the
correct distance to accept an attack every
thing else goes out the window. Your ma ai
must be 'alive' and you must keep adjusting
it to suit the situation you are in.
If needs be by striking or fainting to strike
your uke to gain the correct ma ai.
If you are attacked unexpectedly you should
be able to make ma ai with out a conscious
effort. Like all your aikido it shouldn't
have to be thought about but a natural part
of you. With out the correct ma-ai your defence
will be weak. |
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| MI:
At what stage would you introduce a student
to the philosophy of Ma ai? |
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| Sensei
Shane Riley:
The
concept of correct distance should be
introduced with the very first technique
shown to a beginner, other wise the
technique will be shown incorrectly
and the student will start his/hers
aikido with a weak foundation. Unfortunately
this is not always done. Most beginners
are shown an overview of the technique,
but should be taught more methodically
with thought from the |
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to the understanding of the concept
of ma ai. Bad habits are hard to correct
at as the student progresses. |
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| MI:
How can we as students practice this outside
the dojo? |
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Sensei
Shane Riley: Your aikido should be with
you all the time and not just practiced
when in the dojo. Over the years this has
become more prevalent as people treat the
martial arts as just another social out
let similar to some one who goes to the
gym to relax or play squash.
The philosophy and ethics behind the martial
arts is being eroded, as people want a quick
fix. A worrying thing is where will the
next Shi Han come from in the next twenty
years? Will they all be of Far East origin?
Any way I digress.
Ma ai can be practiced as a little game,
avoid people in busy streets by judging
the distance as they approach you, I don't
mean making extravagant tai sabaki as they
approach just a little body shifting will
do. Don't let people get too close to your
personal space. This is highlighted in the
book Aikido and the dynamic sphere with
the drawings of uke and tori in little bubbles
or circles. It doesn't have to be dramatic
just a half step one-way or the other could
make a big difference. Don't get drawn into
close You see people in bars and night clubs
where the noise volume is very load leaning
into each other to hear what they are saying.
This is ok if you are friends but if you
are a doorman wanting to escort some one
off the premises it could put his ma ai
in a bad position as the doorman reaches
forward to tell the person he has to leave
he compromises his ma-ai and could quite
easily be head butted or worse bitten. This
is taking it to quite a violent scenario,
but it just highlights the dangers of incorrect
ma ai and awareness as they go hand in hand.
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| MI:
Is there a correct distance between the attacker
and the attacked? |
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Sensei
Shane Riley:
The
concept of ma ai was the length
of two sword blades touching with
approximately inch or so of blade
over lapping at the tip, which
is roughly a tatami length. This
again is roughly the length of
a stride, as if to step forward
to strike or grab.
There are no set figures in 'real'
life situations to help calculate
the distance you should be in.
The above are for formal practice
One can change ones ma-ai either
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by
body movement, atemis or distractions.
All distances should be practiced
from some one with a Jo or bokken
attacking you to some one trying
to bear hug you. Also ma ai has
to come into play if you are taken
to the ground. This is something
rarely practiced in Aikido. Practice
and more practice with a good
sensei are they way to get a better
understanding of 'your' ma ai.
Everybody's ma ai is different
due to his or her size, ability
and temperament. I like to dominate
my uke by keeping a close ma ai
(if unarmed) but this does not
suit every one and I wouldn't
expect all my students to adopt
this.
Ma ai is a very difficult thing
to master but is very important,
but if everything was easy it
wouldn't be as much fun to learn.
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| MI:
How did some of your senseis teach Ma ai? |
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| Sensei
Shane Riley: Well
at a basic level I was taught as stated
above. I cannot recall being shown some
magic formula. It was down to hard work
and then some more hard work. We were
often pressure tested when I say often
I would say must classes. I like randori
to get a feel for ma-ai as you are changing
it (ma ai) all the time as you move
from one uke to another. If the ma-ai
is incorrect then uke shouldn't fall
over for |
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if your technique is weak. As I have
already said ma ai like any skill must
be practiced time after time from various
attacks and distances and also a variety
of ukes. You must be able to 'feel'
the ma ai. It has to come from the individual
not the sensei. |
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| MI:
You
also trained in Karate, how do they
differ their learning of Ma ai to Aikidoka? |
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Sensei
Shane Riley: Yes I did Karate
for many years studying Wado Ryu,
Shotokan and Shukkokai. Wado Ryu was
my main style. It has many similarities
to aikido.
As for ma ai in Karate, ma ai is trained
for with drills such as sanbon kumite
(three step sparring) and with most
karateka moving about in sparring
the ma ai is very much 'alive' this
feel is often lost in modern aikido
as it has become very stylised and
preset, the spontaneity of the early
days seems to be missing in many dojo's
now a days. If your ma ai is incorrect
in club sparring you either land an
ineffective blow or you knock somebody
off their feet or you get caught yourself.
Control of your ma ai is very important,
as in competition (traditional not
full contact) as you have to show
full control of your technique and
not damage any one or get damaged
your self. In full contact then of
course focus of your technique changes
but not the principles of ma ai.
If you are to use your Karate in a
self-defence situation then your ma
ai is very important you have to be
able to close and open your ma ai
at will to attack and defend yourself.
Like in competition but with more
focus to the end product. The principals
are just the same as in Aikido or
the weapons arts. We were always taught
the one cut one kill principle in
our Karate; basically you get in and
finish the job as quickly as you can.
I still adhere to this in my Aikido.
The more you try and pal with uke
the more time uke has to change their
attack. Get in, get out, and get away.
So hope fully you can see the need
to work on ones ma ai and how important
it is to our martial arts if they
are to be effective not just dojo
technique.
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| MI:
Thank you very much Sensei Riley for taking
the time to talk with us. |
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| Sensei
Shane Riley: Your welcome |
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