Downset, not Upset

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Last week I attended a class at Princeton Kokikai Aikido with Shuji Maruyama Sensei, the founder of Kokikai Aikido. He said that when we practice aikido we should focus on being "downset," not "upset."  "Downset" isn't in any English or Japanese dictionaries, but it's a fantastic idea.

We become upset when encountering something threatening, unusual or uncomfortable. But what happens if we try to become "downset" instead?

What is "downset?"

In Kokikai we focus on these four basic principles to develop greater strength and control:

Keep One Point to Develop Calmness
Relax Progressively
Correct Posture (in Everything)
Develop Your Positive Mind

The more you use all four principles together, the more you can be "downset."

It's worth mentioning that "downset" doesn't refer to being heavy or unable to move, in fact, you should have more control of whether you move or don't move.

When we practice aikido we get immediate feedback as to whether we are correct or not. When we're incorrect ("upset"), we throw with effort, using lots of muscle, or we can't throw at all. The more correct we are, the more easily we can throw an opponent.

It's easy to imagine how the idea of being "downset" will translate to daily life.

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