Ukemi
Techniques of falling to soften the impact of the falling body on a hard
surface. The counter-impact of striking the floor with the open palm of the hand
and the forearm lessens the shock to the body. In all cases, the body must stay
supple. The chin must stay drawn into the chest to protect head and neck. These
'breakfall'-techniques are used in many variations in most Budo-sports.
Ueshiba Morihei
(1883-1969)
Creator of Aikido. Frail and often ill as a child
he became interested in the Buddhist Shinto Kami.
Through regular physical training he brought his body to a state of health
and strength. He started his martial arts career in 1901 studying Tenjin
Shin-yo-ryu, a Ju-Jutsu style, and shinkage-ryu in
1902. He opened his first dojo at Tanabe in 1908. He continues to study
unrelentlessly. He starts at the Daito-ryu Aiki-jutsu school in 1915, and gains
his master's degree in Ju-Jutsu the following year. His continuous religious and
martial studies make him travel extensively. He finally founds a dojo in Tokyo
where he taught the principles of unarmed combat. Aikido was basically a
defensive system. He even taught at the naval academy and the military police
academy. However, his connections with a religious sect made his life difficult.
Thought to be a revolutionary the government forced the closure of his dojo and
in 1935 he retreated to his farm to the north of Tokyo. He continued to train at
Aikido, which received its official name in 1938. Only in 1949 he was allowed to
reopen his Dojo in Tokyo. His exemplary teachings brought him numerous disciples
and admiration. He was decorated by the emperor in 1964. He died of cancer in
1969.
Undisputed ***
Monroe Hutchen, a convicted murderer
serves a life sentence in Sweetwater Prison. Hutchen might have been the
heavyweight champion of the world, but we'll never know because now the only
fighting he does is on the prison boxing circuit. Enter James "Iceman" Chambers.
Iceman was the heavyweight champion until he got convicted of rape and sent to
Sweetwater. In prison, the convicts look up to Hutchen, which is an affront to
Iceman. So, the rivalry established, prison gangster Mendy sets up a contest and
the film builds to the climactic grudge match between Iceman and Hutchen, Ving
Rhames, Peter Falk, Wesley Snipes. Director: Walter Hill. 2002.