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The Role of Motodachi

This article began life as one of my answers for my written test as part of my 4th dan exam. After a little thinking, I decided it was pretty relevant to everybody, not just random blokey writing down some toss for the benefit of another random goober reading it at the exam. Have a read and have a think, and once you've put the fire out, think how you yourself act as a motodachi and if you think that what you do is adequate enough, or a little bit poo and needs improvement.

Here it is, complete with spalling mistkes! If you think it reads a bit like an exam rather than a proper article, thats because it is. So bite me

Gibbo

Yondan Written Exam Question 1. Stuart Gibson, 15th October 2006

Explain the role of motodachi

In my opinion, the main role of motodachi is to provide a useful target for kakarite, and to receive kakarite�s attacks in a way that is conducive to good kihon geiko. In this, motodachi should be aiming first of all to show the target that kakarite is aiming for clearly, and in a way that makes it easy for kakarite to strike the target if they themselves are attacking properly. When receiving a strike, motodachi should start at the correct distance, and be employing their own footwork so as not to hinder kakarite but allow and encourage them to finish their attack properly, and during this maintain en with their partner, and keep their own concentration.

When called upon to attack a target themselves, such as during oji waza geiko, motodachi should ensure that they are delivering a proper technique, as they would in jigeiko and as they would expect to receive themselves should they be practicing their own technique. Motodachi should also be taking this opportunity to practice whatever kakarite has asked them to do, for instance during men kaeshi dou kihon geiko, motodachi should aim to produce a technically good men, and also finish the technique properly with correct application of zanshin on maintaining their connection, or en with their opponent whilst also keeping their concentration, ready to perform again, or take their turn to practice their own oji waza, and not simply stroll or amble back to the centre and start from cold again. If motodachi simply goes through the motions when delivering a strike for the benefit of kakarite in oji waza geiko, they are failing themselves in doing sub standard technique, and they are failing the kakarite in that every single motodachi has a responsibility to their partner to help them get better through correctly receiving the practiced technique.

In exercises such as kirikaeshi, uchikomi geiko, kakarigeiko and oikomigeiko, motodachi has a further responsibility, to maintain the rhythm of that particular activity. This first and foremost involves being in the right place at the right time, and being prepared to receive kakarite�s next attack before kakarite themselves are ready to deliver it. Motodachi should be concentrating here to be facing kakarite as quickly as possible, and to be in a distance that kakarite can easily and effectively attack from. For instance, if doing uchikomigeiko or kakarigeiko, if when kakarite turns around motodachi is 2 steps outside tou-ma, then all kakarite can do is rush to get into distance and this will destroy any rhythm that kakarite had and also potentially negate the point of the exercise, where as if when kakarite turns around motodachi is at tou-ma or issokuittou, then motodachi has given an effective and relevant distance from which kakarite can execute their next attack. In kirikaeshi, this responsibility manifests itself in motodachi�s role in managing the distance between themselves and kakarite, so that with each attack kakarite can strike the datotsubu of the men, and not just the shinai in front of the men.

Motodachi should at all times be trying to remember this responsibility, as without the co-operation of an effective motodachi who is concentrating on doing their best to receive kakarite�s attacks, maintain their concentration and keep a connection with their partner and thereby help kakarite improve, then this will simply result in frustration from kakarite and incorrect practice of the technique or exercise to compensate for motodachi�s deficiency.