Small rolls, sometimes called "Bucky Ball" rolls or "baby rolls" offer teachers a rich opportunity to orient the new student, practice learning skills, foster attention skills and give them something they can do successfully and improve upon quickly.
For more senior students, the practice serves as a mental and physical warm up, calming the nervous system and relaxing the body.
Bringing attention to what you do and how you do it, matching your breathing to your movement and varying your intention in movement are all excellent ways to prepare yourself for aikido practice.
In this quiet (no-talking) video, Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei demonstrates a rolling practice sequence useful for all levels, from beginner to senior student. It begins with orientation to the relative position of body parts, rocking left and right. It progresses through use of weight shifts, finding the natural levers and counterbalances of the body, smooth transitions from sitting to side lying and up to sitting again. By the end of the video, the roll has evolved to advanced sequences requiring clear intention, core conditioning, good body control and awareness of the space around you.
Let this post serve as a reference tool and "cliff notes" for aikidoists in your regular rolling practice.
If rolling is new to you, don't try this alone. Come to the dojo or schedule a private lesson with a certified aikido teacher.
 |
| Suzane Van Amburgh, shidoin, Multnomah Aikikai |
Trouble viewing the video? Here's the link to the video shared on google:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B71m_xdJDqYvekVBdnVSR3lBYXM/view?usp=sharing
