Receiving*

There is an expression in martial arts known as "uke" which very roughly translates as receiving an attack. In karate the term is "ukete" or receiving hand and in kendo it is "ukedachi" or the receiving sword. Whenever you train with a partner using drills one of you always assumes the role of receiving sword i.e. the target for the attack. This will usually entail reacting in a pre-ordained way or showing a particular opening for your partner to exploit. In general it is not widely regarded as very glamorous and only being more of a target dummy than anything else. However as usual in fencing this is a significant misconception as the receiver is a vital component of the exercise; if they get it wrong it will all be wrong, their form must be just right for practice and improvement to occur.
On Saturday we were getting the class to practice a beat attack on the preparation, made when the training partner stepped into distance. One pupil was complaining that he was getting hit hard and on observation I was able to tell him why. As he stepped in he was doing so with straight legs ("penguin style" as I call it) thus all his momentum was going forward and down as he tipped over his front foot. If he had been observing proper form and had his feet shoulder width plus apart he would have been fully balanced and better placed to receive his partner's blow, being able to rock back slightly to absorb the impact. By being lax in receiving he was giving himself a tougher time.
Likewise, other pupils when practicing disengage attacks moved their blade across too rapidly thus their partner could not perform the disengage attack correctly, meaning no benefit was gained by either fencer. Another example of the art of the receiver being vital to the success of the whole thing! So the next time you are practicing with a partner and you're not performing the technique make sure you are on the right receiving wavelength.

* Thanks as always to the admirable Dave Lowry for some of the inspiration behind "uke".....