Is the practice of Suwari Waza obsolete?
Kneeling techniques in Aikido have been criticized to the point that many adepts and teachers have chosen to skip them altogether, while others still see them as an absolute necessity. In any case, understanding the coherence of the system studied, and the raison d'être of each part composing it, is a necessity to avoid eliminating useful parts, or losing the sense of the remaining elements.
The myths associated with Suwari Waza
For the gatekeepers of the tradition, as well as their opponents, Suwari Waza is regularly perceived as a vestige from the past, a traditional element coming from a culture in which sitting on one's knees was usual. Traditionalists therefore obviously want to keep this work, while practitioners in favor of a practice that evolves with its time will tend to give it less credit in an era when chairs are predominant. I personally don't consider myself a traditionalist, and I find it hard to accept that we can do things for a simple question of tradition…
The myths associated with Suwari Waza
For the gatekeepers of the tradition, as well as their opponents, Suwari Waza is regularly perceived as a vestige from the past, a traditional element coming from a culture in which sitting on one's knees was usual. Traditionalists therefore obviously want to keep this work, while practitioners in favor of a practice that evolves with its time will tend to give it less credit in an era when chairs are predominant. I personally don't consider myself a traditionalist, and I find it hard to accept that we can do things for a simple question of tradition…
