In aikido, there are names for few types of ukemi, basically based on the direction of the fall: mae, ushiro, yoko. But when you start looking closer, you notice there are subtypes especially to yoko ukemi. I’ve been trying to identify the differences between the types, and because there is no [known] terminology for those, these are the ones I currently use:

Judo style @ 0:06, 1:30: Uke’s body is straight and the landing is flat. Uke doesn’t try to come up, but rather just spread the impact to both side of the torso and legs. The contact is in one phase: hand + side + leg: 1.

French style @ 0:17, 2:02: Uke’s upper body bends sideways. This way the the torso can receive the throw and the free hand can start reaching for tatami; the legs come last and the whole ukemi is very elastic. On landing, the hand touches the tatami first, then side of the torso, and side of the lower leg last. The feet are bent, thus when the momentum of the ukemi continues to move uke in sideward direction, uke seemingly lands on their feet. The contact is in two phases: hand, side + leg: 2.

Swedish style @ 1:54, 2:47: This is version of the French style, but easier to learn. Like in the French style, the body bends sideways and the free hand touches tatami first. However, the legs are straighter and when the lower leg makes contact, uke starts to turn their back to nage and shifts their weight from side to side. The result is contact in three phases: hand, side + leg, leg: 3.

The judo style usually comes about when the throw has not outward momentum, it’s just a fall/drop. In most cases the French and Swedish styles are interchangeable, but the French requires more outward momentum and early grip release.

My wife was reading an old comic book of mine, a Finnish translation of Longshot miniseries. I thought the art work looked familiar but there was something odd about it. It looked like Art Adams’ work, but something was quite not right. When she was finished with it, I got a change to see the credits. Turned out While Portacio had inked it. It’s been ages since I’ve read those or for example Portacio’s work and I’m still able to notice those things. Yey.

Another thing I realized today, visiting my mom and the town I grew up it: the ninja movies of the 80’s made me the man I am today. It’s a miracle that I’m still alive and have my vision, with my history of DIY ninja throwing stars and other weapons. Yey again!

Yesterday we spent the day in Lauttasaari seashore, first on the rocks and then on the sandy beach. I ate three cinnamon buns for lunch. My body fat percentage is 16.5%. The temperature at the dōjō was 30.2°C at the beginning of the class.

Not that it doesn’t happen these days, but I think in the 70’s and 80’s it was more common for the same actor to play different roles in the same tv-serier or movie sequels. Previously I’ve made made some queries to MacGyver and Stargate cast lists and found reoccurring actors. Few weeks ago I accidentally noticed Albert Popwell has been in four Dirty Harry movies, playing a different character in each movie.

1. Dirty Harry: Bank Robber
2. Magnum Force: Pimp
3. The Enforcer: Mustapha
4. Sudden Impact: Horace King

I think the most important one was on the first Dirty Harry movie where he plays the robber who’s asked the famous question, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”