Timing is crucial in every facet of life. None is more important than when we’re forced to physically defend ourselves or a loved one.
AS SUCH, every martial art has its own way of expressing or defining different concepts related to timing. In aikido, three concepts are generally taught: go no sen (reactionary timing), sen no sen (blending timing) and sen sen no sen (leading timing).
GO NO SEN: Reactionary timing is the first step in one’s journey. Go translates to “after.” Sen has several translations; here, it means “opening” or “first move.” Therefore, go no sen becomes “after the opening/first movement.”
The opening move refers to the first technique used by the attacker. Whether it’s a punch, kick, push or grab, the defender begins his response only after the attacker has initiated. The defense is then predicated on the execution of an attack. That’s why go no sen is referred to as reactionary timing.
The concept of go no sen is easily understood with an example. The attacker commits an aggressive act involving a front kick. Once the foot begins to move, the defender performs a gedan barai (downward sweeping block) while stepping offline and then countering.
In self-defense, go no sen refers to the timing used when the defender doesn’t recognize an attack was about to occur. In the dojo, however, while the defender “knows” the attack is inevitable, his ability to recognize the “when” has not been sufficiently developed to anticipate it. Additionally, the ability to visually identify the physical precursors to an attack may be lacking or underdeveloped. That’s why the timing of go no sen assigns distinct roles to denote very separate actions by each person.
SEN NO SEN: Blending timing is the second concept taught in aikido. Sen, as mentioned, means “opening” or “first movement.” In this phrase, the defender is still reacting to the attacker’s technique, but it’s done in such a manner that the defensive move blends with the attack.
Sen no sen thus can be interpreted as the opening/first movement of the defender being a response to the opening/first movement of the attacker. In other words, the attacker begins, and the defender responds before the attack can be completed. Both opening/first movements occur almost simultaneously.
An example of sen no sen can be seen when an attacker initiates a shomenuchi (overhead strike). As he starts to raise his arm, the defender enters and raises his arms to blend with the rising movement and to extend that movement over the attacker’s head before transitioning into a counter. In another example, the attacker attempts a grab, but the defender doesn’t let him; he initiates a movement of his own to blend with the grab.
This works the same in Japanese swordsmanship. The attacker starts to raise his sword into the jodan no kame (stance in which the sword is over- head with the tip pointing backward). The defender immediately enters and raises his blade, positioning it on the attacker’s wrist. Clearly, with sen no sen, there is no clashing of power.
The skills that might have been lacking in go no sen have been improved upon, and now the defender has a better-developed sense of intuition. In this way, sen no sen can enhance the effectiveness of virtually any technique. It does, how- ever, require a great deal of practice and focus to execute properly — and even more to be consistent.
SEN SEN NO SEN: Leading or intuitive timing is the third aikido concept. Its Japanese name sen sen no sen refers to the “opening/first movement before the opening/first movement.” It has its roots in human intuition. At this stage, the defender, having realized an attack is imminent, initiates a move that forces the attacker to reveal his true intentions. In other words, the defender senses that the attacker will attack and, rather than waiting, initiates a move or creates an opening that elicits a block or counterattack from the other person, to which the defender then responds. Thus, sen sen no sen is leading timing based on intuition.
The defender’s movement could be anything from creating or limiting distance to executing a punch or kick to extending one or both arms toward the attacker. Any of these will require the attacker to make an adjustment, either physically or mentally, and that will create the desired opening for the defender to act.
While sen sen no sen should be spontaneous, in aikido practice, it’s initially structured using kaeshi waza, or techniques that have the defender attacking first and the attacker attempting to apply a technique in response, after which the defender outmaneuvers the attacker and applies his own technique.
EXAMPLE: Sensing an attack is imminent, the defender decides to be pro- active and punch the attacker. The attacker blocks and attempts to exe- cute a technique, but the defender reverses it and applies a technique of his own. As you can see, kaeshi waza is structured; the initial attack and technique are called out, but the final move applied by the defender is spontaneous.
In its highest form, sen sen no sen is completely spontaneous. Sensing the intentions of the attacker, the defender creates a barrier. That barrier takes the form of an arm (or two) or a strike that “calls out” the intentions of the attacker.
LEGAL CONCERNS: Worth keeping in mind, especially if you train for self- defense, is what your legal responsibilities may be with respect to timing. Go no sen has the attacker clearly making the initial move. This makes the claim of self-defense more plausible, particularly when witnesses are involved.
With sen no sen, claiming self- defense could be more difficult. Because the attack and defense occur almost at the same time, differentiating what the attacker is doing from what the defender is doing becomes more difficult. It’s quite likely that such an incident would be described by onlookers as mutual combat, which might lead to both parties being arrested.
Sen sen no sen could be even more problematic. Because intuition cannot be seen, the defender likely would be painted as the aggressor rather than a potential victim. This depends, of course, on the type of activity the defender uses to elicit the true intentions of the attacker.
The aftermath of any of these situations will ultimately depend on the quality of the witnesses and their understanding of the confrontation. For this reason, I counsel my students to raise both hands and exclaim that they don’t want any trouble when- ever the situation permits. Such a response will draw attention and, it is hoped, demonstrate the defender’s desire to avoid conflict.
In conclusion, I must point out that while there’s a distinct difference between each type of timing, all three, in fact, are forms of reactionary timing. Whether it’s go no sen, sen no sen, or sen sen no sen, the defender is reacting to the attacker — the attacker’s strike, the attacker’s movement or the attacker’s intention. The defender reacts to a perceived threat, which makes any response reactionary.
Lyle Laizure is an Omaha, Nebraska– based martial artist who has studied aikido for 27 years and Japanese swordsmanship for 20 years. For more information, visit hinodedojo.com.