Luc Mathevet, 6e dan FFAAA in Dublin

It has been a while since we have had news from Dublin. Now is time for an update as the Irish capital just welcomed the technical director from the Rhône-Alpes region of France for the FFAAA, the discrete yet very accessible Luc Mathevet (6th Dan Aikikai). Luc Mathevet has been coming to Ireland for over a decade now and each time, he goes through great efforts in order to share his technical advice and explain to the attendees the mechanisms of his sharp movements. Luc Mathevet also shares with Philippe Gouttard the function of technical director of the Dublin Aikikai and it is thanks to his help that the group has managed to occupy an important place in the Irish Aikido landscape.

It is always a great pleasure to receive Luc for he is willing to share is encyclopaedic knowledge about Aikido. What practitioners first appreciate him for is his flawless technique, but soon, they also realize that Luc Mathevet truly knows how to bring life to his class. Luc Mathevet always starts by establishing clearly the initial themes upon which the whole seminar will be built and he uses these themes, like a musician, to embed them in the intricacies of his waza all throughout the weekend.

The theme this time is to creating an imbalance. More specifically, it is to initiate a change in Uke's posture in an almost imperceptible way in order to create and amplify this imbalance up to the tipping point. Luc Mathevet does not hesitate to show changes and variations as he passes around to correct practitioners. He shows how to adapt oneself to the partner or to the situation by keeping in mind the common thread of the course, while sometimes having to use a different technique. Luc's attitude is very interesting because the working assumption is that we are in a teaching situation following codes and rules, yet he always leaves the door open to changes, he always keeps in sight the actual application of a particular technique. Working on the tatami without losing sight of reality is one of the great strengths of Luc Mathevet and this is what makes his speech relevant to so many practitioners. A good part of them that day had indeed some background in other martial arts.

It is only Saturday and everyone leaves the class absolutely exhausted! Strangely, we did not feel like we were "forced upon" or that the practice was particularly physical but since Luc gives only brief explanations, most of the class time actually goes towards the practice. In the evening, we all head towards our usual pub, John Keating's for we have to watch the rugby match between France and England. England won unfortunately and the Irish, whose policy of "Anything But England" is well known, are almost more disappointed with the result than we are. The positive side of this defeat is that we went to bed at a decent hour, ready to start again in good conditions the next day.

Sunday morning, work resumed keeping the same themes, but this time on a chudan tsuki attack. Luc Mathevet's techniques are adjusted to the millimetre and they therefore require a perfect timing. Luc encourages us to drift to jyu waza several times, allowing us to apply the techniques studied to a different dynamic. As before, Luc is not stingy with his advice and guidelines, each of which is personalized for each individual he sees. His availability and his simplicity make him a very special teacher to be working with. Soon, the course ends and we already look forward to Monday night at the normal class in order to put into practice the things learned all over this weekend ...

Video of the course led by Luc Mathevet in Dublin (music composed and performed by Guillaume Erard)