This is similar to my post about iriminage from standing and sitting. It was only when I practiced shihonage omote from hanmi-handachi did I appreciate the standing version more. One Thursday I was practicing HH shomenuchi shihonage with friends at another dojo. It was clear that Tori has to take zempo with his inside knee while extending Uke to keep himself safe from a kick, and to start turning Uke.

Another way to think of shihonage is this: You know when you do ura both you and Uke have yourselves back-to-back for an instant? Why not achieve that in the omote version too?

I never recognized this idea before. Steve Sensei was trying to help another student by demonstrating katatedori shihonage on me. When he went to do omote I blended too nicely (he said) and stepped when he extended me. He chuckled and asked me not to be so nice and to make Tori to make me take “that extra step” before the giri movement.

Why didn’t I noticed this before? In shihan videos Uke usually blends nicely too and that step can be hidden by flowing movement. I love shihan videos, but for this case I looked at some of those “Aikido how-to” videos by people in North America to see what they think – that extra step is not emphasized or even done sometimes. Here is a clip of a teacher getting his students to demonstrate without the step by Uke:

I am not advocating this.

And here is another – no Uke step on omote.

I am not advocating this.

If you cannot see what I am talking about, here is an exaggeration of making Uke step before the shihonage cut-down on omote by our Yoshinkan cousins. It is very clear in this clip.

In conclusion, I will try to emphasize making Uke step for shihonage omote as it helps me keep safe from a kick, and it helps Uke into a clean ukemi.

Steve Sensei was kind enough to allow me to film him performing the 36-no-jo kogeki side. Everyone has a different style of weapons and blocking, and these should be unique to each person to reflect their personality. Here, his peaceful, flowing motions are what I strive for when I practice jo so I want to share this.

Today may be the first time I ever practiced this technique. I paid close attention. The hallmark of what I learned was the initial movement for Tori. He has very little time to react and must also avoid being kicked or knocked over. As with the standing version of aihanmi shomenuchi shihonage, Tori intercepts Uke‘s strike arm with his front tegatana. At the same time Tori‘s rear tegatana comes over top of Uke‘s wrist to temporarily trap it, but in reality to help guide it soon. Still at the same time as this, Tori pivots on both knees approx. 90 degrees so he is more or less perpendicular the Uke‘s momentum vector. This needs practice! Tori guides, captures and extends Uke‘s arm toward Uke‘s shikaku, and at the same time pivots again to face Tori‘s original starting direction. Tori should have Uke‘s arm extended out so Uke is off-balance, and Tori is off the line of attack. Tori then takes a kneeling step with his inside leg. This is the omote extension to keep Uke off-balance. Tori then pivots back approx. 180 degrees on the outside to finish with cutting down at an angle.

The key points to take away are: initially, don’t slide off the attack line; pivot off it. Also, take a nice kneeling step to keep Uke off-balance before the kiri movement.

Advanced pointer: When guiding Uke‘s arm and extending it, try to grab the pulse-reading side of his wrist with your outside palm and keep it flush through the extension. This will extend Uke without twisting his wrist unduly. We are kind partners.

合気道パーフェクトマスター

In this publication, Doshu and (mainly) his son explain key points to posture, kamae, ukemi, as well as techniques between Aikikai 5th kyu and 3rd kyu levels. The DVD is 97 minutes long and entirely in Japanese (and for region 2 players – not like that means anything anymore). This is great because the viewer can hear the names of techniques with authentic Japanese pronunciation. In my case, I want to hear what Doshu thinks are important points as he explains key points and features. This book and DVD is not a mechanical step-by-step instructional video, but rather it focuses on critical elements that can be applied to more advanced techniques. That is why it is called Perfect Master.

The first instruction is how to sit in seiza and stand from it, then return to seiza. You may think you are a rock star at sitting in seiza and getting up from it, but they make it look cool and polished in the DVD. Also, whether you like to keep your hands up in kamae or not, Doshu makes keeping hands up カッコウイイ。 If for no other reason, when doing Aikido you should set aside your karate stance, your judo stance and/or your kickboxing stance because there is just something confident and non-threatening about Doshu’s Aikido stance that we can learn from, in my humble opinion.

The DVD then goes through ikkyo to yonkyo from various attacks. This is not a complete set of techniques like Tissier has made in his DVD set, but techniques are repeated at different speeds with key points highlighted, plus they are demonstrated by Doshu so it is a good reference. For example, where to press in yonkyo in explained in both omote and ura versions.

合気道パーフェクトマスター screenshot

From 合気道パーフェクトマスター, 2009 by Doshu

Doshu yonkyo omote nerve

Doshu yonkyo omote twist

Doshu yonkyo ura nerve

Doshu yonkyo ura twist

In the screenshots, pay attention to Uke‘s pinky finger to notice which arm Doshu is performing yonkyo on. In the DVD he demonstrates yonkyo omote on one arm, but yonkyo ura on the other arm. The screenshots are misleading as they look like they are done on the same arm.

As far as I can discern, Doshu presses on the same nerves for both yonkyo omote and ura.

Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe the key idea is to hold Uke‘s wrist like that of a bokuto.

Update: 2010.07.31 – After class tonight, K, Tak, Atsuko and I discussed and practiced yonkyo. We talked about maykubu (pulse-area) and toukotsubu (around the radial bone) and how Doshu discusses these two distinct-yet-close pressure points. We all agree the video is misleading visually, but when we take into account the points of the text, what Doshu says in other text, and when we actually practice omote and ura, we clearly understand that the pressure points are different. It is true that it feels more natural to press on toukotsubu when doing ura yonkyo, and of course myakubu when doing omote.

myakubu – 脈部
toukotsubu – とう骨部

Update: 2010.10.14 – Kobayashi Sensei describes myakubu in his treatment of sankyo omote.

Zagi Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

Zagi Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

Zagi Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

Zagi Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

Zagi Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

Mr. Tissier does a hand switch similar to how he does the standing sankyo ura version. This is a very elegant sankyo ura.

Sometimes Tori takes Uke straight down and it is awkward for Uke to reposition himself. For example, in nikyo ura both Saito and Tissier like to take Uke straight down instead of letting him get back up and doing another ura tenkan then taking him down again (inefficient). I first saw Dzung Nguyen Sensei take low ukemi similar to this years ago. I don’t see this much these days so I thought I would a make a quick-and-dirty example of what I was talking about. This is still a work in progress.

The first two falls are awkward on purpose as a reference. The rest are simulations of going straight down comfortably. There is no audio.

I guess what I am trying to do is to throw my body up and let my torso touch, then my stomach and finally my legs in a soft manner.

Update: 2010.08.11 – Andell found a video of other people practicing this.

This video has been posted as a reference point when looking at recent clips of Doshu to see how his techniques have changed, stayed the same, or just as reference for my own training.

Yokomenuchi sankyo ura

Very fancy, Mr. Tissier. Still, original! This is from 1985 and predates Steven Seagal doing it on the silver screen. By the way, this is a still from his video about how to so all the kyu techniques.

Shomenuchi Sankyo Ura

This is the same shomenuchi sankyo omote from a later series by Mr. Tissier in late 90′s.

Yokomenuchi sankyo ura

Yokomenuchi sankyo ura

Nikyo ura (1985)

Nikyo ura (more recent)

On ura, I like how he takes Uke‘s wrist very low to the ground (Uke‘s center is lowered and he is bent over), and he does the Aikikai footing style of having his inner leg bracing against Uke‘s forearm. Other styles brace Uke‘s wrist against the back leg.

Nikyo ura continued

He was right beside Uke for the wrist change, and he still is. When he goes to execute the nikyo mechanism, he stays beside Uke. This is smart. The alternative is to face Uke and risk him shooting your legs into a takedown. By staying beside Uke it seems like you have better control of his arm and joints, and he is less able to move his body to alleviate the pain. It also looks like many of the pros stay to the side too. Check out Saito Sensei also.

Update: I should point out that Tissier has both hands near Uke‘s wrist and can use the leverage of his elbow if Uke is stubborn or big. I believe Doshu does this also and is considered the fundamental way.

Nikyo ura mechanism

If Tori stays beside Uke, where else but down can Uke go?

Note to myself: If someone, even a 5th-kyu shihan, says you have to do something a certain way, remember who is giving you advice and feel free to reject it if you can find several examples of pros (or Doshu!) doing it a different way that makes more sense, is safer, is smarter, and is cleaner. Aikido is not a paint-by-numbers art so please don’t move as if it were, Eric.

Here is the alternative nikyo ura where Tori faces Uke. I invite you to decide which is smarter.

Alternative nikyo ura