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.

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“A white belt in the dojo is like a toddler at tea party and demands a similar etiquette: People must take turns to play with him; it is incumbent upon everyone to encourage him, praise his simplest achievements, and not laugh when he falls over.”  Taken from Falling Hard-A Journey Into The World of Judo by Mark Law.

I thought that was hilarious and definitely hits the mark. This was written by a man who decided at the age of 50 to take up Judo. It’s his experiences and also a look at the world of Judo.  I highly recommend this book to anyone, martial artist or not.

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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

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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. Be careful.

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

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I figured out where the nerves on the forearm arm. In fact, I’ve dug out anatomical papers on how Aikido’s yonkyo works.¹ I’ve practiced on drunk roommates to see if they can still feel it, and I have practiced with friends in the dojo. It hurts!

I don’t want to hurt to my friends when we practice. That is why I choose to do yonkyo a couple inches higher on the inner forearm – there is muscle there to protect the nerves better. I try to think about my partner when doing this technique and follow the Golden Rule. Some people out there can put their whole body weight on my fragile nerve if they get upset and it is their turn to do yonkyo.

1. See http://wazajournal.com/techniques/yonkyo/yonkyo-pain-mechanism-explained.html [↩]

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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.

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These are excepts from Stefan Stenudd’s Aikido Dojo – How to Run One, November 2006¹

1. Beginner’s Stage

I’d say it’s the first year or two, depending on how intensely the student is training and how talented the student is.

2. Intermediary Stage

It starts at the time when the student has a comfortable ukemi technique, and can do many of the basic techniques in Aikido without much hesitation. From this point the students usually develop very quickly, and need to train often and with vigor.

The most common rule for dojos outside Japan is to allow hakama when the student reaches the grade 3 kyu. If later, I fear that the good influence the hakama can have on posture and circularity of movement is lost.

This is a very intense period in anyone’s aikido development, and it is full of intense memories that we keep forever on.

They still need to work on their basics, certainly, but they also need to discover how much they have already learned – even to show off, occasionally. They will sneak in such moments, whether the teacher allows it or not. Anyway, the teacher must work hard to keep these students challenged, or they will get bored – or quit at a later time.

The intermediary student might be able to teach others some Aikido techniques, but rarely has the patience to do so, and misses important aspects when doing it.

3. Advanced Stage

It commences at the level usually associated with shodan, or right before that. The grade itself is not a trustworthy indicator, but the student has reached an ability that is unquestionable. The student also has a level of authority in his or her Aikido. The advanced student is familiar with most of the Aikido techniques, and comfortable also in teaching them to others.

Maybe that’s the best indication of the advanced student: the ability to teach others the Aikido techniques.

For a continued development, the advanced students need to reexamine their techniques.

The refinement of Aikido is done by revision. Advanced students should question what they have learned. They should dare to let go of solutions they have trusted this far, so that they are open to continued improvement even when it means a change from what they know well into something that makes them feel like beginners anew.

Of course, it takes an advanced teacher to make advanced students continue to learn, to challenge and inspire them.

4. Teacher Stage

This arrives when the student is quite competent to have a dojo of his or her own, become its head instructor and take responsibility for the development of its students from the beginning to the advanced level. The competence signified by the grade 4 dan is probably where this stage commences, but again – grade alone is no guaranteed measurement.

1. http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikido-dojo.htm [↩]

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I was looking for something unrelated to this, but I know friends are thinking about making a dojo in the future, and one person I know already has one, so this is good background information from someone who has gone through the experience of setting up several dojos and is kind enough to share his insights. His writing was very long so I only took key points from his experiences and omitted the colourful anecdotes to use as a quick reference.

Excepts from Running an Aikido Dojo by Stefan Stenudd, November 2006.¹

“You must have a broader perspective than just the next class, but as the bottom line: you must want to train in the dojo and long for the next class, or something is wrong.”

“If you prefer a certain style of Aikido, allow the dojo to be devoted to it.”

“The more the dojo agrees with you, the more you agree with it, and you will be an inspired leader of it.”

“If for some reason the dojo develops into something that doesn’t suit you that well, don’t hesitate to leave it.”

“When a dojo is started from scratch, its first generation of members is of the greatest importance. They set the character of the dojo.”

“Don’t change your Aikido or the dojo system to attract a lot of people who would never want to train Aikido the way you want to. That only leads to trouble and conflict.”

“Consider carefully how to advertise for your dojo. Don’t stress the self-defense aspect if you’re not personally into that. Don’t use media or forums that mainly attract people of an attitude that is far from yours. In demonstrations, try not to show a way of doing Aikido that differs much from what you like the trainings to be.”

“Those who can’t take the heat you don’t want as members, anyway. Anybody who expects just to pay the fee and then be served is not fit to join a dojo.”

“I recommend you to make grading a fun event at regular intervals, but not give it an importance as if it were the goal of the training. It is not. Training is the goal of training.”

“If your dojo is a club, … a good general rule is to search for a Chairperson among those members who do not want to be one, and to make sure not to elect one who is eager for it … or else that person might get an attitude.”

“If senior students are involved in the teaching of newcomers, they will surely do all they can to make those people stay and continue their training.”

“Maybe you’re left without any yudansha, black belt, and quite probably you will not have members with which to train on the level you were used to. … You have to give your dojo a second chance, for the sake of the members remaining, and those yet to come.”

“If there is a big gap, so that almost all of the remaining members are of a much lower grade than the first generation, then you need to start by admitting to yourself that you didn’t take proper care of the regeneration of the dojo. You didn’t do enough to make newcomers welcome, or to assure that they were given a good enough training to develop as they should. You have to think of ways to improve in this respect.”

“You need to ensure that the most senior members of the ones remaining in the dojo are regarded as the core of the dojo, just as much as the first generation was before them. The trick is to make them feel that way. When the present seniors of the dojo feel like its seniors, they will help you to keep the dojo going.”

“The main inspiration in training Aikido is the learning process. Students practice towards perfection. Without the perspective of improvement, training is mere body exercise.”

“The teacher needs to feel that he or she is improving, or it’s just a job – with no or little pay, at that. So, who teaches the teacher? The students do.”

“Invite other teachers to give classes in your dojo! It has the same benefits for you as when you travel to seminars elsewhere – and then some. You get a chance to be a student like the others, in your own dojo.”

“Any teacher’s ideal is that the students should surpass him or her. But make them work for it, by your own continued development, at the same time as you do all you can to assist and inspire them in their progress.”

“(As a teacher) watch out for two things, though: pride and laziness.”

“Pride makes you avoid teaching techniques of which you don’t feel sure. Instead, you fill too much of your classes with the stuff that you excel at. Since practice makes perfect, you will surely improve on the techniques you already know well, but the rest of your Aikido risks to deteriorate.”

“Laziness is a slow-working poison. At the start it works much the same as pride: you avoid techniques that you are not comfortable with, for one reason or other, and spend excessive time on other techniques that you find easy to perform… A lazy teacher also avoids going to seminars or inviting other teachers to the dojo. Again, you don’t learn much.”

“A better goal for an Aikido teacher, if there should at all be one, is to cultivate one’s students until they can become teachers – to be a teacher of teachers.”

1. From http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikido-dojo.htm [↩]

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In his Book of Five Rings, the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi wrote:

“The teacher is the needle, and the student is the thread.”

Stefan Stenudd interprets this as: “As a teacher you lead the students on, in a spirit of their improvement being the reason for it all. The needle goes first, but the thread remains.”

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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.

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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.

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“Happiness is not the pursuit. Happiness is where you are right now.”

- Steve Erickson

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Updated Jul 28, 2010

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

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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

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“I’m going to list some things that anyone, no matter what level, but especially if you are a beginner, can do to enjoy their Aikido practice. Let’s get right into it.” – Autrelle (May 8, 2008)

1. Practice on your own. Even Ueshiba Sensei said that an instructor can only impart a small fraction of the lessons in Aikido. That’s a hint to do some keiko on your own time.
2. Read some books. Not just about Aikido, but any martial art. Not just martial arts – there are all sorts of books that might make your Aikido light bulb go off.
3. Visit other Aikido dojos. Especially the ones in your own city. These other dojos are your family also. You should make a point to make friendly with them. For extra credit, when you visit, bring a gift – usually a bottle of sake is nice.
4. Invest in a nice set of bokken and jo. I personally own a set of Iwama styled ken and jo, made of Japanese white oak. I was a bit hesitant to order them at first because they were on the pricey side, but once I got my hands on them, I fell in love.
5. Practice weapons of some sort. Whether it is suburi or kata or kumi. Whether it is Saito Sensei or Saotome Sensei. Whether it’s Aikiken, Iaido, Kali, or Okinawan Kubodo. Weapons practice always does something good for you.
6. Learn to fold a hakama. You don’t want to be the person that shows up with their hakama crumpled and stuffed lazily in a duffle bag. Plus, you never know when you will be asked to fold someone’s hakama.
7. Learn how to take ukemi. This seems like a no brainer, but really, the art is literally hidden in the ukemi. I tell anyone that really wants to get good at Aikido two things: 1) take lots of ukemi 2)takes lots of ukemi.
8. Earn your Shodan. No, not so you can write your book or open your own school. Do it so that you can train with the big dogs at the seminars. Do it so that when you go to seminars, the guest instructor may pull you aside to share some insight. That’s all.
9. Go to seminars. Any chance you can. Just do it.
10. Take notes. About anything. Add as much detail as possible. Add diagrams and illustrations. Add pictures from your own camera or the internet.
11. Video everything you can. Seminars. Daily class. Your own practice. Your students.
12. Participate in discussions on internet forums. There are some really nice people out there that share all sorts of knowledge on these boards. Some of them might be someone you met at a seminar. Some of them might live on the other side of the world. And you can access them easily via the internet.
13. Write about your experience. And share it. It could be as simple as writing a email to someone. It could be a blog. It could be an article for a magazine or website.
14. Watch videos. There are so many videos out now. Between what you can buy, and what you can watch for free on sites like Youtube, there’s no reason to not be watching videos.
15. Take your instructor out for dinner. Or your student. Or your fellow training partner. Hang out, enjoy each other’s company outside of the dojo.
16. Come a little early, stay a bit later. Get to the dojo early if you can. Help with any setting up. Talk to any visitors that may arrive. Sneak in an extra long warm up. Stay a bit after class if you can. Help put things away. Work a bit more on something else.
17. Focus on your worst technique. My teacher told me that to get better, one should practice their worst technique until it is their best technique. Then repeat.
18. Become an expert. Aikido is the sum of interconnected parts. For example, one could practice everything in Aikido by only focusing on ukemi, or weapons. Pick a part that you think you have a knack for, and go at it. Pretty soon, you will have a basis for a growing level of expertise, because you have specialized.
19. Find someone that you can’t pin or throw. There is a lot to learn in success, and a lot to learn in not succeeding. When you realize what you don’t know, what you are not good at, that’s when you can really start to take command of your own progress.
20. Contribute to the art. Don’t be the person that just shows up when they feel like, ho-hum and such. Learn Aikido so that you can transmit it, improve it, share it with others. Take care of your teachers. Things like simply coming to every class, or always paying on time are always really appreciated. Take care of your fellow Aikidoka – always a smile and a hug.

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In Aikido we don’t have rules like other martial arts do have.

Instead, we have a code. It is an unwritten code called the “Aikido code”

In Aikido training we don’t harm our partner.

There is no written rule nor someone to tell you not to do these things; that’s because it’s the Aikido code.

It is an unwritten code that a mature person uses common sense to follow.

Since we don’t have rules to prohibit harmful actions, both Tori and Uke could do whatever they want in Aikido. We don’t do harmful actions because we are mature people using common sense who not to do that.

Another Aikido code is Tori and Uke agree to do the techniques or not.

For instance, Uke resists Tori only when both agree to do so, otherwise resisting Tori without prior agreement is a very provocative action.

In this case and since there is no written prohibiting rules, Uke must face the consequence of his provocative action against Tori – “Bring it on!!” Do whatever it takes to do the technique because there is no rule to not harm your partner.

That is not ideal Aikido practice; it is a fight, and if you want to fight you are in the wrong place.

We have a code: Uke does not disturb Tori’s techniques; Tori does not disturb Uke’s ukemi.

However, if they are in prior agreement to do resistive training, that’s in the code as well for what they are trying to achieve.

“A code: we are all living with a code of the universe… whatever it is.” by TK

知ってのとおり、合気道には、他の武術の様なルールという物が無い。

他の武術ではしても良い事とそうでない事が明確にルールブックに示されている。

一般にルールは2種類ある。

一つは、安全の為ともう一つは、技や動きの規定を設ける事でそれぞれの武術の都合の良い様に試合を行う為。

其のルールを破れば程度によりそれなりの罰則を受ける。

処が、合気道には、そういった明確に文書で示されたルールが無い。

いくら試合が無いからと言っても、合気道は武道なので危険がいつも伴うにもかかわらずである。

翁先生が作った合気道規範には、技や攻撃などの禁止行為などは一切示されていない。

受けの攻撃の指定すら、未だに公式にはされていなのである。

唯、皆がこうして来たから、今こうするはずと皆がいわば暗黙の了解で決めてやっているのである。

だからと言って何をしても良い訳ではなく、我々が常識を持って危険な行為を行わないだけである。

それは、暗黙の了解であり不文律と言う、それは合気道不文律と言う。

合気道不文律は、取りと受けがお互いに決めた暗黙の了解で技を行う事である。

それは、受けは、取りの技を邪魔せず素直に行えるように、取りは受けの受身を邪魔しない事ある。

処が、受けが勝手に取りに対して抵抗すればそれは不文律が破られた事になり、受けは其の挑発的行為の報復を受けるという事である。

そして、ルールでの禁止行為が無い以上取りは「そっちがその気ならば、こっちは怪我に関係無く、いかなる手段ででも技を掛けてやる！」となっても受けは自分から蒔いた種なので怪我をすればそれは受け側の落ち度である。

それは、もう合気道の稽古では無く、喧嘩である、喧嘩がしたいのなら、合気道道場は場違いである。

時として、お互いが了解して抵抗しあっての稽古は、お互いが何かを求めてしているのであってそれはそれで良い。それも亦、合気道稽古の不文律だ。

不文律を守るには、規律と常識が必要だ。

その規律と常識を持った立派な人格の人、亦はそうなりたい人にこそ合気道はふさわしい武道だ。

Thanks Eric D for help.

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If someone hammers you with rule after rule about the smallest things in life, will you ever discover the Golden Rule on your own and just care for your neighbour?

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Updated Jul 28, 2010

I have asked what other people want from Aikido. I have also asked myself what I want from Aikido. I wonder what instructors want when they teach Aikido? Have you ever wondered?

I image the ending to two Hollywood movies: The Karate Kid (any of the five), and Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. At the end of one, the sensei has one student he put all his energy into. At the end of the other, the final shot is the sensei atop a brick wall teaching his art to hundreds of students (or more).

Does one teacher want to promote the art as widely as he can? Does another want a few solid students who will continue his legacy? Does one teach as part of his next Dan requirement? Does one teach because he is expected to but doesn’t really want to? Does one teach so he can finally be called “Sensei”? Does one teach because he wants to discover himself more? Does one just love Aikido and want to share that feeling?

I often wonder why one person or another teaches, and this is a good thing to consider before anyone wants to become a teacher himself.

If I become a teacher one day, do I want to teach just to meet the kyu requirements? Do I want to micromanage, or do I want to let the students practice for bit without interruption? Do I want to teach mechanics after mechanics and impose rule after rule, or do I want to lead my students into discovering essence and principles? When my students make slips or step strangely, do I want to rush over with correcting words because I think that is what a good teacher does? Or do I smile and see if they can figure it out themselves as intelligent, heuristic learning beings first? Should I take soft ukemi so I can teach soft ukemi by example, or should I only throw and pin students because taking ukemi is above what a teacher stands for? Do I want talk a lot? Do I believe that talking is the only way to teach and that the ears are more powerful than the eyes? I don’t know how I should teach one day, but I do know the gami gami that students say today.

These are questions about how to teach, but not why?

Why would I merely want to teach for the kyu requirements? Why would I want to quickly move in with corrective words at the first sign of mistake? Why would I want to teach hard and fast rules? Why would I want to take soft ukemi for my students? Why would I want to talk a lot? I want to seriously ask myself these questions before I become a teacher one day years from now.

Look at whomever your teacher is and try to guess why he or she teaches? My hope is that a teacher teaches because he is addicted to that spark of understanding that a student shows when he realizes a principle and wants to start playing with it in other techniques.

Update: 2010.07.28 – Stefan Stenudd, 6th Dan, says, “Any teacher’s ideal is that the students should surpass him or her. But make them work for it, by your own continued development, at the same time as you do all you can to assist and inspire them in their progress.”¹

1. From http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikido-dojo.htm [↩]

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How many of us have friends who are martial artists, but not necessarily aikidoka? I for one have many, and the above question comes up often. No one grabs Randy Couture’s wrist… no one grabs Steven Seagal’s wrist… who the HELL goes around grabbing wrists?

The wrist grab question at first, assumes that kata or waza proceeding from a wrist grab are always meant to teach a katatedori defense. I’d like to believe, in the same way we train with jo and bokken to learn proper distance and timing, that the primary purpose of wrist grabs is to put one in the correct ma-ai for the application of kata/waza in a basic setting. Once an actual situation happens, nothing requires one to wait for a particular type of attack, right? The idea that every self defense waza MUST start with a defensive maneuver (tai-sabaki) and thus, must have an actual attack is  assumptive. Some kata teach us that their waza equivalents are proactive.

The next assumption is that wrist grabs are ALWAYS unrealistic. Now, this is certainly the case in boxing, MMA, and other similar controlled ‘ring’ sports, however, I would like to posit my own assumption: In the initial moments of conflict, I’m assuming that women are more likely to be grabbed at and “man-handled” and men are more likely to be swung at and struck with blows. I’d hazard a guess that most leading ’self-defense’ experts would agree with me (I could be wrong, and accept that possibility). If we can agree with my above assumption, then the wrist is just as realistic a target as shoulders, the neck, bear-hugging, and the like.

The final assumption is that all kata/waza must be realistic and ‘combat-ready’ in order to have a purpose. This is like saying since no one really uses “print” when writing, that we should not teach it to children… we should simply go straight to cursive. Different stages and styles of learning require different strategies to achieve a successful result. Most ‘grab’ kata/waza afford the student the opportunity to focus on tai-sabaki, proper angles, strong footwork, and all around cleanliness and crispness of their own movement. Once able to apply the principles of defense in this ‘controlled’ situation, an aikidoka can branch out to more direct and stronger attacks. You need to learn your alphabet before you learn words… and words before sentences, paragraphs, stories, novels, etc…

In closing, grabs of all sorts (including wrist grabs) happen in combat: take a short moment and explore TaijiChuan ’sticky-hands’ or the similar practice in WingChun. Most of these systems have trapping, wrapping, and wrist controlling techniques. As an ever developing and growing art, I’m sure that Ueshiba O-sensei, Saito Shihan, Tohei Shihan, and HUNDREDS of other aikido innovators and teachers would have removed katatedori if they for a moment thought the practice of it was without merit.

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