Animated Techniques

Randori no Kata (Junanahon) 1-17

(Performed by Nariyama Shihan, 8th Dan)

UKI WAZA (Floating Techniques 15-17)

    MAE OTOSHI - "The Forward Drop." This technique begins the same as the previous one, Tenkai Kote Gaeshi. Tori slides to the right and grabs the attacker's arm with both hands. He then tries to raise the attacker's arm up so as to get under it and do Tenkai Kote Gaeshi. The attacker, however, locks the elbow joint and frustrates the attempt. That however, allows Tori to slide his left arm up and under the attacker's locked arm. Nariyama then gently levers down on that arm, breaking the attacker's balance upward. It is then just a matter of stepping forward with the back left leg to provide the impetus to throw the attacker.  In randori matches, mae otoshi is only allowed for breaking balance before changing to another technique. It is strictly prohibited to take this technique to the extreme because of elbow injuries. It is therefore important to practise this sufficiently in kata.

    SUMI OTOSHI - "The Corner Drop." To understand the name of the technique, imagine that Tori is in a rectangular room. At the end of the technique, he ends up throwing the attacker towards (from Nariyama's starting position facing a wall) the front right corner of the room. Nariyama slides to the front and right to avoid the stab. He grabs the attacker firmly with both arms, pulls the attacker's arm down and to the left to break his balance, and then gets the force to throw the attacker by stepping forward with the left foot and bending his knees, thus sinking his weight. The attacker's arm is kept in Nariyama's center throughout for maximum control. Sumi otoshi is used at moments when uke is off guard. The left foot is advanced quickly to the rear of uke and at the same time cutting down with both hands. 'Off guard' is the instant that uke is surprised or when his balance is broken a little to his front left. At this point his body will be stiff as he tries to quickly regain balance. Because the throw must be done at these instants, the sharp forward step determines the success or failure of this technique
 

    HIKI OTOSHI - "The Pulling Drop." This is very similar to Judo's Ippon Seioi Nage, except that it is done just by manipulating the attacker's arm. Tori slides forward and to the right to avoid the stab. As he does so he grabs the attacker's wrist with his left hand. The right hand reaches under the attacker's arm and grabs just above the elbow. Nariyama next pulls down toward the floor the attacker's arm, while also simultaneously pulling towards his own belly the attacker's elbow. This twisting motion applied to the elbow is what breaks the attacker's balance sufficiently to throw him. Nariyama bends at the knees to sink his weight to throw the attacker. Aikido techniques such as kote gaeshi were originally applied on one joint. With the use of tai sabaki (body handling), a few of these become nage waza (throwing techniques) and hiki otoshi is one of these. One important thing that Ueshiba taught was tai sabaki which is found in this kata that was created by Tomiki Sensei.

This is based on the principles of 'mizu nagare' and 'hiki otoshi', the 5th and 6th techniques of Kodokan Judo's 'koshiki no kata'.