Aikido - Basic Attacks
Grabs/Grasps
In kata practice as well as free-play we practice techniques from various grabs. The type of contact afforded by a grasp makes it possible to feel the energy and lines of force of an attacker. Some grabs applied in Aikido practice are historically derived from being held while trying to draw a weapon. An Aiki technique could then be used to free oneself and immobilize or strike the attacker who is grabbing, supressing.
Katate-dori (片手取りone hand wrist grabs) .....also seen written as katate-tori, katate-mochi
Tori: K.McClean, Uke: D.Conroy
Katate-dori ai-hamni
Single-hand grab, same posture)
Katate-dori gyaku-hamni
Single-hand grab, opposite posture)
Ushiro Ryote Dori (後ろ手首取り, ushiro tekubitori)
Grab both wrists from behind
Ushiro-eri-dori ( 襟取り, collar grab)
Collar grab from behind (right hand)
Mune-dori (胸取り, mune-dori or muna-dori)
Grabbing the (clothing of the) chest
Kata-dori (肩取り, kata-tori, kata-mochi)
Shoulder Grab, Grab the dogi at the shoulder.
It is sometimes combined with an overhead strike as Kata-dori men-uchi (肩取り面打ち, Shoulder grab face strike).
Ryōkata-dori (両肩取り, Ryōkata-tori, Both-shoulders-grab)
Ushiro kaki-kamae ( Hold from behind)
From behind hold the body and arms
Ushiro kaki-kamae ( Hold from behind)
From behind hold the body at waist level
to follow.......................
- Both-hands grab (諸手取り, morote-dori) both hands grab one wrist. Same as "single hand double-handed grab" (片手両手取り, katateryōte-dori)
- Both-hands grab (両手取り, ryōte-dori) both hands grab both wrists. Same as "double single-handed grab" (両片手取り, ryōkatate-dori).
- Rear chokehold (後ろ首絞め, ushiro kubishime)
- Rear both shoulders grab (後ろ両肩取り, ushiro ryokatatori)
Strikes / Atemi
In regular Tomiki/Shodokan Aikido practice we most often practice techniques from single hand strikes as well as from basic tanto strikes. Aikido techniques are usually a defense against an attack; therefore, to practice aikido with a partner, students must learn to deliver various types of attacks. Although attacks are not studied as in striking-based disciplines such as karate or boxing, "honest" or "sincere" attacks (a strong strike or an immobilizing grab) are necessary to study correct and effective application of technique.
Many of the strikes (打ち, uchi) of aikido are often said to resemble cuts from a sword or other grasped object, which indicates its origins in techniques intended for armed combat. Other techniques, which appear to explicitly be punches (tsuki), are also practiced as thrusts with a knife or short-sword. Kicks are generally reserved for upper-level variations.
- Front-of-the-head strike (正面打ち, shōmen'uchi) a vertical knifehand strike to the head. In training, this is usually directed at the forehead or the crown for safety, but more dangerous versions of this attack target the bridge of the nose and the maxillary sinus.
- Side-of-the-head strike (横面打ち, yokomen'uchi) a diagonal knifehand strike to the side of the head or neck.
- Chest thrust (胸突き, mune-tsuki) a punch to the torso. Specific targets include the chest, abdomen, and solar plexus. Same as "middle-level thrust" (中段突き, chūdan-tsuki), and "direct thrust" (直突き, choku-tsuki).
- Face thrust (顔面突き, ganmen-tsuki) a punch to the face. Same as "upper-level thrust" (上段突き, jōdan-tsuki).
