Tachi-Waza Shomen-uchi Dai-Ikkyo (or Ude-osae) Demonstrated and explained by Kanetsuka Sensei

Photos and text: Peter Megann Graphics and typesetting: Graham and Laura Jones Uke: Richard Martin

The basic difference between Suwari-waza Shomen-uchi Ikkyo (demonstrated in issue no. 49) and Tachi-waza Shomen-uchi Ikkyo is that in the latter there is much more body movement. Essentially the execution of Dai-lkkyo (in both suwari-waza and tachi-waza) is the same as that of Suwari-waza Kokyu-ho in the way that Tori's arms and body move in complete harmony; and contact is maintained by Tori with his partner from beginning to end.

1. Omote 表

Photos 1 & 2: Tori and Uke are directly facing each other. Tori's arms are relaxed, just hanging. Anticipating an attack from Uke. Tori slides his right foot forwards and swings his right arm upwards to make shomen-uchi.

Photo 3: With okuri-ashi (the right foot leading with a large step, the left following) Tori approaches Uke, lowering his centre as he does so. Tori cuts down and Uke raises his right arm to protect himself. Tori makes contact with Uke's forearm with his right hand-blade (te-gatana) do not take hold of your partner's wrist at this point and at the same time swings his left hand up (with a feeling of attacking Uke's armpit) to make contact with Uke's arm just above the elbow, his hand cupping the elbow in a U-shape with the thumb making contact on the inside of the arm. At this point Tori's weight has come onto his front knee as with 'ey' in the tori-fune exercise and his posture his very positive, heels pointing in and toes pointing out (shumoku-no ashi).

Photo 4-5: Tori steps off the attacking line with his right foot. At this moment his body is turning to the right (not twisting - the back heel must stay in contact with the ground). At this point Tori's left arm is rising while his right arm is making an arc downwards and outwards. You must maintain a feeling of expansion and of 'the unbendable arm'. As a result of these movements Uke's body is twisted away from Tori and he is taken completely off balance. Note that even though it might look as if Tori is pushing Uke over, he is not pushing at all. As a result of Ton's body-turning Uke is twisted, naturally, away and downwards. Tori's hands remain in the same relationship with his body, with the same pressure - like a balloon. Both arms move in harmony, the left one cutting up and the right one cutting down, applying equal power, so that even if you are not gripping, it should work. There should be no forcing. Tori controls Uke's body through this action upon Uke's arm (this is why the technique is also called Ude osae: 'arm pin').

Notice the position of Tori's right hand on Uke's wrist (this is like a Sankyo grip). The heel of the hand is in contact with the inside of Uke's wrist over the area of the pulse. Tori is gripping only lightly. His left hand is making the same kind of contact just above Uke's elbow. During this movement there is an unbroken, smooth flow of power (ki no nagare) from the back foot to the front foot.

Photos 6—8: Tori's back (left) foot moves in an arc, first bringing the knees together (Photo 6) then turning towards Uke (Photo 7). The weight is still on the right foot. The formation of Tori's arms and the contact with Uke's arm remain constant. There is no pushing or gripping, simply holding. As Tori directs his left foot towards Uke there is a feeling of attacking Uke's armpit with yari (a spear) îò jo with a thrusting movement. The left foot is pointing towards Uke's face and the left knee towards his armpit. It is Tori's centre which is moving towards Uke, not his arms, as Tori shifts his weight forwards as in tori-fune.

The body movement shown in Photos 3-5 and in Photos 7 - 8 is very similar: simply the sequence of the foot movements is different (the right foot leading in the former and the left foot in the latter).

Photo 9: Once your partner's movement has stopped and he has reached the tatami, don't move any further forward or else you will be pushing. Tori now changes direction, advancing his right foot to the right and moving his left knee to Uke's armpit, so bringing Uke into a completely prone position.

Photos 10 & 11: Pivoting his hips around his left knee, Tori brings his right knee to the tatami and brings it up to a point between his thumb and Uke's wrist. Uke's arm is brought to rather more than 90° to his body. Tori finishes sitting up on his toes (kiza) with his feet together (see Photo 20). His feet and knees form a triangle, like a tripod. Tori stretches Uke's arm, pinning the inside of Uke's elbow to the tatami. Exhaling he rocks forwards from his toes and shifts his centre of gravity forwards. He expands his tanden and brings his weight to bear on the ligament just above Uke's elbow, his energy flowing down his arms towards his finger tips. As he finishes his shoulders are relaxed and his spine is slightly concave. He fixes his eyes on a point about two or three feet in front.

2. Ura 裏

Photo 12: Uke starts the action, sliding his left foot forward and making shomen-uchi at Tori's head.

Photo 13: Tori protects himself, meeting the attack in gyaku-hanmi contact, with furi-kaburi ('protecting the head'), his arms expanding like an umbrella opening. Tori slides his right foot slightly forwards and to the side.

Photo 14: Tori starts to turn his body to the left, pivoting on the front part of his right foot, receiving Uke's power. His relationship with Uke is now more square (rather than in hanmi), with his weight mostly on his right foot. The action of his arms is the same as in Photos 3 & 4.

Photo 15: Tori's body continues to turn to the left. Notice the position of his left foot. His weight is now decidedly on his right (back) foot as in the moment of 'ho' in the tori-June exercise. He has brought Uke's arm in front of his abdomen. This action is exactly the same as that in Photos 4-5. There should be no pushing at this point. Ton's arms are simply swinging up and down.

Photo 16: When he has brought Uke's arm in front of his abdomen - and not before - Tori turns his eyes to the left and continues his spherical turning movement, stepping back strongly with his left foot (though maintaining his weight on his forward foot) and bringing Uke around with him. Tori's body turns through about 270°. In executing this turn you must maintain the harmonious relationship with your partner: you and your partner should form one unit without any separation. Uke's arm must remain in front of Tori's abdomen so that Tori does not drag Uke as he turns. Tori is always at the side of Uke (sokumen).

Photos 17 & 18: Now Tori's relationship with Uke is more square with a low stance. Tori puts his right knee on the tatami with his left knee still raised (this corresponds to the situation in Photo 10).

Photos 19 & 20: The action here is the same as in Photo 11.