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AJA NEWSLETTER Volume XXXVII, Issue III Autumn 2014 The Whys and Wherefores of the Throw Scott Anderson “Once Hidekazu Nagaoka with short sleeves which made reasons that having a good in- (tenth dan) asked Jigaro Kano to it difficult to get the leverage to structor is so critical for good explain the meanings of hazumi perform a variety of sweeps in progress in any martial art and ikoio. The founder of judo different directions and hence whether practiced for sport, self replied that setting up an impe- only de-ashi-barai, or ashi-barai -defense, or just for fun. tus (ikoio) involves strength but was recognized. Once long that establishing a momentum sleeved judogi (suits) were in- When principles, instead of (hazumi) involves skill. Anyone troduced, all that changed and techniques, are taught instruc- learning judo should be able to sweeps in all their various guises tors sometimes have to resort feel the difference between took an important role in ju- to “sound bites” like the catchi- these two.” do…” er bullets from a Powerpoint - Judo in Action, Throwing Tech- - The Gokyo by Barnaby Chester- presentation to hold the atten- niques by Kazuzo Kudo man tion of students. Often, these are rules of thumb are like short Inside this issue: “The reason that ashi-barai nev- "We do not deny that these cuts, and like short cuts, they er featured in jujutsu is because systems (boxing, savate, ju-jitsu), bear the same relationship to Well Practiced 2 jujutsu was an art developed for practiced for objectives of pure long cuts. The short cut works Ukemi: The the battlefield. Ashi-barai tech- sport, represent a fine means of in the majority of situations Power to Rise niques require a smooth flat progress in endurance, speed, while the long cut always works, surface as they deal with split dexterity, fighting capacity, and so how does the student know second timing to sweep the foot other physical and psychological when to use the long cut in- Advertise Your 3 centimeters before it rests on qualities. Indirectly, they pre- stead of the short cut? That’s Dojo the ground. A bumpy surface pare the fighter, but once again where the expert’s instruction would make such a sweep al- we repeat that they do not give comes in. most impossible. Whereas in actual, direct preparation for Brief Biographies 7 the Kodokan, judo was prac- serious conflict." If we talk about judo idealizing of the AJA Board ticed on smooth tatami - The Art of Self-Defense by N. hazumi over ikoio, then when we of Directors (traditional straw mats) which Oznobishin say the Japanese do it this way, made a smooth reaping action but refer to the more power possible… “The opponent must be made a oriented throws being per- Obituary: Dennis 8 prisoner of his own stance—a formed like a European or a Gus Palumbo “…Some time before the first prisoner of his own style and Korean performing yudo, do we Gokyo was designated in 1895, training.” seriously mean that no Japanese when judo was yet to be distin- - Anatoli Kharlampiev judoka prefers ikoio, and that no Promotions 9 guished from other jujutsu ryu self-respecting European judoka (schools) there were no distinc- Judo or ju-jitsu are disciplines would ever take advantage on tions between different forms of that are fun to do and fun to an opponent’s momentum when About the AJA 10 ashi-barai, such as de-ashi-berai watch, but they are much hard- he or she could simply dump (advanced foot sweep), sasae- er to read about. Writers the opponent with a pick up? tsurikomi-ashi (sweeping prop- sometimes work very hard to No, we cannot. Every practi- Upcoming Event 10 ping ankle) and harai-tsurikomi- write something that holds a tioner is different based on ashi (sweeping drawing ankle). reader’s interest when it would build, character, training At that time, judo or jujutsu was be so much easier simply to (including idiosyncratic traits practiced in kimono (judo suits) show them. That is one of the inherited from an instructor), (Continued on page 4) Page 2 AJA Newsletter Well Practiced Ukemi: The Power to Rise Jess E. Strom “…He floats through the air with the greatest of ease, that daring through the air like the man on the flying trapeze. young man on the flying trapeze…” - George Leybourne, 1867 The Power to Rise As the practice of ukemi becomes a bit more advanced, it is The words of the old circus refrain from “Man on the Flying practiced without maintaining a stationary position at the end Trapeze” vividly portray graceful movement in action. Through of a fall and one can roll through to disperse the energy. Spe- our mind’s eye, we envision a young man whose mastery of cifically, in jujitsu the backward roll and forward roll is prac- the dynamics of gravity and motion propel him through the air, ticed so that the practitioner rises from the fall assuming a seemingly at will, beyond the fear of falling. So too in jujitsu, defensive posture - falling then rising in one seamless motion. to realize our full potential we must overcome the fear of falling. We do this through learning the power of ukemi – In the forward roll, the body is propelled so that the fall trav- controlling the fall. els a diagonal from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Other examples of “rising from the fall” in this manner can occur The Power of Defense with side rolls, parachute rolls, and with the Parkour roll. Ukemi is pure self-defense in that it is meant to protect the Confidence to experience the freedom of falling is built up head, the limbs and body from the harm of a fall generated by during repeated practice. In this way, the power to fall begets an attack. Generally speaking, injury during a fall is caused by the power to rise. hitting one’s head on the ground or extending one’s limb(s) to reach for the ground to stop or slow the downward motion of The Power to Reverse Attacks the fall. Well practiced ukemi develops the reflexes so that the Through ukemi, one learns the dynamic elements of control automatic reaction when falling is to safely tuck the head while so that it is possible to change one’s course from being not reaching for the ground. Thus, one falls with the limbs thrown to gaining control of the attacker by way of a throw. protected, reducing the possibility of head, limb or body inju- For example, if an attacker (Tori) attempts a ‘body drop’ (Tai ry. When one is falling, ukemi then becomes the body’s first Otoshi) the person being thrown (Uke) can adjust causing a defense. self-controlled landing in front of the attacker and change the execution though a “floating drop” (Uki Waza) or “side The Power to Fall wheel” (Yoko Guruma). Should the attacker not have good Imagine being on the receiving end (Uke) of a powerful control of the Uke, the Uke can simply extend a leg behind takedown like the Inner Thigh Reap (Uchi Mata) or being the attacker to counter with a ‘valley drop’ (Tani Otoshi). In slammed by a Double Leg Reap (Morote Gari) or even hitting either case, the initial thrower becomes the throwee and the the ground as a result of the rotational force of a hip throw initial throwee becomes the thrower; hence for Tori and Uki like Tsuri Goshi or Uki Goshi. According to the History Chan- the tables are turned. Well practiced ukemi gives the Uke the nel’s series “The Human Weapon” - an inner thigh reap can power to control movement at will beyond the fear of falling. deliver up to 5,000 pounds of force: the Double Leg Takedown, given the Uke is raised to maximum level, drives Ukemi from Fall to Rise the opponent to the ground with an impact up to 3,500 Ukemi, then, as a practical matter gives us the power to de- pounds: and the rotational force of a hip throw coupled with fend our bodies, the power to fall, the power to rise, and the gravity propels the Uke at a speed of up to 8 miles per hour. power to reverse attacks hence the power to fly through the Crippling injury could be the result. Yet the actions within air with the greatest of ease. ukemi combined with the padding of the mat provide the means to absorb energy so that the body is able to withstand The spirit of ukemi is best exemplified by the Japanese prov- the shock of the fall. Ukemi enables the person receiving the erb: “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” We do not practice fall (Uke) to withstand the fall over and over again without ukemi to remain the victim. From the fall, we learn to rise. In injury. In this manner, the person committing the throw (Tori) this regard, the power to fall begets the power to rise. is able to experience the full range of motion of the technique. As correctness of form and familiarity of motion accumulate, From every fall, may you always rise. control of movement and confidence build. The Uke’s body experiences the motion necessary for protection as it floats Be sure to check out the new look of the AJA’s website! www.AmericanJujitsuAssociation.org Volume XXXVII, Issue III Page 3 Advertise Your Dojo George Kirby There are many ways to advertise your dojo. Some are free school sports calendar.

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