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nielmag
nielmag's picture
Passai/Bassai Dai

Wanted to get some opinions about the 3 "mountain punches" in Bassai Dai.  I have Iain's bunkai jutsu video on tekki/bassai, and saw that bunkai.  We talked on another topic in your forum about grappling in a real situation and got me thinking.  I was wondering if the mountain punch could also be a type of osoto gaeri?  Ive seen a few clips of judoka teaching osoto gaeri by pulling one arm down with one hand, and other hand simultaneiously driving forward with and violently stepping forward. 

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

nielmag wrote:
 I was wondering if the mountain punch could also be a type of osoto gaeri?  Ive seen a few clips of judoka teaching osoto gaeri by pulling one arm down with one hand, and other hand simultaneously driving forward with and violently stepping forward. 

I can’t quite see that myself. I get what you mean about the arm motion, but that does not really fit with the rest of movement. The differences in leg motion (between the kata and a good reaping throw) and the surrounding kata techniques don’t make that a viable option I feel. (The following motion fits Tai-Otoshi very nicely though!)

There is the hair grab one (which is also shown in the women’s self-defence section of early editions of Karate-Do Kyohan) / “holding something in place to keep it from moving” (also in The Bubishi) and the “overhand right” followed by an arm-bar and knee. They are the ones I prefer because they are pragmatic and fit the kata very nicely (and there is also the written evidence to suggest such methods were a part of “old karate”).

So that’s my preference, but always good to explore alternatives.

All the best,

Iain

shoshinkanuk
shoshinkanuk's picture

I do see a Osoto Geri type take down myself, and I also see what Iain references as viabile Bunkai.

Heres Funakoshi showing one of the things he did:

I believe this is the movement in question. The clue is in pulling the leg back to reap. The preperation 'stack' can be an exit from a wrist grab or a deflection of a punch, or an arm extension and turn to set up - then switch to the take down.

Our system uses a rising punch, head block formation as opposed to the U punch formation - it works well.

Andi Kidd
Andi Kidd's picture

Something else to play with

Try it as an escape from a headlock. your head is in the position, one hand tries to grab the family jewels, the other the eyes/face, step back twisting your hands so they end the other way up (as they do in the hikite position - which can also show the position for the headlock and a striking fist as well).