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Wastelander
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Age-Tsuki as a Pre-Emptive Strike

Hello everyone,

This week's Waza Wednesday covers some tips for applying age-tsuki (rising punch), particularly as a pre-emptive strike. Most people see age-tsuki as purely a rising "backfist" type of strike, but with a bit of hip torque it becomes a sneaky thrusting punch (as the word "tsuki"--thrust--suggests). This is something we work quite frequently on the makiwara, as well, to develop penetrating power.

Les Bubka
Les Bubka's picture

Thanks Wastelander, nice clip. I like Age tsuki it is really difficult to spot and as you mentioned when you add hips and the wrist or becomes powerful, specially if oponent does not expect it. I use age tsuki when doing he can barai as a "target/protecting groin" hand. Kind regards Les

Marc
Marc's picture

Thanks for the video. Well presented!

I wouldn't necessarily call it a rising punch just because it starts from below instead of first moving your hand up to shoulder level. We rarely (never?) see that kind of preparation movement in kata. A regular gyaku-zuki would also start from the hip. But that's just terminology and the concept you are showing applies anyway. ;-)

What I like to add to the idea of the torque coming from the ground through the hip into the hand is the idea of "relaxing your punch into your opponent". The hand is "launched" forward by the motion of the hip (like a catapult) and then travels deeply into the target with "heaviness". Of course you want to stabilise fist and wrist on impact but otherwise the arm is mostly relaxed. This adds to what Richard says about the punch being less detectable by the opponent. I also feel that the punch has more impact this way. To me it also looks like this is how Richard does throw the punch.

I have not tried measuring the physical power of a "relaxed" punch compared to a "forceful" punch but on the receiving end it feels more devastating, although it might look weaker.

Two videos by Rick Hotton might better explain what I mean by "relaxed" and "heaviness":

 

All the best,

Marc

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

Marc wrote:
Thanks for the video. Well presented!

I wouldn't necessarily call it a rising punch just because it starts from below instead of first moving your hand up to shoulder level. We rarely (never?) see that kind of preparation movement in kata. A regular gyaku-zuki would also start from the hip. But that's just terminology and the concept you are showing applies anyway. ;-) ...[snip]

Thanks, Marc! It isn't a "proper" rising punch in the sense of what we see in kata, but then again, my style contains ZERO rising punches in kata :P. Even so, as you point out, it's the concept more than the exact technique that's important. The relaxation and heaviness you describe are very important factors in Okinawan karate, and would generally fall into the concepts (using Uchinaguchi names) called umumi, muchimi, and atifa. Umumi is literally "heavy," while "muchimi" is something like "heavy and sticky," and "atifa" refers to the shock effect of a strike.

Marc
Marc's picture

Wastelander wrote:

The relaxation and heaviness you describe are very important factors in Okinawan karate, and would generally fall into the concepts (using Uchinaguchi names) called umumi, muchimi, and atifa. Umumi is literally "heavy," while "muchimi" is something like "heavy and sticky," and "atifa" refers to the shock effect of a strike.

Can you give Kanji for "atifa"? I keep a list of karate expressions and would like to add it.

I already knew "muchimi" (鞭身) = whip-person = being like a whip.

I also found "omomi" (重み重味) = weight , heavy flavour = heaviness.

Wastelander
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I believe the Japanese pronounciation of muchimi might be "mochimi," if that helps. As far as "atifa," this is what I have:

衝撃波

Bear in mind, however, that most Uchinaaguchi words are written phoenetically, rather than using kanji. If you have an interest in such things, I highly recommend you look up Samantha May's Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Handbook--she made it available online for free

Marc
Marc's picture

Wastelander wrote:

I believe the Japanese pronounciation of muchimi might be "mochimi," if that helps.

Oh yes, "mochimi" (餅身) - ricecake-person, i.e. being sticky.

Wastelander wrote:

As far as "atifa," this is what I have: 衝撃波

Thanks, the Japanese pronunciation seems to be "shougekiha" meaning "shock wave".

Wastelander wrote:

Bear in mind, however, that most Uchinaaguchi words are written phoenetically, rather than using kanji. If you have an interest in such things, I highly recommend you look up Samantha May's Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Handbook--she made it available online for free

Thanks, I will look into that. Just downloaded it.

All the best,

Marc

Marc
Marc's picture

Marc wrote:

Wastelander wrote:

As far as "atifa," this is what I have: 衝撃波

Thanks, the Japanese pronunciation seems to be "shougekiha" meaning "shock wave".

Interesting: The tangorin dictionary gives an alternative pronunciation for the three kanji: tsu-u-nami.

Sounds like the destructive ocean waves (although those are commonly written with different kanji meaning "harbour wave" they are actually shock waves).

Wastelander
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As I mentioned, Uchinaaguchi was written phoenetically in kana, rather than kanji, for the most part, so in many cases kanji have been "filled in," and this may be one of those times. "Atifa" is generally used to describe a shockwave, in the Okinawan language.