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Oerjan Nilsen
Oerjan Nilsen's picture
Iain Abernethy’s latest throw video on app

I just saw Iain’s newest video for the app. Can’t remember the title but something along Pinan forwards and Naihanchi backwards? :-P Anyway in the Naihanchi part Iain makes use of the cross stepping of Naihanchi as a way to put the opponent down on the floor. This made me think of a curious line in one of Choki Motobu’s books.

In Choki Motobu’s Karate My Art, translates by Patrick and Yuriko McCharthy on page 90 he writes describing posture on photo 09 (on page 92): “ ....... Stepping out into this posture represents taking an opponent down.”

The posture in question is the posture you step into from the cross stepping (when you do a horse stance and outward block/inward block depending on what the org call it. If Iain where to push outwards with his lead arm or do a sideways/downwards elbow to help the opponent on the way down I think it might be just what Choki Motobu refers to in his book. This quote is not from any application or limits section it is from his explanation on the solo performance of Naihanchi. 

Not sure if you guys understand what I mean but I thought Choki Motobu’s words finally made sense for me after watching Iains latest video and I thought other people who have watched it might like this tidbit as well :-)

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

Not having the app, I'm afraid I'm not sure exactly which throw you're talking about, and I also don't have my Motobu book handy. I would love to see an example for reference! There are definitely a number of throws--particularly wedge/scissor throws--in Naihanchi. They feature pretty heavily in Tachimura no Naihanchi, especially:

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Oerjan Nilsen wrote:
I just saw Iain’s newest video for the app. Can’t remember the title but something along Pinan forwards and Naihanchi backwards?

That’s the one! App users can find it here:

Main Menu > Misc Techniques and Drills > Karate Throws > “Naihanchi” to the Back / Pinan 3 to the Front!

For those who have not seen it, the basic idea was a drill during which we grappled so we were to the enemy’s side, and then we would do a hip throw if the enemy leaned forward (end movements of Pinan Sandan); or step behind to block the enemy’s leg, while pushing with the head, if the enemy was leaning backward (a very easy to do takedown).

In the video, I mention that the foot movement is exactly like Naihanchi, but also stated I don’t believe the takedown to be an application of Naihanchi (primarily because the arm potion is entirely different).

Oerjan Nilsen wrote:
In Choki Motobu’s Karate My Art, translates by Patrick and Yuriko McCharthy on page 90 he writes describing posture on photo 09 (on page 92): “ ....... Stepping out into this posture represents taking an opponent down.”

I can see how that can be the case, but maybe not for the specific takedown I show. While the legs are identical, the upper body is different; therefore the “posture” / kamae is not the same as the kata and is therefore it is unlikely to be what Motobu is referring to. That said, the step across can indeed be used to take the enemy over in ways which do use the same arm position and step.

Oerjan Nilsen wrote:
If Iain where to push outwards with his lead arm or do a sideways/downwards elbow to help the opponent on the way down I think it might be just what Choki Motobu refers to in his book.

That would be a perfectly legitimate variation on what I showed. To match the step in the kata in full, you could have the elbow of the “hikite” pushing into the enemy’s chest, as the other one (the “hook punch” holds the clothing / belt to stop the enemy stepping off the takedown. I think the version I show would be the stronger takedown though. I also think there are other ways to use the step, complete with the appropriate arm position, that would take down the enemy more efficiently.

Here is a simple arm bar version where the step permits a transfer of weight which will take the enemy to their knees.

 

I’m surprised to find that my favourite version of that sequence isn’t something I’ve shared publicly! It’s in the app, but not YouTube. Anyhow, the “lower block” is used as a neck crank and the following hook punch aims to drop the enemy to the floor. If the combination of them both don’t quite do the job, you can step across to keep the enemy’s head moving so they fall.

Oerjan Nilsen wrote:
I thought other people who have watched it might like this tidbit as well :-)

I do! Thanks for sharing it! It’s a very useful quote and one I was unaware of before.

I’m not sure that the takedown I show in the app is what Motobu is referring to, but it certainly fits for the direct applications of the kata. It’s good evidence to support those takedowns. Thanks for sharing!

All the best,

Iain