This video shows a pad-work drill which includes two karate throws. The footage was filmed at a regular dojo session in September 2015. The drill begins with a long distance cross (gyakuzuki), the momentum of which takes the karateka forward into the throw that Gichin Funakoshi described as “Ude-Wa” (arm ring). The video includes a photo of Funakoshi doing the throw. The thinking is that the cross will cause the opponent to raise their arms which creates the opportunity for the throw.

For the sake of the drill, the pad-holder counters the ude-wa by pushing on the shoulders as they shoot their feet backward. If the person doing the drill has any back or shoulder injuries, the holder can tap the pads on the back as opposed to actually defending by pushing off. The person doing the drill then quickly shoots up and throws another cross and then a lead leg roundhouse. From there they drop forward and throw a lead hand hook. Lead leg roundhouse into lead hand hook is not a naturally flowing or easy to do combination; which is why we were practising it.

As the hook has finished, the person doing the drill immediately steps in with the back leg to perform an outside leg-scooping throw. This throw is found in the writings of Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito-Ryu) and it is also found in the Ohyo-Gumite (number 3) of Wado-Ryu karate.

The throw takes the pad holder over and the person doing the drill will then clear the top limb and hit the pad with the other hand (utilising the “husband and wife hands” concept found throughout the traditional kata). It does not matter which had hits and which hand clears so long as solid impact in made on the pad.

I would class this as a “fighting drill” as opposed to a self-defence drill, but there are definitely some components of the drill that can have use in self-protection.

I hope you like the drill and that is provides inspiration for you to create your own drills that utilise both the striking and throwing methods of traditional karate.

Thanks for the support of these videos!

All the best,

Iain

PS The YouTube link can be found HERE