Kote gaeshi

The technique of kote gaeshi ( Japanese 小手返し , from kote , literally forearm , and kaesu , literally to give back ) is practiced in many martial arts. The explanations refer to Aikido .

Along with Ikkyo , nage Shiho and Irimi nage counts Kote gaeshi in Aikido to the basic techniques.

A variety of attacks are suitable for kote gaeshi to be used on. The technique is mainly performed by turning a wrist of the attacker inward. During the execution of suitable evasive and entry movements , the aikidōka places his hand facing the attacker around his wrist. With his fingers he grips the pulse area and the thumb comes to rest on the knuckle of the little finger. The rotation is guided into the wrist by applying appropriate pressure and, if necessary, with the support of his second hand. However, with the appropriate position of the aikido intern relative to the attacker, other variants with an outward rotation are also possible.

At first glance, the rotation leads to the attacker being forced to change position or to throw by means of leverage in the joint. The mere application of force is in the foreground. On closer inspection, other reasons can be identified depending on the Aikido style or variant of the execution.

Classification

As an aikido lecturer for Switzerland, Masatomi Ikeda created a classification system for aikido techniques . The system is based on the main direction of movement when performing Aikido techniques . The main direction of movement in the type of implementation of kote gaeshi he teaches is left - right , whereby the direction of attack and the height make this sequence of movements necessary.

Version with sword / bokken

Since Aikidō can be applied to a variety of attacks, many input movements are also possible for the Aikidōka, which bring him into a position that is favorable for execution, from which, for example, Kote gaeshi is developed:

In the event of a sword attack, after evasive action and harmonization with the attack movement, one hand is positioned on the joint of that hand with which the sword handle is grasped at the front when the weapon is wielded with two hands. The aikidōka includes the joint. With his second hand, the aikido trainee must gain control over the movements of the sword. He achieves this by gripping it from above and gripping it on the side of the blade, but without reaching into the cutting edge.

The application of the twist to the wrist can now be optimally supported with the sword blade turned inwards towards the attacker. However, this is only achieved if the guide of the sword is done as horizontally as possible or with a slight upward rotation. This sword wielding against the attacker has the consequence that this is threatened by his own sword.

When performing the technique in the variant with pronounced vertical rotation of the sword, it does not have to be guided with the second hand. Instead, it can be used to support the grip on the wrist. In this case, only the lever directly on the wrist is effective.

Other variants are possible.

Version without sword / bokken

The execution of the technique is carried out without a sword or bokken, analogously: The aikidōka positions itself favorably on the outer side of the attacker's arm by means of evasive and entry movements.

The change in position or the throw can now be forced on the one hand by direct force on the wrist. It is possible to intensify this by grasping the wrist with the second hand. This form of execution means that the leverage is applied directly against the direction of movement of the attacker and in and of itself the force of both opponents act against each other.

In Aikidō, however, directly opposing forces are undesirable. So it is possible, without any loss of effectiveness, for the Aikidōka to delay the rotation of the wrist a little by continuing the attack movement. This creates a circular motion for both opponents. The position of the aikidōka forms the pivot point and the attacker moves peripherally to it. The now applied wrist rotation contains much more dynamism with the synchronized mass use of both parties and the throw is created without opposing forces mainly due to the entire moment of movement.

Another motivation for an immediate change of position of the attacker, or in other words: A reason for the throw can be brought about by the aikidōka, after the evasive and entry movement, executing a direct blow with his second arm head-on to the face of the attacker. In order not to be hit, the attacker must evade this threat by trying to avoid the blow downwards. The evasive movement can in turn be converted into a rotation.

A variation of this design is that the frontal threat to the attacker is not directed as a blow with the hand, but with the elbow. The attacker tries to evade this threat by changing his frontal direction of attack and moving sideways to the aikidōka. This sudden change of direction can be transformed into a throw by the Aikido practitioner with a lateral movement - left / right - and a rotation in the wrist. This variant of the execution corresponds to the threat to the attacker with his own sword.

Completion of the technique by means of immobilization

All variants of Kote gaeshi can be converted into an immobilization. The holding technique (Japanese Osae-waza) corresponds to that of Nikyo .

Variations in execution are possible in all styles of Aikido, but the principles are retained.

literature

Adele Westbrook, Oscar Ratti: Aikidō and the dynamic sphere . Werner Kristkeitz, Heidelberg / Leimen 2003, ISBN 978-3-921508-74-9 .
Christian Tissier : Aikido fondamental: Techniques et connaissances fondamentales . Budosport Verlag, Noisy-sur-École 2008, ISBN 978-2-84617-239-4 (French).
Christian Tissier: Aikido - Principes et applications. Volume 2: Projections. Self-published, s. l. 2005, DVD 55 minutes.