Sankyō (Aikidō)
In the Japanese art of self-defense, Aikido, Sankyō refers to a certain technique that is derived from a sequence of movements in sword fighting ( Kenjutsu ) and that ultimately leads to a holding technique ( Kote hineri小 手 捻 り, hand-turning handle).
Naming
In Japanese, the syllable san denotes the third element in a sequence. Kyō describes a technical principle or an application in the martial arts. So Sankyō is called "the third technique".
Origin of movement
In Aikidō, the techniques are derived from the handling of the Japanese sword, the katana . The sword is traditionally grasped with both hands, with the right hand placed in front of the sword handle and the left behind.
Sankyo corresponds to the movement in which the sword is brought up to the left shoulder from a position with the point pointing downwards (frontal or side). The sword is guided in such a way that the cutting edge points forward as you pull it up. This ensures that even the simple movement of pulling up the sword is associated with danger for an opponent (see flinging the sword up to the left shoulder with the leading sword back, movement uke nagashi , aikido technique Shihō nage ). After the end of the movement at shoulder level, the blade is turned forward in the direction of the swordsman, i.e. again towards the opponent. The tip then points straight up.
This pose with the sword on the side of the left shoulder with the point pointing upwards and the blade pointing forward is called hasso gamae . If the sword is brought up to the right shoulder, the position gyaku hasso gamae arises .
Sankyō (Aiki-ken)
For a better understanding, a distinction is made between the following starting positions:
- The attacker wields the sword, the defender is unarmed.
- The defender wields a sword, the attacker is unarmed.
- Both opponents wield a sword.
- Both opponents are unarmed.
The attack is carried out with a sword, the defense is unarmed
The attacker ( uke ) performs a blow or stab. The defender, known as Tori , looks for the position to the left of the attacker, close to his body, after initially evading the blow. He has to take this position immediately and without hesitation with the first evasive movement, since he is in the direct area of the blade.
In this position, from his side position, he grips the sword with his left hand at the handle between the attacker's hands. With a downward circular movement he turns the handle of the sword and with it both hands of the attacker laterally inwards. The attacker's left elbow points straight up. The tip of the sword tilts vertically downwards when it is turned.
The defender then grasps the palm of the attacker's left hand with his right hand. At the same time he presses the handle of the sword in his left palm. This pressure causes the attacker to move his own left hand, twisted inward, to his own left shoulder to avoid the pressure. He has to let go of the grip due to the rotation and is immediately disarmed.
To control the opponent, Tori must firmly control the attacker's left hand, which has been released from the sword hilt, together with his forearm pointing upwards and steer it forward and down in an exact tilting movement without hesitation. With this tilting movement he can lead the sword, which has been sharpened on one side, with the back of the sword under his own right armpit without exposing himself to the risk of cutting himself.
The defender wields a sword, the attacker is unarmed
Provided that the defender does not want to harm the attacker, he wields the sword in a manner which allows the attacker to approach from the direction of the back of the sword and to grip the wrists. The aim of embracing is to block further movements. The blocking of a rotational movement in the longitudinal direction of the sword-guiding arms and the blade is almost impossible. The defender (Tori) turns the sword blade towards the attacker, whereupon the attacker cannot loosen his grip, as he is already in the immediate area of the blade and his arms, which are now twisted inward, are no longer ideal for counter-defense.
The defender brings his sword up to his left shoulder, keeping the attacker at a distance with the tip of the sword. If he wanted to damage it instead, a direct cut to the legs or the body at close range would be possible without any problems. The attacker still has to keep the tip of the sword away from himself and pushes the wrist that was initially taken away from him. With the cutting movement to his own left shoulder, which is threatening for the attacker, the defender runs under the attacker's arm area from the front of his body in the inner area of the arm backwards into the outer area of his arm. After completing the movement with the point of the sword pointing vertically upwards, the defender turns the sword again with the blade towards the attacker (position hasso gamae ). He still cannot let go of the handle, because it is still in the direct area of action of the sword.
With a tilt and cut movement forward to the attacker's neck, the attacker must throw himself to the ground in front of the defender if he does not want to be cut by the blade. In this final position, the defender controls the attacker solely by positioning the foremost part of the blade.
Both opponents wield a sword
The essential part of the Sankyo technique consists in a horizontal cutting movement to the side at chest level in the direction of the armpit, the upper body or the legs of the opponent.
Given the frontal positioning of both opponents with drawn swords. When the sword is drawn up to strike, the whole front is exposed. Mostly, however, armor was worn that protected the arms, legs and the whole upper body. The individual parts of the armor were tied together with leather straps, also for reasons of freedom of movement and weight savings. It was in these narrow areas that the opponent had to be met.
When the sword is pulled up for a powerful frontal attack, the entire inside of the sword-wielding arms is exposed and can be hit with a lunge and precise sword handling. Note: Even a slight cut, or just a crack, often already led to the impairment of the swordsman in combat, and possible later infection.
Alternatively, the position is given that a vertical blow or frontal stab has already taken place and the attacker has succeeded in evading to the right side of the attacker. Associated with the evasive movement is the simultaneous counterattack with a diagonal cut over the back of the sword and possibly over the tip of the sword. The swordsman is in a sideways position to the right of the opponent. In this position he turns his blade towards the opponent and cuts directly from below in an upward movement to the legs, upper body or armpit of the attacker. Avoiding this cut is almost impossible.
Variations in execution are possible in all sword fighting and aikidō styles, but the principles are retained.
Both opponents are unarmed
Unarmed defense is carried out in an analogous manner in an unarmed attack ( Taijutsu ): In the event of a strike against the center of the body or the head, the opponent's wrist is grasped from above after the evasive movement to the outer side of the body. With a downward circular movement, the Aikidōka turns the forearm at the wrist laterally inwards. With an additional grip in the palm of the hand with an open hand, respectively. by grasping the whole fist with both hands, the inward turning movement is supported and continued until the forearm is in a vertical position at shoulder height of the aikidōka (analogous to the position hasso gamae with the sword).
The movement is supplemented by turning the whole body of the Aikidoka out of its own body center, with which the muscular rotation is additionally supported by the whole body mass. The inward rotation is carried out until the opponent is completely stopped in his forward movement and caused to move backwards.
From the posture with the attacker's elbow pointing vertically upwards and the attacker's forearm turned inwards, a tilt-and-turn movement is performed backwards and downwards in the manner of cutting into the opponent's legs with a sword. As a result, the attacker completely loses his stance and has to throw himself head-on to the ground, otherwise his shoulders and elbows are affected.
The attacker is controlled lying flat on his stomach by continuously maintaining the initially executed turning movement until immediately before the pain point. As a result, the situation is painless for the attacker as long as he remains calm.
If the attack is made by a grip, the same inward rotation is carried out until the attacker's forearm is in a vertical position and the things being held can be released from the fist. The movement is then continued as described until the holding position is reached.
Completion of the technique by means of immobilization
All variants of Sankyo are usually converted into an immobilization in Aikido.
See also
Web links
literature
- A. Westbrook, O. Ratti: Aikido and the dynamic sphere. Tuttle, Rutland VT et al. 1996, ISBN 0-8048-0004-9 .
- Christian Tissier : Aikido fundamental. Techniques et connaissances fondamentales. Budosport Verlag, Noisy-sur-École 2008, ISBN 978-2-84167-239-4 .
- Christian Tissier: Aikido - Principes et applications. Volume 2: Projections. Self-published, s. l. 2005, DVD 55 minutes.