A question about Shihonage!

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[TEARO]

Why is it called Shihonage?Can you use it to throw a person in Four directions?

I know Shihonage means four direction throws but I don't see the four directions!

[Shadowfax]

Heiney Sensei just explained this one to us last week... lets see if I get it right.

You have forward and back as you enter and pivot to pass under Uke's arm.
You have up and down as you raise Ukes arm and throw him.:D

Forward,backward, up, Down... four directions.

[dps]

Why is it called Shihonage?Can you use it to throw a person in Four directions?

I know Shihonage means four direction throws but I don't see the four directions!
Shiho nage comes from shiho giri or four direction cut.
When doing shiho giri with a bokken you are practicing turning to receive attacks from four different attackers from four different directions.

In this video clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs157f6dlXs)
you will see zengo giri ( two direction cut), shiho giri (four direction cut) and happo giri ( eight direction cut) with the bokken.

In shiho nage you should do the same but instead of a bokken you are use the four different attacking ukes.

David

[eyrie]

Forward,backward, up, Down... four directions. It's the same 4 directions as shiho giri as David explained, but NOT as he explained in terms of 4 different attackers.

Essentially, you can throw (the same) uke in the opposite direction of the attack, i.e. behind him, in the same direction as the attack, or to either side of the attack (from the same side that you are on).

In actuality, it can be in *any* direction... probably easier to show than explain in writing... ;)

[Erick Mead]

Essentially, you can throw (the same) uke in the opposite direction of the attack, i.e. behind him, in the same direction as the attack, or to either side of the attack (from the same side that you are on).

In actuality, it can be in *any* direction... probably easier to show than explain in writing... ;)I agree with this description. The mechanics of what is happening tracks the cross-wise motions of happo undo to produce smooth elliptical curves of entry and throw, as with the Trammel of Archimedes:
http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/e/d/edwin222/Gifs/ellipsedevice.gif

[dps]

It's the same 4 directions as shiho giri as David explained, but NOT as he explained in terms of 4 different attackers.

Essentially, you can throw (the same) uke in the opposite direction of the attack, i.e. behind him, in the same direction as the attack, or to either side of the attack (from the same side that you are on).

In actuality, it can be in *any* direction... probably easier to show than explain in writing... ;)

It is also used to practice turning to receive another attack from another direction after the throw of the first attack because your attention should not be on the person you have just thrown but possible attacks from other directions.

None of the techniques of Aikido are practice to do just one thing. When practicing a technique you are practicing multple skills.

David

[Shadowfax]

ah yeah that is what she did tell us. Thanks for the reminder. :D

[Suru]

Since I analyzed the words, "four-direction throw," I have seen it as facing the four right-angle directions (N, E, S, W) during the technique, along with every other circular direction in-between. As far as what I hear Mary Heiny Sensei said, that is a new way to look at it for me because I think back to the three-dimensional cross. This is a symbol the Founder speaks about. In "The Secrets of Aikido," John Stevens Sensei parallels shihonage and gratitude; perhaps he means we should offer thanks in every direction instead of taking life for granted.

Drew

[eyrie]

your attention should not be on the person you have just thrown but possible attacks from other directions. I'd partially agree with this, but not with the argument and logic of how you arrived at this conclusion. It would be accurate to say that your primary focus should always be on the immediate threat, while your peripheral awareness should be on potential secondary and tertiary threats.

It is also used to practice turning to receive another attack from another direction after the throw of the first attack... Sure, it *could* be used for that purpose, but the argument is akin to the old debate of the functional purpose of Naihanchi (a Karate kata). You appear to be drawing the same conclusion as many have done - that the function of the kata (or in this case waza) is based on the lines of embusen; i.e. used for fighting with your back against a wall, or whilst standing on a dyke in the middle of a paddy field, or defending the King on the steps of the castle. It simply isn't... *could* be used, is not the same as why a technique is named as such.

[TEARO]

Thank you guys for the help!

[rob_liberti]

I agree.

4 directions is as good as 8 directions which really means ANY direction. I've also seen jujitsu folks start shihonage the same way and have it result in 4 different (devastating) endings.

When I thought driving power from thrusting from the hips was critical, I thought that the most helpful way to get beginners to think about it is to have nage be as SW corner, and uke be at the NW corner. Then as nage thrusts and then follows in a NE direction, uke lifts themselves up and starts pivoting (which nage continues to follow) such that they (the uke) start to fall in a SE direction to the SE corner, landing the pivoted nage in the NE corner. So the 4 directions are nage orientation from facing NE to SW (and floor), and uke orientation from facing SE to NW (and ceiling).

Now, I would say I do something entirely different, which does not depend on driving from hips or following (but I still think following people into themselves is a valuable skill to learn).

Rob

[thisisnotreal]

Ellis wrote: (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16657)
And in post #14, someone wants to write: "Shihonage is a manifestation of using the ground to effect aikiage and aikisage in one circle. You transfer power in spirals up the legs through the hara, using windings of ground force, etc." (I just made that up -- and I don't know what it means). What I suggest is that the writer starts a NEW thread in the Internal Strength section, with a preface,

Well I found this here thread...and I was wondering if what you say is legit. it has a strange kind of ring to it. is it a hint?
cheers,
Josh

[Aikilove]

The late Saito Morihiro Sensei used to explain shihonage and kotegaeshi with the sword.

In the clip (0.00 - 0.40) you find his usual display of shihonage's principle of being able to throw someone in 4 directions (and therefore 8, 16, 32... ad infinitum).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP-Hf6brsuE&feature=related

Coincidentally Daito Ryu has the same throw but call it gohonage (5 directional throw) where the directions are north, south, east, west, and the added direction of "on the spot - i.e. where they (or you) are standing)".

For me it is also about training how to move freely in any direction as the situation demands it.

/J

[mjhacker]

四方 (shiho) is a typically poetic way of saying "every direction" rather than merely 4 directions.

[phitruong]

every time i heard folks mention that shihonage is the 4-direction throw, i cringed. i believed in Asian language, the literal translation is four-corners of the world. its meaning really is "around the world", i.e. you are moving in a full circle. personally, i believed it's not about uke, but it's about nage. then again, i am low on the totem pole, so what do i know? ;)

[eyrie]

Phi... NOW you're getting into ancient Chinese cosmology! ;)

[Adam Huss]

As was mentioned before, Shihonage translates as 4-direction throw but insinuates all directions. I believe there is a video by two married instructors with the surname of Krane (spelling?) who spend a bit of time displaying through some technique how shi'te can throw uke in a bunch of different directions from a single (the same) angle of attack. I thought it was a pretty neat way of physically displaying the "all direction" attribute of shihonage. If I can find the video I will post the proper names of the instructors, their affiliation, and the name of the video.
cheers,
-A