Favorite Technique?

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What is your favorite technique in Aikido, and why is it your favorite?

My personal favorite (when I do it right) is any full (ura) irimi moves. It feels like all I'm doing is taking one big "circular" look around me and then uke falls down....

I also like the "eyebrow-waza" that one of our former akidoka used to perform: He would wiggle his eyebrows right before/as the attack began and you would fall to the floor giggling. (Wonderful chi happening!)

Sharon

[Nick]

my favorite technique? The one I'm worst at (so then, I have many favorite techniques ;)).

Cheers,

[Catherine]

My favorite techniques are sankyo and shihonage.

I like shihonage because it is fun (like dancing!) and I worked for about two months on just learning the basics of turning under the arm, so now I feel that I have to like it.

I don't know why I like sankyo, but it is probably because we don't use it too much at my dojo. You can use it if you work with higher belts, but lower belts are still trying to grasp the basic concept of weight underside, so its better if you stick to ikkyo with them.

[joan]

I like kaitenage--as uke because I enjoy the feeling of flight, as nage because it's fun to watch uke's expression as they become airborne!
Joan

[crystalwizard]

Catherine wrote:
.... higher belts, but lower belts are still....


now I have this really weird image of half the dojo with their belts up under their arms and the rest with them down around their groin.

[AikidoSteve]

When I remain focused in the moment, then the technique I am doing at that moment is my favorite. But, I will be the first to admit that at times I struggle because I have not fully taken possession of the monument. Further, in a strange sort of way, I feel that all the techniques are just parts of one big technique. - Somewhat too esoteric for this late at night.

Yours in Aikihood
Steve Nelson

[Axiom]

My favorite techniques tend to be the more interesting kokyu-nages. There's one variation I like from moroto tori. You start with you arm lowered, and do a half tenshin(ie, w/o the step back) while raising it. Now, complete the tenshin by stepping back, and lowering your arm as you go. Continue to step behind, keeping your arm high but in your center(looks a little like the position for irimi-nage) I love this technique b/c uke doesn't from any force- just from nage not being where they desperately need support. Its also the most fun as uke and nage- especially the first time, when it surprises the heck out of you.

My next favorite techniques are kate-osae(is that the correct name of it? The armlock variant of kaiten-nage?) most because its somewhat useful, and I want to get better at it, and sankyo because you can pull it off from just about any wrist grab...if some poor fellow feels like snagging your hand, you have an almost guarenteed chance to pull it off. And it is immensly scaleable- if someone is really trying to kill you, you can do it quickly and break their wrist. If they're just sort of pissed, you can use it as was intended, and just move them structurally. And most normal folk take the ukemi for it fairly well...no backs turned to you, like beginners and non-aikidoka do for techniques like irimi-nage.

Just my $.02
Alex Magidow

[SmilingNage]

i love koshi nages. they are just a fun throw, but i love taking ukemi for them as well. so that sez something about me. lol. and i would have to say sankyo because somehow during jyu waza i alway seem to get to that technique. but i like all the throws and pins and i like the challenge in finding out how to adjust to an uke to make the technique flow

[ian]

It very much depends on my mood. Sometimes I'm in a thrash around mood, when I like tenchi-nage and similar throws (like sumi-otoshi, but in the elbow rather than under the armpit).

For effectiveness I like quick techniques that you can do with one hip movement. I'm the same as Axoim i.e. kate-osae is one of my favourites, if thats the right name for it (is this the same as Kyukyo?). Basically the one where you tuck your arm up between their arm and body and bring it down (whilst turning) over their shoulder.

Although its a poor technique to throw from, the complimentary technique (known as a wing hold in kung fu), where you slip your arm over the top and lift it up to lift there elbow is good. These two go together really well 'cos all you need to do is feel someones arm against your body.

Rockyu is a cool technique, because you move to the outside (I worry about moving to the inside, esp. for armed attacks), and is more likely to work in well in real attacks than kote-gaesgi (though I like this as well).

I also quite like sankyo (but going straight into it, rather than doing ikkyo first), cos it is good for controlling people in multiple attacks and you can apply pain easily without a prone pinning technique.

Ikkyo is also pretty smart, cos you can vary it so much in response to the attack.

so my answer is - I like lots of them for different reasons.

P.S. Shiho-nage is always the one I tend to go into if I can't think of anything else - don't ask me why!

[onslaught1]

sankyo is my favorite cause you can pin or throw your opponent with it.

being in harmony,
John Rorabaugh

[crystalwizard]

for anything I can sorta remember to do correctly.

[ki]

Why have a favourite technique when there are so many beautifull moves to interact upon a sheer numberless count of possible attacs?

GO WITH THE FLOW!

and all techniques will be as interesting (and as hard to learn as) as ikkyo...

:ki:

[ian]

I think you should keep off the marijuana gin.

[Niadh]

Please, if you will, a katate-kosi0tori nikkyo (sp) thank you. (bowing and rawing uke back).

Why, I don't rightly know.
As Uke, any big, to REALLY big rolling throw.
Neil

[Niadh]

My favorite?... Katate-kositori (sp) thank you (bowing and drawing uke back).
Why? I dont rightly know.
As uke... any big to REALLY big rolling throw.
Neil

[petra]

Well, somehow I always end up doing shiho nage when we are allowed to play, but, basically, I like anything I can remember more or less correctly, exceps koshi nage. I can't seem to get the hang of that, most of the time end up on the ground with uke landing on top of me. Gotta stop doing that, just haven't figured out how.;)

[Anne]

I love iriminage. It gets you out of a variety of attacks, it`s a beautiful movement and it´s a safe and controlled throw, even in randori.

Anne

[aarjan]

I just love the Nikyo from Aihanmi katate dori, where you place your hand on the ukes hand and bring him down on his knees.

Why?

If you do it correctly, everyone kneels for you with a puzzeled look in their eyes. Even the big guys... and if you fail they remain on their feet with a puzzeled look in their eyes until the moment you got it right and they have to kneel.

Kneel for me...

[cbrf4zr2]

So many choices, So little time!

I personally love ro run through about 3-4 techniques before ending with a tenkan lead into a big Sumi otoshi, Irimi Nage or a Kaiten nage. From any "same side" attack I like to go into a Ikkyo-Nikyo-Ikkyo-Tenkan-Sumi Otoshi. Of course that's only when you've got an Uke who knows how to flow. In the street, I'd probably just move outside and throw a big Kotegaeshi.
Reverse Kotegaeshi(s) are nice finish to the I-N-I combo too. Step under their arm and throw. Mmmmmmmmm

I guess this post really shows I'm just a 7th Kyu, with only 4 months under my belt. LOL

Ed Frederick