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Old 11-15-2012, 05:31 PM   #1
martin.sourada
Dojo: ACF Praha
Location: Chrudim
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 7
Czech_Republic
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Question Ashi Sabaki -- Ikeda style names (kanji, etc.)

Hi all, I'm trying to figure out correct names and translations for ashi sabaki in the style I practice -- Tada+Ikeda. There are couple of names we use in dojo and a couple of names in Ikeda's table B (it's not hard to google out) and another couple of names in sanshinkai letters (google finds it quickly). However, sadly, all of these are only said (dojo) or written in romaji (ikeda's table, sanshinkai) and I, being the keen-on-details person I am, would like to have as complete list of japanese names with correct kanji and translation as possible. In the following list most of the kanji is guessed based on the supposed meaning and in case of multiple names (old style from table B and "new" style from dojo) I'm not sure I connected the steps right. Here it is:

ashi sabaki (足捌き) = footwork
1. irimi ashi (入身足) = ushiro ashi irimi (後足入身) = enter, step forward (with back leg), hanmi switches
2. hiki ashi (引き足) = ?mae ashi hiki (前足引き)? = pull back, step backward (with front leg), hanmi switches, opposite of irimi ashi
3. hakobi ashi irimi (運び足入身) = ?mae ashi irimi (前足入身)? = progressively enter, step forward (with front leg), hanmi stays same
4. ?hakobi ashi hiki (運び足引き) = ushiro ashi hiki (後足引き)? = opposite of 3.
5. tenkan ashi (転換足) = ushiro ashi tenkan (後足転換) = diversion step, step a little out of attack line and then do a rotary step on front leg. Does tenkan mean divert (as found in dictionary) or something different (転 means rotation, after all...)?
6. yose ashi tenkan (?寄せ足転換?) = tenshin (?転身?) or mae ashi tenkan (前足転換)? = my guess based on guessed kanji is tenshin --> step out of attack line (usu 45°) and pull front feet towards the back one, however some sources seem to favour mae ashi tenkan here (while at the same time couple of lines earlier describe a tenshin move and say it's yose ashi tenkan)
7. kaiten (回転) = rotation, seems to be what ueshiba calls tenkai (i.e. just rotate on place without any steps)
8. ushiro tenkan (後転換) = my guess is that this is mae ashi tenkan, i.e. step a little out of attack line with back foot and rotate around back foot, changes hanmi. See 6. I'm also a little bit confused about the difference between mae ashi tenkan and hiki ashi, apart from the initial little step it seems same to me...
9. ayumi ashi (歩足) = normal stepping, well, contrary to the name, in our dojo we seem to use it for that kind of step where you do not change the direction of both feet and body (but feet switches positions), probably to distinguish it from irimi ashi.
10. okuri ashi (送り足) = leading step, front foot forward, then back foot forward -> what is the difference from mae ashi irimi? Is it a variant?
11. tsugi ashi (?次足?) = following step, back foot forward (touches front foot), then front foot forward

I put question marks around parts I am very unsure of, however that does not mean I'm convinced with the rest. It would be great if someone more knowledgeable/experienced helped me figure these out!

When it comes to translation I'm most interested in interpretations of tenkan -- some sources seem to translate it as rotation, or rotating step, pivot, ... but I'm leaning more towards the dictionary meaning of "divert" (even if this kind of move is always connected with pivoting movement).

Last edited by martin.sourada : 11-15-2012 at 05:37 PM. Reason: typo
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