Can you name this technique?

Tonight in class we did a technique that nobody could remember the name of. The best guess we had was "Aiki nage" which isn't too descriptive.

The technique is where uke comes in with a shomen and nage drops to the floor and moves under uke, causing uke to roll over them. I have seen a lot of people use this in randori as thier opening move.

In the book Aikido (K. Ueshiba) there are 2 pages where he demonstrates aiki nage and does this specific technique along with 2 others. Aiki-Nage (aiki throw) seems to get translated in different ways (a Google search led to different translations) but basically it means throwing with the body or only light touching. Well, that's what that K. Ueshiba guy said.

I don't know if the throw has a specific name, but it's certainly in that category of throw.

Fun technique to do!

In Nihon Goshin Aikido we call this body block and the translation that I have seen is Shomenuchi Sodori. I am not positive if the translation is accurate but that is the only one I have seen.

In my dojo, we call this technique aiki-nage as well. Has anyone here heard of aiki-otoshi?

Sid

Originally posted by Sid In my dojo, we call this technique aiki-nage as well. Has anyone here heard of aiki-otoshi? Sid

This site is on the slow side, the very slow side, but it's got samples and they are very nicely done.

www.sfaikikai.com

From the video clip on that site it looks like aiki-otoshi is sumi-otoshi when you turn the wrong way. I had always thought that was just a sumi-otoshi variation.

The throw aiki-otoshi is also known in judo circles as sukui nage.

-- Jun

What differentiates aiki-otoshi from aiki-nage? I know one means drop and the other throw but I have seen things called aiki-otoshi that didn't look much like a drop.

Tomiki Sensei called it "shizumi otoshi", which could be roughly translated as "sinking drop". Like in most judo techniques, otoshi also identifies the ukemi as falling in a feet over head relationship (rolling like a tire down a road).

Jim Vance

Jun,

Hope you're doing well. About the similarity of aiki otoshi or as we call it shizume otoshi being similar to a judo sukuinage...

I don't think they are anything alike. Uke most often takes an otoshi fall from shizume otoshi/aiki otoshi and every sukuinage I was ever thrown in resulted in a dramatic back fall where I wanted to "slap with my ears" to survive.

I think sukuinage most resembles what we call gedan ate in our ju nana kihon no kata. We do not take the legs out (either with the hands or the foot) as it is usually done in judo. If the kuzushi is done right and the angle of tori's energy (hasuji) is right, then uke's legs both come out from under in our gedan ate without having to scoop or sweep them.

Take care,

Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the, as usual, very enlightening response! As you well know, my own judo experience is pretty close to nil compared to yours so I'll defer to your knowledge.

I will say, though, that the way we practice aiki otoshi here results in uke taking one of those head-first, heels-over-head breakfalls.

Any way, I wish I had more chance to study your junanahon no kata!

Regards,

-- Jun

As I've practised it, Aiki-otoshi is the one where you pull their legs up whereas aiki-nage is one where you just bend down towards their legs and they fly over you (as well as other techniques where you don't use your arms directly to throw someone).

Ian