PART ONE

 

 OFFICIAL

GRADING TECHNIQUES

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION TO SAIGO-HA AIKI-JUJUTSU 

 

BASIC

REQUIRED TECHNIQUES

 (This may not  be the requirements used by other Daito-Ryu branches)

  Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu grading

requirements:

 From the Saigo-Ha / Shinto-Ryu "STUDENT HANDBOOK / GUIDE"  ( 1972)  - by Sigung Pok Shen

 

" SAIGO-HA  DAITO-RYU AIKI JUJUTSU "

Traditional Samurai Fighting System

Minamoto & Aizu Clan

 

    SAIGO-HA TAKEDA-RYU AIKI JUJUTSU

Explained

    When we talk about SAIGO-HA DAITO-RYU we are referring to that unique branch of TAKEDA-RYU which branches-off from TANOMO SAIGO through his adopted son SHIRO -SAIGO to Toshio Takeda and then branches-off through LIN PO. (There is another branch which branches-off from YAMASHITA HOUEI to SOGAWA KAZUOICHI which also uses the name SAIGO-HA but is more aikido related )

* This particular branch is concerned with the actual unarmed fighting techniques and concepts of the traditional martial art, but does not necessarily include the religious " Shinto " tenets of traditional Daito-Ryu . 

 

SAIGO-HA  can refer to all individual branches of TAKEDA-RYU ( or DAITO-RYU) which derived from TANOMO-SAIGO, but is usually used in relation to TOSHIO TAKEDA or Yamashita Houei's followers.
* note . Daito was the name of a palace or mansion where the early Minamoto leaders lived  and the term " Daito-Ryu" infers to the martial art of those who lived in the mansion , where ‘as, Takeda was the name of a place, either a province or town, where the descendants of the Minamotos moved and continued to teach this same martial art . So ! Either Daito-Ryu or Takeda-Ryu can be used as a generic term for any branch of the fighting martial arts of the Minamoto and Aizu clans .( where ‘as ! Saigo Ha refers to the branches of the same art headed by the followers of the Shinto priest Tanomo Saigo's adopted son and designated heir Shiro Saigo  )  

 

SHINTO-RYU refers to that branch of Daito-Ryu derived through Tanomo Saigo, through Shiro Saigo, Toshio Takeda , Yamashita Houei, Lin Po, Pok Shen and now headed by Dr. John J.Williams which includes the study and preaching of the Japanese religion of Shitoism as part of the Aizu clan's martial art . * It should be pointed-out that the Shinto religion has been part of Daito-Ryu for over 1200 years, with most leaders being Shinto priests ! ( Tanomo Saigo was said to have used the following sentence when discussing his art " Not to know Shinto, is not to know the fighting art of the Minamoto and Aizu clans " )

Note * Lin Po was a Chinese member of the Black Dragon Society, and trained under both Toshio Takeda and Yamashita Houie, (by training, I refer to training as per trading techniques, being Lin Po was a master of various forms of Kung Fu who competed in the famous “death matches”, so he was already  highly trained in the arts, he trained with these people as well as other masters who were in the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai like him, but his authority was through Toshio Takeda.

 

 
Note * This branch did not derive though Sokaku Takeda . It has no ties or affiliation with mainline Daito-Ryu (except though some friendly interactions with instructors from the Takumakai, Bokuyokan and Rengokai groups )

It uses different grading requirements and applications of standard techniques ! However, it must be remembered that it contains most, if not all, of the grappling techniques taught by Sokaku Takeda and his successor, although they have different names,

 

 

 This branch does not seek or desire to join any Japanese Daito-ryu groups . ( It might affiliate in order to create brotherhood ties as peers , but, under no circumstances, will it allow itself to fall under control of any other branch of Daito-Ryu which would be an insult to its lineage and heritage .)

Note *It should be noted that several members of this group broke-away and joined other Daito-Ryu groups and were awarded high ranks or titles, which demonstrates the fact that our branch is on par with them, technique-wise, but, we would never do that if other members from these groups wanted to join us, it would not be just or fair to our students who trained so hard to master opur techniques.

 

" Souden " AUTHENTICITY

    Since Shiro Saigo was the adopted son of the Daito-Ryu grandmaster Tanomo Saigo and was taught the secret techniques of the Minamoto and Aizu clans as a child  in a Shinto Temple, it is highly probable he was introduced to the most secret aspects of this system, where'as when Tanomo Saigo convinced his bodyguard, Sokaku Takeda( 1864-1943)  to study under him in 1898,Sokaku was already 34years of age and he studied under Tanomo for less than 1 1/2-years.

    It would be wrong to assume for a second that Sokaku Takeda was taught more by Tanomo Saigo of the inner secrets or " Souden " of the Minamoto and Aizu clan than his adopted son Shiro Saigo, or that when Shiro Saigo decided to refuse the successor ship of Daito-Ryu due to a conflict of interests, that he would suddenly forget everything he was taught or never teach it to anyone again, and not accept it by birthrite after Tanomo died,  .

 
   The followers of Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu follow what they consider to be the most authentic branch of Daito-Ryu which exists today . The " Souden" or " Core " techniques are unsurpassed by any other branch of Daito-Ryu . The question of authenticity is answered simply by noting that Shiro Saigo was the adopted son of Tanomo Saigo who was groomed throughout his childhood to succeed him as the legal head of Daito-Ryu and, as such, there is no way he was not taught the most important aspects of Daito-Ryu, including the religious aspects . . 

 

 

 

Traditional .Techniques

 

Note

 

In mainline ( Sokaku Takeda) Daito-Ryu the Menkyo  Kaiden ( licenses of  full mastery) was awarded  by mastering the densho ( the list of traditional techniques )

 

 KYOJU DAIRII LICENSE ( Sokaku Takeda line )

 Kyoju Dairi in the traditional Daito Ryu signifies a mastery of the techniques: 118 basic techniques, aikijujutsu okgui (80) techniques, hiden okgui (66) techniques and goshen yo no te (84) techniques.

   However, Sokaku Takeda awarded over 40 such licenses to some of his students over his lifetime, of which not all had mastered each of these techniques

.  Since Kyoju Dairii translates into personal representative of the grandmaster or Soke/ Iemoto of the system, it holds that this licenses or permit was often awarded to students who were in the position to help spread the art .

   In our branch of Daito-Ryu, we sometimes award temporary Kyoju Dairii to students who might be in a position to help spread our system although they fail to meet these standard minimum qualifications, although we usually only award this license to those of Chuden sandan or higher in our system . ( normally, Kyoju Dairii is reserved for those of Okuden or higher  but we do sometimes make exceptions . )

 

Note ***
   The so-called 118 kajos were not taught by Tanomo Saigo . They were created by Sokaku Takeda or his son Tokimune Takeda as a training aid . They were not taught to Hisa Takuma by Sokaku Takeda ( Hisa Takuma was one of only two student to be awarded the license of full-mastery by Sokaku Takeda .

 
  It was a project of Tokimune Takeda to have Hisa Takuma's group learn them in order to have a common tie to mainline Daito-Ryu, as such, Shiro Saigo was never taught these sets by Tanomo Saigo and it is very likely that they are a combination of the basic " Souden" of Daito-Ryu and some other techniques mastered by Sokaku Takada outside traditional Daito-Ryu.

  The techniques found in the 118 sets known as the kajos are not new or even difficult for the practitioners of Saigo Ha, many being Shoden ( mudansha) level techniques .The only difficult part of the 118 for the Saigo Ha practitioners is to recognise them by name since they have different names than are used in Saigo Ha .

 

* When the senior Saigo Ha students were first shown the first set of 30 techniques from the 118 which are called the Ikkajo, it took only 8 workouts to master them completly, most of the time was spent trying to learn the new names. ( not one was a new technique , each being found in some part of the shoden or chuden sets )

  To give you an idea of the different names : In ikkajo the ippon dori is the first technique listed as a defence against shomen uchi, but, in Saigo Ha, the technique is called Omote Shiho Nage (Four corner throw) *Ushiro & yoko (rear & side ) with 10 variations, including one that is exactly the same as the one in ikkajo of the Sokaku line, and the attack is called Gedan zuki ( downward strike) , the second technique is called Gyaku Ude Dori against a Katate Mune dori, which we call : Gyaku Ude Mawashi Ude Katame against a Katate Mae Iri Dori, even the last technique in ikkajo, called Kata Otochi is widely known outside Daito-Ryu simply as Setumi Ippon Seonage, etc..( For a native Japanese, these different names are no real problem, but, for a westerner, trying to grasp the basic terminology, this represents a difficult hurdle to overcome )
 

 

TECHNIQUES

    There are a total of 2,884 basic techniques in traditional or mainline Daito-ryu including sitting, standing, sitting versus standing, techniques to counter attacks from behind, throwing, pinning, and disarming techniques.

There are aiki throwing techniques that rely on the mind, universal laws and on timing, techniques based on the laws of motion, as well as those based on the meridian anatomy of the human body.

There are also reverse joint-locking techniques, techniques that use applied pressure to joints, as well as
techniques that attack the vital points of the human body known as atemi-wasa.

    Saigo Ha has several other techniques not found in traditional Daito-Ryu which brings the total to well over 3400 techniques . ( these techniques include advanced kicks, grappling, pressure-point strikes and a whole new group based on 100 modern scientific principals added by both Lin Po and Pok Shen who were also masters of several Chinese martial arts systems )
 

 

TRUE AIKI

     The term " AIKI " is directly associated with the fighting system of the Minamoto and Aizu clans . ( The very term " Aiki " was coined by Daito-Ryu grandmaster Saemon Takeda in the 1700's *  Teacher of Tanomo Saigo and grandfather of Sokaku Takeda , and was first referred to as the " Aiki of Ying and Yang " )

   As such, any art which uses the term " Aiki" as part of their name, to be legitimate, must have direct linage going back to the fighting arts of the Minamoto and Aizu clans . ( in modern times, we have hundreds of hybrid mixed techniques taught under the banner of Aikido, aikibudo, AikiBujutsu, Aikiwara, Aiki suma, Aikiwasa, etc.., but few are true aiki because of two very important requirements to be qualified as " true aiki " : (a) direct lineage going back to the Minamoto and Aizu clans (b) a true understanding of exactly what " aiki" is .

   To understand what AIKI of Ying & Yang is, we first have to look at the term itself : Ai, from the verb arimasu which means: "to be", " interact "  or "exist"  ./ Ki, which means : spirit, force, power, energy, soul, life-force. /Ying & Yang  are the opposing forces in the universe.

   Thusly, the term simply means to exist or interact with the powers of the universe ( Ki & the Ying & Yang ) in our activities . To Saemon Takeda, his daily activities were concerned with the arts of war and peace, so, to him, it was the implications of understanding how the fighting techniques and the art of political diplomacy of his era would be best achieved through the best possible application of the ying and yang in relation to the universal forces which effected them.

   When Uyeshiba created AIKIDO, he used the basis of Daito-Ryu as a tool to better study and explain the ways of the universe as had the countless Shinto priests who were an intrical part of Daito-Ryu for 1100 years before him. (Sadly, few of his followers knew what he was trying to do, and considered him a religious fanatic, instead of a genius )

    To the uneducated, when they saw an AIKI master demonstrate his techniques, it must have seemed like magic ! ( which is why, to many people, the term " aiki" is considered mystical, magical, almost supernatural )

   However, there is no magic, mystery or supernatural phenomena associated with " Aiki" ! There is nothing in the universe except the laws of " cause & effect " , of energy acting on matter . What the creators of " aiki" studied was the laws of nature ( universal laws of cause and effect ) and they did this by trial and error because they did not have access to the mountains of research and study which is now available to the common man .

   Of all the so-called Aiki Arts out there today, Saigo Ha is the only one which has compiled a list of some of these universal laws in their training syllabus.( known as the 100 principles of Daito - Ryu) and which includes them in the assessment of their techniques . Saigo Ha has gone one-step farther than the rest of the Aiki schools, by reverting back to the main source of Aiki in the traditional Daito-Ryu schools, the Shinto religion ! ( when Tanomo Saigo and Shiro Saigo said " Not to know Shinto, is not to know Daito-Ryu ", they also, meant, " not to know Shinto, is not to know Aiki " , because both are one and the same .)

 

 

 

  Saigo Ha Shoden

( lowest level )

is broken -up into five ( 5) grades known as MUDANSHA (ungraded), which are usually represented as Gokyu, Yonkyu, Sankyu, Nikkyu and Ikkyu ( They can also be refered to as kogowaza ) and usually consist many of the 118 basic mokoroku techniques ( different name, order and application ).

Note * One should not confuse Shoden with Shodan . Shoden is an apprenticed beginner in traditional or  classical martial arts, whereas Shodan denotes the first level or entering into into symbolic  manhood or the blackbelt ranks in modern arts . The Shoden students is in the process of learning the basic techniques of the system leading-up to the initiation or rites of passage into the formal ryu or ryuha through a very ceremonial process where they become " Chuden " students
 .

     . ( CHUDEN is the same as SHODAN , NIDAN and SANDAN rankings in modern arts .)
 
*Shoden  ( in the Saigo-Ha Schools ) wear a blackbelt with a white stripe through the centerline under the hakama. ( No persons, regardless of rank or status, shall be permitted to wear their obi or belt over the hakama, as this demonstrates an effort to draw attention toward themselves and away from Saigo Ha Takeda-Ryu Aiki Budo )

* The color black represents the Minamoto & Aizu  family arts, and the white stripe means that the student is the first learning stage of the very basic techniques.  ( There are no solid colored belts like yellow, orange, etc. in traditional arts,  although students under the age of 16 sometimes do wear such colored belts to denote that they have yet to undergo the adult rites of passage or Keppan  which involves the blood oath since one has to be at least 16 years of age to achieve this status . )

At this level ALL students are required to wear a simple WHITE JUDO gi  ( a training uniform is sometimes called a " keiko " ) with the single black Saigo Ha Daito - Ryu  crest on their left lapel. (All students can also wear white judo pants with this top until no higher the sankyu level, at which point they MUST wear a BLACK Hakama with the white judo top .)

Shoden students cannot wear the black obi with white stripe unless they wear a hakama . ( They can wear the children's colored belt if desired, but it is usually considered in poor taste, and usually, adults who have yet  aquired a hakama, usually wear a simple white belt over their judogi or keikogi unless asked to do otherwise .)

New students should try to aquire their hakama and proper shoden obi as soon as possible . It is the official dress code of Daito-Ryu used worldwide and has been worn for hundreds of years.

Children will wear black karate-type gi's ( suits) until 16 years of age unless given special permission due to maturiy or physical traits to wear the adult costume .. Children will wear the colored obi ( belt) of yellow, orange, green, blue & brown and black with white stripe . When they reach 16 years of age, they will be tested in the Shoden requirements and awarded the proper grade as an adult .

Children can sometime be permitted to wear the adult Shoden gi & hakama if they demonstrate special abilities and mastery of the shoden techniques, and in rare cases , allowed to train in the adult classes . ( This is rare, but is done in unique cases with young students in their teens because they are too advanced for the children classes )

In Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu, the standard " judo " top is used because it can withstand the rugged rough and thumble techniques . It will outlast any other type of costume used for practice of the martial arts and can help cushion the body from strikes and falls associated throughout the long training process. It should be pointed-out that the traditional judogi was not bleached white as is common today. Instead it was a light yellow color, but, with better materials, modern bleached judogis are tough and durable .
( If we used the traditional samurai outfits, it would cost us a fortune for constant repair or replacements due to the excessively harsh training methods of this art . )

Unlike other aiki arts, in Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu, we wear a pair of judo pants cut into mid-thight length shorts under our hakama and for training on the kicks and some special techniques. (no full-length pants are ever worn under the hakama, nor do we allow only regular underwear to be worn . )

Females must wear a white T-shirt under her judogi top . ( no lapel ties are permitted by anyone ) and they must tie up their hair in a ponytail if it is long  ( this rule applies to anyone with long hair )

 

 

The uniform: ( koryu )

 Tenugui                           Small hand cloth to wipe face. Also worn under the helmet in kendo.
 Keiko gi, do gi, gi           Practice uniform.
 Embu gi                           Demonstration top / uniform.
 Kesa                                Lapel / part of monk's costume hanging from left shoulder.
 Mon                                 Family crests on uniform
 Montsuki                         Wide sleaved top with mon on chest, sleeve and back.
 Sode                                 Sleeve, on practice top.
 Tanomo                            Large sleeves on formal tops.
 Uwa gi                              Practice top.
 Zekken                            Chest patch embroidered with own name and dojo name.
 Obi                                   Belt (White belt , Black belt )
 Hakama                           Split skirt, wide legged pants.
 Hera                                Peg in back of hakama.
 Matadachi                       Split in side of hakama.
 Koshiita                           Back plate on hakama.
 Tabi                                 Japanese sock-slippers used in dojo.
 Zori                                  Japanese sandals for use outside dojo.
 

 

 
 

note * In the koryu ( old schools) of Daito-Ryu, the Shoden level of training was not divided into the kogowasa or five small sets of techniques we know as the kyu . The student merely studied as a group until they mastered the basic  techniques and were accepted into the ryu through the formal ceremony ( The belt system was only introduced in the early part of this century )
 However, since the western students are goal oriented, it was nessesary to break the basic techniques into 5 sets with corresponding titles and distiguishing adornments so they could see their progress .
 

 

                                                  INDIVIDUALISM

TAKEDA-RYU  ( Daito-Ryu ) is a traditional martial art ! As such it holds that cultivation of individualism is discouraged in favour of developing  the common family / clan unit and mentality.

( This means that loyalty to the ryu is paramount and every student and instructor must dress and act the same in the dojo setting..) Basically : You must leave your EGO at the dojo door.

 

 

NOTE * To all instructors and students :

Whose student  are you ?

Contrary to popular belief, the STUDENTS OF TAKEDA-RYU / DAITO-RYU ( regardless of what branch or version it happens to be !) are not the students of the person who may be physically teaching them !

All senior instructors are merely representatives of the founders of that art. ( In Daito-Ryu, these founders are all the heads of this art, regardless of branches they followed, from Emporor Senwa Tenno down through the headmasters to Tanomo Saigo and his successors to present day .  )

This means that our job as teachers is to do our best to pass-on to our students those techniques, theories, principals and laws which were created through the whole evolution of Daito-Ryu ! ( We are expected to add whatever teaching aids or experiences we might have to achieve this purpose as long as we remain aware that we are not the message, only the medium )

What this means is that the heads of the various branches and organization of Daito-Ryu are not only where our loyalty should be directed, rather, we should be loyal to the ryu and the art itself ! (  * while being appreciative of the efforts of those directly teaching us, we must remember that they are not DAITO-RYU, they are merely persons allowed to help share this art with us out of loyalty and appreciation for being afforded that opportunity themselves ! )

This concept is virtually unknown in the west , where students aspire to be instructors instead of aspiring to remain students ! And the end-result is that few ever master the whole system because they are too busy feeding their ego as the " BIG SENSEI "

We are all part of a pyramid which is Daito-Ryu ! The tip of the pyramid is the first founders of Daito-Ryu, and we are all just another block in that structure  ( never the structure itself )

Everyone is just a student of an art that was founded over 1200 years ago ! We are not the creator of that art, merely representatives. (That is why we must treat each other who practice and teach this great art with mutual respect and appreciation.)

Those who are experienced must be willing to share their experiences with the less experienced, never in a boastful or respectful manner, but as part of a family, where ‘as the student must be equally appreciative of the instructor for his/her willingness to share that knowledge.)

Here is the key to developing the correct attitude when in the instructor-student relationship: Remember that our very lives are made-up exclusively of "time" ! Time is life ! So, when the teacher gives you his time to teach you Daito-Ryu, he is giving you something much more valuable than the most precious treasures on earth, for, in effect, he is giving you part of his life just as his/her instructors gave his/her time or part of their very lives.!

• NOTE * A NEW SAIGO-HA DAITO-RYU crest will be designed in the near future which will replace the regular Daito-Ryu kanji crest. ( No Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu students or instructor will be allowed to wear any other crest on their gi tops than this new crest unless given permission to do so by representitives of the hombu. )

• Remember fancy crests, uniforms and activities designed to draw attention to oneself also draw attention away from Daito-Ryu. ( The greatest students are not the ones who learn fast, master techniques easily or are obvious, but are the ones who are LOYAL to the RYU !)

• Our focus must not be on getting attention drawn to ourself, but of doing everything we can to draw attention to our art !

 

INSTRUCTORS TAKE NOTE !

• EVERYONE MUST USE THESE BASIC GRADING GUIDELINES.

 

• INSTRUCTORS CAN ADD DIFFERENT VERSIONS OR MODIFICATIONS OF THESE TECHNIQUES AS LONG AS THE BASIC CONCEPT IS FOLLOWED.

 

• INSTRUCTORS CAN ADD ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES IF THEY DESIRE.

 

• DIFFERENT TRAINING CUSTOMS IS ALLOWED UNDER DIFFERENT INSTRUCTORS.

 

• NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE DRESS CODE IS ALLOWED.

 

• A PIECE OF COLORED TAPE CAN BE PLACED ON THE OBI ON THE LEFT HAKAMA OPENING KNOWN AS THE MATADACHI TO DENOTE GRADE ACHIEVED.

 

Grading Ceremony

    In Saigo Ha Takeda-Ryu ( Daito-Ryu) Aikijujutsu, Aikibujutsu and Aikido, the grading ceremony is held twice a year . ( In the spring and in the fall  ) and is a clan celebration of achievement for the students and their instructors where the student is rewarded for their participation in the development of the ryu .
   At these two times of the year all the senior instructors gather to demonstrate the skills that they have instilled in the students under their guidance and to renew friendships and brotherhood which is at the core of this traditional clan art known as Daito-Ryu .

   Since this art has it's foundation in Shintoism, it is usually blessed by a member of the Shinto clergy with a short dedication to the kami of the clan . ( This is not always done in the west, but, if there is a priest or monk available, it is considered in good taste to include this ritual as part of these two annual events.)

 The reasons for holding these two grading in he spring and fall is as follows :

    To the Shinto followers, spring is a time of new life in nature . At this time of the year, the sun's rays  grow stronger, the flowers start to bloom , the insect and animal life starts to stir, and joy is in the air .It is the begining of things new, a time to draw-in a deep breath and embark on one's martial arts activities with a renewed determination and resolve.
   In the fall, the suns's rays grows weaker and the plants and animals prepare for the long winter ahead. It is a time of preparation for the difficulties ahead, again, a time to take another deep breath and buckle-in for the tough tasks ahead .
  It is considered a bad omen to hold gradings in either the winter or summer months . In pre-meji times, the martial arts were tied-in to Shintoism, with very specific attention to pleasing the kami ( gods or spirits) of havest and good fortune, and it was thought that to hold such a celebration of warrior training  in times of either good weather or bad weather associated with these two seasons was not looked upon favorably by some bujutsu kami .

  Not to be confused with modern arts where the grading is often just a way to raise money from the students, in Saigo Ha Takeda-Ryu ( Daito-Ryu) these gradings are a celebration of life and joy where the students are motivated to progress to greater heights, while the instructors are allowed to look at the work they have done with the students who have been put in their care ..

   It is a time of re-dedicating oneself to the life-long task ahead . To rekindle old friendships and to work on eliminating negative interactions which might exist between the students . It is a time of determination and dedication, when the basis of the family clan is evaluated and strengthened through a new oath or pledge of loyalty and commitment by all members present .
 

 

 

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

( general)

Note * These are the basic required techniques, but the students also learns many additional techniques throughout their training process including basics of the bokken, yari, bo, sawari, iaido, kenjutsu, resusition methods, counters, physical conditioning, sparring, aiki, principles, etc..( Unlike lesser arts, Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu has more techniques than a person could possibly master in a lifetime, and the student is constantly learning new aspects of the Minamoto & Aizu clan secret arts throughout their life. )

GOKYU

(Ikkyo-kowasa)

ETIQUETTE

• (formal customs of Daito-Ryu )

• * Etiquette includes proper bowing procedures, ways to address instructors, proper dress code, formalities and Japanese martial arts school customs and procedures.( choice of instructors as to what is taught )

•  

Kamae/Dachi

(stances)

• 1...Kiba Dachi - Horse stances

• 2...Zenkatsu - forward stance

• 3...Kobutsu - back leaning Sankatsu - triangular

• ( * other variations / types may be included by the different instructors . )

• note * Stances are used for training purposes only and never for actual fighting situations.

• There are no such thing as fighting stances in Saigo Ha ! There is only the proper use of the 100 principals which govern all cause and effect in the universe - that is the the real AIKI of Saigo Ha Daito-Ryu .

 

KIHON ATEMI - WASA
( basic hand strikes)

• 1...Gake zuki - Hook Punch (strike)

• 2...Gedan Zuki - Downward punch (strike)

• 3...Age Zuki - Rising punch (strike)

• 4...Uraken Zuki - backward punch (strike)

• 5...Oi Zuki - Straight punch (strike)

• 6...Gyaku Zuki - reverse punch (strike)

• (note * We rarely use gyaku zuki for our practicing of defensive techniques due to the difficulty in falling or ukimi from the leg position associated with this strike * In the past when we allowed gyaku zuki to be used by the attacker in embu, broken collarbones were a common occurrence . )

* note * The words punch or strike are misleading ! In Saigo-Ha Daito-Ryu, the attacks with strikes with the hands are categorized as directions or angles of swings, thrusts or movement , rather than specific blows !

Geri / Keri Wasa

( kicks )

• 1...Mae Geri - front kick

• ( also known as MATTA GERI or instep to groin)

• 2...Yoko Geri - side kick (cross leg )

• * Kicks must be mastered with both legs at different heights. * Kicks must be practiced with power on pads & targets and in the sawari or kneeling position as well as standing .

KATA

( Pre-arranged form or set )

• Tachi Zuki No Kata

• ( defenses against punches)

• * Done with both students in the standing position

Kata wasa

( The actual techniques of Tachi Zuki No Kata)

note * Tori is the attacker  *   Uke is the defender

• 1............. Tori - Gake Zuki (hook punch)

• Uke - Irimi Kube Nage (entering neck throw)

• 2............ Tori - Gedan Zuki (downward strike)

• Uke - Shiho Nage (Four corner throw) *Ushiro & yoko (rear & side )

• 3............. Tori - Age Zuki ( rising strike)

• Uke - Kuke Nage (Air throw) ( do both Projection & Akuma Kuki Nage * soft & hard versions)

• 4............. Tori - Uraken Zuki (backward strike)

• Uke - Ude Katame Ikajo Irimi nage (elbow lock,first wrist-lock, entering throw)

• 5.............. Tori - Oi Zuki (straight-line strike or lung punch )

• Uke - Ude Gatame Gyaku Chigai Yama Arashi ( elbow lock, reverse under limb, mountain storm

• throw)

• note * Uke must end-up in the STANDING BODY STRADDLE position over the attacker after each of these techniques ! ( this leads to newasa or ground grappling techniques)

KAJOS (te kube kansetsu wasa )

(Wrist controls/locks)

• 1....Ikajo (outward wrist turn)

• 2....Nikajo ( thumb-down wrist lock)

• 3....Sankajo (triangular wrist turn)

• 4....Yonkajo (body-lock downward wrist lock)

• 5....Gokajo (body lock upward wrist lock)

• 6....Rokukajo (Side finger lock wrist control)

• These are sometimes referred to as ikkyo,nikkyo,sankyo,yonkyo , etc.. but, in Saigo Ha, each wrist lock or twist is part of a group of techniques with many variations .

SHIAII (sparring) Five attacker - hand strikes only

• attackers form a circle around tori, then upon command, attack tori with different hand strikes.

• (this teaches reflex action )

• The instructor assigns each attacker a specific number, and he shouts out these different numbers to denote which attacker will attack the person being tested, and the attacker will chose whatever technique he/she feels might best test the defender . ( In this case, the attacker will chose from the fight hand strikes listed or required for this grade )

TIME IN GRADE : two gradings per year in the Shoden levels ( each dojo will hold gradings twice a year - in the spring and fall seasons .)

TERMINOLOGY Must KNOW the basic DOJO terminology.

HISTORY Basic history of DAITO-RYU AIKI BUDO (Founder & brief history) 

Note * The strudent is not required to demonstrate all these techniquers perfectly . ( errors are permitted) , He/ she must merely demonstrate a general idea of how to execute these techniques since for all the gradings to follow, they will be tested on these same techniques again, at which point, they must then be done correctly .
In other words : When one test for a grade or rank, they are always tested on all the techniques for the preceding grades which must then be done properly as well as demonstrating a basic understanding of the new techniques or requirements . ( This is because there must always be reviews done on all preceding techniques throughout one's training to assure that nothing gets lost over time )

 

 YONKYU

(Ni-KoWasa)

 

• Previous test for GOKYU (yellow belt ) must be repeated.

 

GERI / KERI

(Kicks)

• 1....Mawashi Geri - ( circular kick )

• 2....Mae Mikazuki Geri - ( regular cresent kick)

 

KATA / FORM

• (pre-arranged forms/sets)

• 1....Sawari-tachi Tachi Zuki No Kata (one seated, one standing defences against hand strikes)

• 2....Shikko Tachi-Zuki No Kata (kneewalk version of standing defences against hand strikes )

 

Bokkyo No Kata /Goshin wasa

(self defense against holds)

• 1....Facing bearhug over arms

• 2....Facing bearhug under arms

• 3....Rear bearhug over arms

• 4....Rear bearhug under arms

 

SHIAII (Sparring ) against five attackers using all punches and the front and side kicks.

• ( note ***sparring is always done by having uke surrounded by his toris who attack at random from different directions upon command from the sensei using number for each tori )

•  

 INVOLVEMENT Student must be active in dojo activities