TOTW, Oct 2, Week 1: Ichimonji no kamae

[kurzweilfreak]

At the request of Knarly_b:


btw, as its monday can i suggest a new tech of the week? id be interested to discuss applications of ichimonji as a kamae in movement. By that i mean all the things you can do just with the movement of going from one kamae, eg shizen into ichimonji.

Ready? Go! :)

[kennin]

Oh boy... this is as basics as it is nearly impossible to explain. The situations are limitless, but to explain it in a forum? To find one single situation that fully illustrates the general idea AND to describe it in words?
Pheeeeew...

So just my two cents to start from:
A very very very strong "shizen to ichimonji" transition is needed, cultivated and studied in Hajutsu, especially Te Hodoki.
You can perform Te Hodoki in many ways, but you will find that the very best way is to just let yourself fall into kamae, most of the time ichimonji.
But how to explain this in words? Beats me...

[knarly b]

yeah, i thought it was such a wide subject that id like it talked about but it is difficult to explain such basics.

Im sorry, im not familiar with Hajutsu, dont know what it is.

So far ive used the transition to avoid attacks (probably the most basic), gain distance and angle. thats against a basic punch, good thing is, even if you are not quite quick enough to dodge the punch, the angle of your movement limits the damage of the blow - like trying to punch a feather.
Against one or two handed grabs to the lapels or arms its very good for taking the balance or even throwing an opponent.

I also have another application which im not sure is common, basically, say you are standing in shizen when someone shoots a heel kick at your hip or knee; take a sidestep away then with the trailling leg you make a semi circle up and back down to finish in ichimonji. this has the effect of blocking and redirecting the kick and also pulling the opponent towards you while breaking their kamea.

i think if you avoided a punch and got into ichimonji it would have a psychological effect on an opponent. i see it as a kind of "come on then" or "just try it" type feeling which would make some people give up and cause some people to go in fully intentional and probably overextend themself. Either way it helps your position.

[Oni9]

Good day Gents

Since the famous lunge punch is ridiculed all over the net I will give this input.
Your attacker attack with a mid range punch. Move with his motion into your Ichimonji and force him subconsciously to change his attack to become a lunge punch. He must feel that he can hit you and he must think he will hit you any second.

This might seem to be straight forward but the attacker must attack with Budo spirit. Speed is not important.

Hope this can help somebody.

[knarly b]

Another application, stepping back into ichimonji with one leg leaving the spine twist till the last moment and punching with the opposite arm. Basically using the body twist to punch but moving backwards instead of forwards.

not really sure how to apply that as a technique but its a tool i suppose. Maybe if someone is moving towards you or if you dodge a punch on the inside. Guess its the same movement as when breaking balance of someone grabbing lapels by using a step back into ichimonji.

[knarly b]

yeah, thats something i need to work on, people dont understand that about the lunge punch. If someone threw a reverse punch, like most would and you glide back like that, they are in such a weak position a good kick to the groin would be very effective, or you could easily step behind them. or just grab their punch and pull it towards you to topple their structure, maybe stepping on their left foot with your right while doing it.

[Oni9]

The best way I can describe this feeling of drawing the punch out would be like a Shindenfudo ryu feeling or sanshin feeling.

Most people only see this lunge punch but they do not grasp the feeling behind the defenders moves. I guess you have to experience it to begin to understand.

[kennin]

Hajutsu is the name for grip escape techniques.
So, te hodoki and tai hodoki together is hajutsu.

[kickertkd]

Hajutsu is the name for grip escape techniques.
So, te hodoki and tai hodoki together is hajutsu.


I admit to being more familiar with them under those names of the hodoki banner.

[kennin]

I indirectly said that already, though:


A very very very strong "shizen to ichimonji" transition is needed, cultivated and studied in Hajutsu, especially Te Hodoki.

[Jason Chambers]

Wy is it that something so simple, like Ichimonji no Kamae, has to be made into some secret mystery puzzle technique? It's a kamae for crying out loud... a transitional movement, not the answer to life itself.