Ikkyo is one of O’Sensie’s most important techniques. To the beginner or the uninitiated, it looks simple but there is so much going on that it is important to study it closely. It is said that beginners would practice nothing but two techniques, Ikkyo and Shiho Nage for up to three months. (John Stevens – Aikido The Way Of Harmony)
LETS EXAMINE THE VIDEO FIRST.
Here we can see O’Sensei performing Ikkyo Omote from the kneeling position, Suwari Waza practice. Suwari Waza was extremely important to the founder and there is a great deal of existing film showing O’Sensei and his students practising this way.
IKKYO OMOTE IN DETAIL
In this first image, O’Sensei is seated in seiza (kneeling) upright and facing his opponent (uke). Uke is seated the same way, upright and facing his opponent (nage).
O’Sensei initiates an attack on Uke by raising his right hand (circled in red) towards Uke’s face with a technique called shomen uchi. He moves forward and begins to raise his hand towards uke’s face.
O’Sensei continues to raise his right hand at uke’s face and uke responds by raising his own right hand in protection. O’Sensei continues upward with his right hand until it is above his own head taking uke’s hand and forearm with it. Note how far O’Sensei has moved in and up raising his backside off he’s ankles. Note that emphasis is at first forward and up. At the top of this raising hand, Uke is not yet overly unbalanced and O’Sensei’s orientation is still forward.
O’Sensei’s other hand, the left one, (marked with yellow circles) rises with his right hand and takes Uke’s right arm at the elbow. As O’Sensei continues upwards with his right hand he uses his left hand to take Uke’s right elbow towards Uke’s head. This motion begins to break Uke’s posture and he begins to lose his balance. Notice the angle of Uke’s shoulders and the placement of his left hand (marked in green) on the ground in an effort to balance himself.
O’Sensei continues to turn toward the camera moving Uke in the same direction by cutting down with his right hand and following with his left. As he turns his left knee moves forward and around maintaining extension through his arms ensuring he remains connected to his hips and centre, controlling Uke, without the use of upper arm strength.
It is important to note O’Sensei’s structure remains consistent as he rotates to the front. His arms remain in a relaxed partial extention and over his knees; his body movement is not in front of his arms as this would result in dragging or pulling Uke. Rather, he uses his whole body to control Uke and not his upper arm strength. This is a most important feature of Ikkyo and of Aikido.
Finally, O’Sensei has arrived at the final pinning position having cut down from a front on high position finishing 90 degrees from his starting position, arms extended in an upright position pinning Uke to the floor. Notice he has turned 90 degrees from his beginning position and has moved forward and right pivoting on his right knee and bringing his left to face the camera. Obviously this process is reversed for Ikkyo in the other direction.
LET’S EXAMINE THAT WHOLE MOVEMENT NOW IN SLOW MOTION
AND SOME MORE VIDEO, FROM STANDING AND AT A LATTER AGE
O’Sensei’s standing example is the same as his kneeling. Advancing aggressively with his right hand first at Uke’s face he first takes uke in an upwards motion; then with his other hand grabbing uke’s elbow he takes uke sideways pushing the elbow forward and over towards the camera and continues till he reaches a 90-degree turn keeping his arms in extension and over his hips; he is always in balance and in control.
From these videos, it seems clear that it is difficult to execute the pin efficiently or effectively without an approximate 90-degree turn. This allows O’Sensei to maintain his structure – extension throughout the turn, his hands and shoulders over his hips realising the pin in which ukes elbow is below his wrist.
Please feel free to comment below; at Aikido Analysed we want you to add your opinions on this treatise, negative or positive. Play around with the technique in your training and give us feedback on the types of things that do or do not work for you.
Yours in Aikido
AA
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