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Takemusu Aikido Intercontinental

Transmitting an authentic knowledge of Traditional Aikido as founded by Morihei UESHIBA

Kajo #6
O sensei explains for ikkyo that keeping uke's am at a right angle is essential (page 41 of the
English edition of Budo). But right with what? With uke's body? Yes, as one can see on O sensei's
pictures, but that is only a basic level of reality.

Advancing to a more fundamental level of reality, the 90 angle is the angle of uke's arm
with ikkyo's 23 entry angle.

One can't make a right angle with a bent side: if uke's arm makes a right angle, it is obviously
because uke's arm is straight at the moment of the descent and lock (while it is not in the initial
phase of the movement). Indeed, ikkyo only works if uke's arm is in extension, with a right angle
when going down, it is only that way that the lever on his elbow is efficient.

The counterpart of that property is that maintaining uke's arm in a right angle extension is only
possible if the entry is done in the 23 angle, the opening of the feet being in that case in the initial
60 direction.

Indeed if the rotation of the body is more important, the feet will open up more, until they reach the
second position at 60 and that rotation of tori's body axis means uke's arm will be even more
twisted and therefore can not be kept in textension. Further than the first 60 line means bending
uke's arm, with the help of the characteristic nikkyo grab on the hand's back (Cf. O sensei's
pictures below).

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In that position where uke's arm is twisted, the necessary conditions for ikkyo are not gathered
anymore for no lever can be applied on his elbow.

Because the arm is twisted, tori drive uke's elbow to the ground, the forearm being nearly
vertical (a major difference with ikkyo), the consequence being that the wrist is locked above. That
specific circumstance implies that nikyo's final immobilization is always done with that
peculiar lock illustrated by the third picture below:

And that bio mechanical reason explains why the two locks are different. When uke's arm is bent
in the descending phase, the moment for ikkyo is gone. That's when, and only when,
nikyo's moment occur.

That descent of uke's arm by a wider rotation of tori's axis and the following immobilization
are done in 60 wider angle than ikkyo omote's angle.

We can therefore put that fact on our figure:

And we can now add one more element to our figure:

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Philippe Voarino next seminar: Sunday, 21 April, 2013, Aikido Gasshuku 2013, Antibes, France

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http://www.aikidotakemusu.org/en/articles/kajo-6 14/03/2013