Ikkyo

Ikkyo, we can define as a technique that consists of the control of the axis of the attacker’s body from two points (the elbow and the wrist) with a vertical and tangential action that makes uke lose their balance and takes them to the ground, following with the immobilization of the arm (placed above the continuation of the imaginary line of uke’s shoulders), which allows for the control of the rest of the attacker’s body.

But it is important to note that, mechanically, Ikkyo passes mainly through 4 points of the body of Uke: elbow, shoulder, opposite hip and opposite knee and that, if any of these points are not mobile and adaptable enough, it can not be executed in its “Ideal form”. Therefore, a large part of the study of this technique comes through practice and with knowledge of our body and its tensions, which will allow us to act more naturally and adaptively in each moment.

The Ikkyo technique is the basis from which we usually perform other basic repertoire techniques such as nikyo, sankyo and yonkyo, and it is usually executed in two forms: Omote and Ura.

In general, “Omote” will consist of advancing towards your partner (without allowing them to completely executing the attack), diverting the action to cause uke to lose balance, but maintaining the “attack” forward (without turning around, backing off or running away).

However, for the “Ura” form, and maintaining the basic idea, the attack will be prolonged and diverted, guiding the action towards the outside of your partner, which, using two different dynamics, results in the falls being therefore different.