Zig zag like lightning

We warmed up with a type of furigata using the 鎖分銅 kusarifundō that is rarely taught. Soke calls it ハ字六法振リ haji roppō furi. I wrote about it here: A Ninja Tease With the 鎖分銅 Kusari Fundou I demonstrated both the striking and grappling functions of this furigata.

I began class with 稲妻捕 inazuma dori. Inazuma means a flash of lightning. In this kata you capture a bolt of lightning!

This can be seen as the shape of a lightning bolt with the zig-zag manipulation of the opponent’s arm and shoulder. You capture the arm and lock the elbow to drive into the shoulder. As you do this motion with your entire body, the rocking motion creates a jagged or zig-zag effect on the opponent.

The outcome of this often resembles a ganseki otoshi. But the Japanese text tells us to use a 逆締め gyaku shime which can manifest in many types of throws. One that I studied with Hatsumi Sensei becomes more of a gyaku zeoi.

As we do this inazuma movement there is a common mistake students make. Soke told us, “Everyone moves with their head, but you have to move with your center here. 伸ばす nobasu, stretch him out then enter from the side.” He emphasized this idea of nobasu many times. Maintain your own center, and the stretched out opponent will be tossed about in the wall of the storm.

And, while the opponent is stretched out this way, you can expand your own space to draw or access weapons. I showed how simple it is to return to the center with a hidden knife. Your opponent cannot resist being tossed right across or into the blade.

Of Note: hope for mx