Aikido The Peaceful Martial Art                             Stefan Stenudd

Aikido basics
Tachi waza - ushiro
Standing, rear attacks

For introduction and basic principles, go to INTRO.

1. INTRO, Aikido basics
2. Tachiwaza - mae (standing, attacks from the front)
3. Tachiwaza - ushiro (standing, attacks from the rear)
4. Suwariwaza (tori and uke sitting)
5. Hanmi handachiwaza (tori sitting, uke standing)
6. Tantodori (defense against knife)
7. Tachidori (defense against sword)
8. Jodori (defense against staff)
9. Kaeshiwaza (counter techniques)
10. Henkawaza (changed techniques)
11. Kogeki (attacks in aikido)

Notes on tachiwaza - ushiro

1. Techniques in parenthesis are less important or can be excluded in ushiro, because they are awkward to execute or not applicable.
2. When uke starts in front of tori, on the way to ushiro, tori should do an evasive taisabaki, not to stand in uke's way.
3. Kubishime as a basic technique is done katatedori kubishime, one hand grabbed.
4. Kakaedori can be done outside or inside tori’s arms. Basic techniques are done with a grip outside tori’s arms.
5. Of course, also strikes can be practiced ushiro, from behind, but apart from the initial evasive move, they are done the same way as from the front, mae.
6. Additional comments on tachiwaza ushiro are below the table.
7. Aikido glossary here.

TACHIWAZA - USHIRO	ryote dori	ryo kata dori	kubi shime	kakae dori	eri dori	ryo sode dori	ryo hiji dori
KATAMEWAZA (pinning) in order of importance	bas = basic     adv = advanced/difficult - =not basic/possible
ikkyo omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	adv	adv	bas	bas
nikyo omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	adv	adv	bas	bas
sankyo omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	adv	adv	bas	bas
yonkyo omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	adv	adv	bas	bas
(gokyo) omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
hijikime osae omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	adv	adv	bas	bas
kaiten osae omote/ura	bas	-	bas	-	-	adv	adv
NAGEWAZA (throw) in order of importance	bas = basic     adv = advanced/difficult - =not basic/possible
kokyuho	bas	bas	adv	bas	adv	bas	bas
kokyunage	bas	bas	adv	bas	adv	bas	bas
iriminage omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas	bas
shihonage omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	-	bas	bas
kotegaeshi omote/ura	bas	bas	bas	bas	-	bas	bas
tenchinage omote/ura	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
kaitennage omote/ura	bas	-	bas	adv	adv	adv	-
koshinage	bas	-	bas	adv	-	bas	-
udekimenage	bas	-	adv	-	-	bas	-
jujigarami	bas	adv	adv	adv	-	bas	-
ushiro kiriotoshi	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
aikinage	-	adv	-	-	-	-	-
aiki otoshi	-	-	-	bas	-	-	-
TACHIWAZA - USHIRO	ryote dori	ryo kata dori	kubi shime	kakae dori	eri dori	ryo sode dori	ryo hiji dori

Comments on tachiwaza - ushiro

1. For general notes, see the comments on tachiwaza - mae.
2. IKKYO is easily done on all the above attack forms - although slightly trickier on kakaedori and eridori, because these holds are more difficult to get out of. On ryokatadori and eridori it is necessary to break free from the grip. More about ikkyo here.
3. NIKYO - see what is said about ikkyo above.
4. SANKYO - see what is said about ikkyo above.
5. YONKYO - see what is said about ikkyo above.
6. GOKYO is not basic in ushiro, since there are no strikes.
7. HIJIKIME OSAE - see what is said about ikkyo above.
8. KAITEN OSAE is in ushiro only done as uchikaiten, under the arm, since this is the way tori gets out of the grip. On some attacks it is a very impractical or complicated techniqe to do, thus far from basic.
9. KOKYUHO is tricky to do on kubishime, because of the positions of uke's arms, tending to get in the way. It can get tricky also on eridori, if uke's arm is firmly held straight, in which case it is difficult to get close enough to uke for kokyuho.
10. KOKYUNAGE
11. IRIMINAGE is a very practical technique, easy to do on most attacks. On katadori menuchi it gets a little tricky, though, because of uke's arms being in the way. Many aikido teachers make no division into omote and ura of iriminage.
12. SHIHONAGE is easy to do on most, but not all, attacks. Usually, omote is easier than ura, but on some attacks it is the other way around. Against kicks, shihonage is a bit complicated, because of the extended position of uke's leg after the kick. Also against shoulder grips (katadori and ryokatadori) it is tricky to do, since tori has to break free of the grip first.
13. KOTEGAESHI is easy to do on most attacks. It gets a little complicated on shoulder grips (katadori and ryokatadori), where tori has to break free of the grip first. On mawashigeri it is difficult, because tori has to enter on the inside of the kick, and on katadori menuchi because tori has to go under uke's katadori arm. Many aikido teachers make no division into omote and ura of kotegaeshi.
14. TENCHINAGE is difficult or next to impossible against many attacks, because it needs to extend uke in two separate directions. On katadori and munedori, tori has to break free of the grip to do it. Many aikido teachers make no division into omote and ura of tenchinage.
15. KAITENNAGE is difficult against several grip attacks, since it is necessary to break free of the grip first, and then there is a problem of leading uke. Against kicks, it is not very practical at all, because of the position uke lands in, after the kick. Kaitennage should be done both soto (outer) and uchi (inner). Many aikido teachers make no division into omote and ura of kaitennage.
16. KOSHINAGE is done with different frequency in aikido dojos. Some do it a lot, some very rarely. The technique can be applied to many attacks, and there is a lot of ways to do it - for basic training, a straight-forward way should be used. Because of its rarity in many aikido dojos, it is marked as advanced against attacks where koshinage needs to be done in a way less common in aikido, although it may be rather easy to do. On ryosodedori it is particularly difficult because of uke's sleeve grip, which makes is complicated for tori to control uke enough. Against kicks, koshinage is not to recommend.
17. UDEKIMENAGE is a bit difficult against ryotedori, since tori has to break free of one of the grips beforehand - the same with ryosodedori and ryohijidori. Also against katadori and munedori, tori has to break free of the grip. Udekimenage is not practical against kicks, because of the position uke lands in after the kick.
18. JUJIGARAMI (also called JUJINAGE) is easy to do against a few attacks, and very difficult against most others, since uke's arms need to be crossed. Since jujigarami is not a very basic technique in aikido, the student really needs not try to solve complicated situations for it.
19. USHIRO KIROTOSHI is by most aikido teachers not regarded as a basic technique at all, wherefore it is not necessary for the student to work that much on it. It is difficult to do when it is tricky to break free of a grip attack, so it is mostly applied on striking attacks.
20. AIKINAGE is a neat technique against a few attacks, but hardly a basic technique at all. One needs to be completely free of grips, so it is only to be applied on some striking attacks. The exception is ryokatadori, where aikinage is quite easy in spite of the remaining grips - but maybe in this case, strictly speaking, it should not be regarded as a proper aikinage. Observe that it should not be tried on kicks. It is also questionable on chudan striking attacks and on yokomen.
21. AIKI OTOSHI is far from basic, and somewhat questionable as an aikido technique, since it involves lifting uke. It is most practical against some ushiro attacks, but never easy to do with conviction. Since it is such a peripheral technique, it is unnecessary for the student to practice against most attacks.

---

---

stenudd.com