Unbalancing the enemy has been recognized as a vital and in dismissible part of (probably every) koryu and modern budo. Kuzushi waza is in wado often identified with controlling the knee and upper leg in kata. When applying kuzushi at the upper body you can use the hands or the upper arm and apply weight to control. However, all examples indicate short range.
With larger range you have to apply kuzushi in a different way. Kihon gumite 10, for example, involves much kuzushi. The first movement is traditionally a balance breaking technique. All other strikes that follow are meant to unbalance the opponent till the last moment of the throw. Easier examples are nagashi and harai uke. Also, ashibarai is a form of kuzushi as this is also destroying the opponents posture. Ashibarai (and ashigake) is not only nage waza, it is a tool to increase your ability to strike an actual target.
theoretical approach 理論的アプローチ
“Falling is descent under gravity. All objects have mass and in the presence of sufficiently massive objects such as planets or moons they experience a strong attraction due to gravity. This is known as weight. If the force of gravity is not equalized by an opposite force directed away from the planet, the object will start to fall.”
Assume junzuki dachi. As ukemi stands in this position, push from the front. It will not affect his balance. Push from the back, again, no effect. Why? The weight is distributed throughout the whole body and the lower body has such a position that the gravity can’t pull the upper body to the ground, or break the connection within the body. Now move to side of ukemi, and push... Balance is easily broken. Push (or pull) ukemi in the empty space where there is nothing to re-distribute (transfer) the weight to.
sankaku 三角
This is called “sankaku” or triangle. The weakest point is being pulled or pushed to the location of the possible third point to form an equilateral triangle flat on the ground.
The strength of the posture should always be equally divided throughout the whole body, yet the weight distribution, thus the position of the center or gravity plays part. It is important to use the sankaku strategy to detect the weak spots in the opponent’s posture.
how to create
kuzushi 「崩し」を引き起こすには
The question is where the position is weak, while all connected points exert force. When the opponent has a stable and strong connected posture, it has to be forced to instability and disconnection. When you are standing force is downward by gravity, but also automatically upward by the contact. The center of gravity rests on these upward forces (the legs when you are standing up). If the legs lose contact with the ground where the center of gravity rested, the force of gravity is not equalized by an opposite force directed away from the planet, so the object (ukemi) will start to fall.
Let’s look at some examples of typical kuzushi waza.
We will give some examples of how you can use (different parts of) your body in different situations.
We will show how to use:
the hands
the feet
the shin
the thigh
the upper arm (elbow)
the fore arm
For example:
A sudden change of the opponents center of gravity, breaking the internal and physical connection,
like ashi barai or ashi gake:
Using the thigh:
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The positions of the feet are important, observe the location of the heels.
Using the shin:
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Finally, kuzushi on the upper and lower body.
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The principles contained within these techniques should become part of your body in order to apply the principles in any appropriate situation. Many nage waza are simply ‘extensions’ of the principles shown here.
PRINCIPLES
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