In judo, one way you can win a match is to immobilize the opponent on his back for several seconds. In aikido and traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu many of the techniques end with tori holding uke immobilized (often face-down) for several seconds. This class of hold-down techniques is called osaekomi.
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Osaekomi is not really a hold-or-die thing. It does not necessarily mean tori is a failure if uke escapes the hold (though it's not really a good thing to happen). The main purposes of osaekomi include...
- ...making tori relatively safe, such that it is at least more difficult for uke to continue to attack.
- ...letting tori rest and calm down while making uke waste energy.
So, tori uses osaekomi to inconvenience uke while remaining relatively safe and fairly mobile.
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Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282
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