The second set of techniques in Koryu Dai Ichi is a set of seven standing techniques that represent interesting variation on the first wrist release that we teach to beginners (this wrist release motion can also be seen as #3 of the shichihon no kuzushi, for those that use that set of releases early on).
.
This set also demonstrates a progression of uke trying to get progressively more difficult to deal with.
- In the first technique uke interferes with release #1 by becoing strong, so tori steps back to create space, and does release#1 anyway.
- In the second technique, uke interferes with release #1 and with the resulting oshitaoshi, causing it to flow in a tenkai motion.
- In the third technique, he grabs the wrist and the elbow to prevent tori from moving around his wrist as in release #1, so tori does release #5 into tenkai kotehineri (junana #13)
- In the fourth technique, tori grabs the wrist and elbow, and tori applies kotemawashi and oshitaoshi to the elbow hand
- In the fifth technique, uke grabs tori's wrist and collar (again to prevent release#1), so tori ducks under the arm, ruining uke's position, and throws kotegaeshi
- In the sixth technique, uke grabs wrist and reaches for tori's collar or other arm and tori does release#5, breaks the grip, and throws kotegaeshi
- In the last technique, tori grabs wrist and tries to apply a rear choke so tori turns under (release #5) into maeotoshi
So, what we see here is a couple of ideas...
- Release #1 is very difficult to successfully interfere with because tori can almost always step back, creating a little space, and then continue with release #1.
- If you are able to successfully stop release #1, then it is very easy for tori to flow into release #3 or #5 - both of which lead to some dramatic techniques.
I suspect that in most classes that start with the 8 releases that we start with, the instructors emphasize to intermediate students that release #1 can flow into #2 and #5, and that #3 can flow into #4 or #7. It is this either-or nature to these releases that makes them so powerful. But I also suspect that in most classes, this teaching is a somewhat haphazard thing, only occurring when it comes to the teacher's mind. Here, this teaching is encoded in a specific and systematic way into Koryu Dai Ichi.
