(Geseundheit)
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Of all the kihon and drills and practices in SMR jo curriculum, it seems to me that the paired form of kihon #3 - hikiotoshi-uchi - is the shibboleth. I bet that by watching a handful of repetitions of hikiotoshiuchi, an instructor could pretty closely diagnose where the student stands in their overall understanding and skill.
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Hikiotoshi seems to be the shibboleth that separates super from sucky. The sucky hikiotoshi says something like "CLACK" or "tap-SMACK," while the super hikiotoshi uchi whispers something like, "ka-shwhoooooooshhh."
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A few times last night I heard the ka-shwoooosh on my right sided hikiotoshiuchi but the more I tried it, the more CLACK I heard. My left side consistently said tap-SMACK.
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Hikiotoshiuchi is the bane of my existence.
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Patrick Parker
www.mokurendojo.com
