# The Atemi Waza of Judo



## elder999 (Nov 30, 2014)

There’s been a fair bit of chatter and back-and-forth about what judo is and isn’t, and whether there are strikes in it or not. Interestingly, some of the deniers are the same ones that insisted there was no grappling in karate, even though the grappling in the various kata of Okinawa has been known-even in the U.S.-for some time, now.

Of course, much like the grappling in karate, some of the strikes of judo have been shared since its inception-they’ve always been there, and always been apparent. Others, though-again, much like the grappling in karate, have also always been there, but haven’t been so apparent. Part of this is because of how judo has evolved, and its practice has evolved with it. Part of it, though, is because of where judo came from.

Kano mostly formed judo from two styles of jujutsu: _Kito ryu,_ and _Tenjinshinyo ryu_. While both styles had _atemi_-striking, and both had _nage waza_-throws, the Kito style is often thought of as specializing in throwing, the Tenjinshinyo  specializing in atemi-though atemi really wasn’t all that appropriate for armored battle jujutsu, so I think it’s likely this so-called specialization was a later development.

As others have pointed out, the atemi of judo is most apparent in its kata, like Seiryokuzenzo Kokumin Taiiku kata, which Kano assembled in 1927. Interestingly, in 1927 he also said in a lecture that he was researching a method of randori that would include atemi-but he never really did, probably because he thought it was contrary to his physical education principles, damaging and dangerous. During the build up to and the early part of WWII, though, the Botukukai took over all martial arts-in fact, the period corresponds with Kano’s development of Seiryokuzenzo Kokumin Taiiku kata, and some say it was due to pressure from the Japanese military. During this period, there were, in fact, strikes included in randori-at least for the military and police, to establish some kind of commando level of training-and, more to the point, strikes were included in the curriculum and randori through the 60’s, though, by the time I was starting to train, the only thing explicitly permitted was knife hands to the forearm of the opponent to prevent his getting a grip, or to break his grip, and this went away completely around 1971-I think-there was a moon landing that summer, and I’ve always associated being told that we didn’t do that anymore with the moon shot. The ulnar nerve plexus, not coincidentally, is one of the 30 _kyusho_ points that Kano included in his book _Judo Kyohon,_ along with 22 _atemi waza_ .  This was, of course, nothing like the rest of the strikes that had taken place in judo, and continued to for some of us, but those are very much like some of the more dirty stick work I learned in lacrosse: _it’s not cheating if you get away with it, so do whatever you  can get away with_

Having done karate and boxing for the same period of time, I have to say that a lot of the striking in judo kata is somewhat unrealistic, odd, or esoteric, and seems to also be in line with _the ikken hissatsu 一撃必殺”_ philosophy of  Japanese karate: “one stike one kill,” rather than a barrage of blows as in boxing or some forms of kenpo. ….however…..

While _Tenjinshinyo ryu_ is said to specialize in strikes, it really used _atemi waza _to disrupt an opponent’s balance, and gave judo throws like_ ippon seoinage, _and_ harai goshi_. Both of these throws, and others, have _atemi waza_ inherent to their movement. If you’ve learned how to do them from the right person-someone who trained before, during or immediately after WWII, or a teacher who had trained under someone who did, then you’ve learned to perform _ippon seionage-_one armed shoulder throw-with an _hiji ate _-elbow- to the region of the opponent’s liver on the entry for the throw  ,rather than simply thrusting the arm under the opponent’s arm,_ harai goshi-_hip sweep- with an elbow to the head or throat, rather than the helmet of an armored samurai-or simply enveloping the arm as so many perform it today, and_ koshi garuma –_the loin wheel-with a percussive to the brachial sinus and/or clavicle, rather than simply wrapping an arm around the shoulders as so many do. As a kid, when I did _ippon seionage-_and even today-the opponent was getting a belly full of elbow on the way-made him easier to throw, and the referee either didn’t see it ,or didn’t care…..there are other strikes, pretty well hidden in other throws. At any rate, not many people are learning judo this way anymore, though you might be surprised by some of the people who have…..


----------



## Chris Parker (Nov 30, 2014)

Lovely post, Elder… a few things, if I may… 



elder999 said:


> Kano mostly formed judo from two styles of jujutsu: _Kito ryu,_ and _Tenjinshinyo ryu_. While both styles had _atemi_-striking, and both had _nage waza_-throws, the Kito style is often thought of as specializing in throwing, the Tenjinshinyo  specializing in atemi-though atemi really wasn’t all that appropriate for armored battle jujutsu, so I think it’s likely this so-called specialization was a later development.



Well, Tenjin Shin'yo Ryu itself is very much a "later development"… it's a very late Edo period Koryu (dating from the 1830's), with the founder of the system (Iso Mataemon Masatari) dying in 1863. In fact, Kano's teachers were part of only the third generation… as a result, there really isn't much need to look for usages against armour, as it's separated by some 200 years from any such concern.

That said, the Tenjin Shin'yo Ryu was founded in Iso's study of two previous systems, Shin no Shinto Ryu, and Yoshin Ryu. Yoshin Ryu in particular is of interest in regards to atemi waza, as it is allegorically founded by Akayama Shirobei, a doctor who visited China in the early 17th Century, and brought back with him "three striking methods", which formed the basis of his new Yoshin Ryu. Still no application for armoured combat, of course… 



elder999 said:


> As others have pointed out, the atemi of judo is most apparent in its kata, like Seiryokuzenzo Kokumin Taiiku kata, which Kano assembled in 1927. Interestingly, in 1927 he also said in a lecture that he was researching a method of randori that would include atemi-but he never really did, probably because he thought it was contrary to his physical education principles, damaging and dangerous. During the build up to and the early part of WWII, though, the Botukukai took over all martial arts-in fact, the period corresponds with Kano’s development of Seiryokuzenzo Kokumin Taiiku kata, and some say it was due to pressure from the Japanese military. During this period, there were, in fact, strikes included in randori-at least for the military and police, to establish some kind of commando level of training-and, more to the point, strikes were included in the curriculum and randori through the 60’s, though, by the time I was starting to train, the only thing explicitly permitted was knife hands to the forearm of the opponent to prevent his getting a grip, or to break his grip, and this went away completely around 1971-I think-there was a moon landing that summer, and I’ve always associated being told that we didn’t do that anymore with the moon shot. The ulnar nerve plexus, not coincidentally, is one of the 30 _kyusho_ points that Kano included in his book _Judo Kyohon,_ along with 22 _atemi waza_ .  This was, of course, nothing like the rest of the strikes that had taken place in judo, and continued to for some of us, but those are very much like some of the more dirty stick work I learned in lacrosse: _it’s not cheating if you get away with it, so do whatever you  can get away with_



Yep. You also get atemi waza in areas such as the Kime no Kata, which dates from very early in the Kodokan's history (the late 1890's), and is more closely related to the Tenjin Shin'yo Ryu's approach.


----------



## punisher73 (Dec 4, 2014)

I'll see if I can find the article again online.  It was an interview with one of Kano's students.  In the interview he talked about how after class they would go someplace to "try out" what they learned in class.  He said, you would get alot of grief if you couldn't knock the guy out with a single strike.  This implied that they did practice atemi and it was important in class at the time.


----------



## VT_Vectis (Jan 20, 2015)

From what I've just finished reading in Kano's "Mind Over Muscle", striking was intended to be incorporated with judo, and was trained as such in his life time. Indeed he makes specific mention of the fact that students should remember to train the stance in Randori with a view to real life and the possibility of the opponents incoming strikes. Does this still hold true at all?


----------



## Old Judoka (Dec 14, 2015)

elder999 said:


> There’s been a fair bit of chatter and back-and-forth about what judo is and isn’t, and whether there are strikes in it or not. Interestingly, some of the deniers are the same ones that insisted there was no grappling in karate, even though the grappling in the various kata of Okinawa has been known-even in the U.S.-for some time, now.
> 
> Of course, much like the grappling in karate, some of the strikes of judo have been shared since its inception-they’ve always been there, and always been apparent. Others, though-again, much like the grappling in karate, have also always been there, but haven’t been so apparent. Part of this is because of how judo has evolved, and its practice has evolved with it. Part of it, though, is because of where judo came from.
> 
> ...


I studied Judo in the late sixties, early seventies and there wasn't any atemi going on, but I can only speak for my class. I will submit to you though, that striking would help in the entry and execution of several throws like Harai-Goshi, Tai-otoshi and the like. And that god awful O-Goshi, my class used that throw pretty much to introduce countering to throws. But a strike on entry could soup up old O-Goshi. Fascinating history lesson going on here guys. Keep it up, an old goat can still learn a thing or two.


----------



## Langenschwert (Dec 15, 2015)

Old Judoka said:


> I studied Judo in the late sixties, early seventies and there wasn't any atemi going on, but I can only speak for my class. I will submit to you though, that striking would help in the entry and execution of several throws like Harai-Goshi, Tai-otoshi and the like. And that god awful O-Goshi, my class used that throw pretty much to introduce countering to throws. But a strike on entry could soup up old O-Goshi. Fascinating history lesson going on here guys. Keep it up, an old goat can still learn a thing or two.



We don't do any atemi in my Judo club. We do learn the stuff that's now illegal in competition though. A well placed strike does make a throw work so much better. In my medieval wrestling studies, one manual (Sigmund Ringeck ca. 1440) detailed some strikes used in the German school to be paired with takedowns. They are: a punch to the heart, knee to the groin, strike to the temple, double strike with the fists to the neck, and a simple body blow. The body blow is paired with a hip throw much like O goshi setup you mentioned, Old Judoka.


----------



## Old Judoka (Dec 15, 2015)

I could see using and elbow strike to the ribs or chin as you are turning in to do throws where you end up not facing the opponent. I fought a few times when I was young using Judo, I mostly bull rushed in using a jab in the hope of hitting the nose, causing tears of the eyes and such ala Ronda Rousey. In the few tournaments I was in I had some success with a kouchi-gari attempt/fake followed up with a tai-otoshi. At 56 though, I'm mostly working using footsweeps in randori with these damn college kids.


----------

