Comments on MarksTraining.com: Sacrifice Techniques, Good or Bad

Sutemi is in my opinion really a last-ditch techni...

2009-03-09T08:55:00.000Z

Sutemi is in my opinion really a last-ditch technique, used only when your balance is completely destroyed and you’re going to fall anyway (an example would be tomoe-nage when being pushed down). Sure, it looks spectacular and it may work in non-striking competitions but on the street if you fail you’re going to pay the price (him landing fully on top of you, being kicked or punched in the groin, leglocks…). As Marks stated in order to be succesful this type of technique be must fully committed: this means giving up any thought of personal safety and concentrating the full 100% on taking out your opponent. It’s not unlike swordfighting were sometimes one will attack with reckless abandon: the thought behind it being basically giving up your life in order to destroy the opponent (this is mostly used against a stronger fighter whom you cannot get to with other tactics), if he isn’t fully committed also he will most likely lose, if both of you are fully committed it’s fate which will decide the outcome. It’s a good example of the martial-spirit and even if it was just for this reason sutemi should be kept in the curriculum and practiced regularly.

That being said sacrifice-throws can be very effective if used correctly: they can come as quite a surprise (especially when he’s using fully committed techniques) and properly executed they can be devastating (e.g tomoe-nage with outstretched arms: he’ll most likely fall on his head and break his neck). Surprise and speed in execution are the key and it’s true sacrifice-type of techniques aren’t solely used in grappeling-arts: examples being a tobi-mae-geri in Okinawan-karate (a leaping front kick to the face, mostly used when cornered) or the spectacular flying-techniques in Muay Boran (old muay thai) where they literally leap up on their opponent using his leg to push off and administer deadly knee-strikes to the face or trunk or a downward elbow to the top of the head (I really wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that one: I once saw it performed in a martial-arts documentary and blood was literally pouring from the guy’s mouth and nose).

Quite flattered that you would be using my video f...

2008-08-17T14:00:00.000+01:00

Quite flattered that you would be using my video for your blog. Such a long time ago since I did that grading!

Sutemi-waza are a specialised set of techniques that are performed at an appropriate moment. They are not the be all and end all of the Aikido syllabus, and rather an extension of it. To me, it is one of the highest forms of aikido, as the "aiki" means to: "employ mental inertia, disruption and involuntary reflex to defeat one's opponent." The do simply means that we do it with a conclusion that allows both parties to walk away with the minimal of injury. Sutemi waza is a perfect valid example of this when used on an unsuspecting partner.

AikidoFORBeginners, sutemi waza was always part of the Yoseikan Aikido syllabus. Some Aikikai schools have some as part of their curriculum, much to my surprise.

That can be very true. On the other hand if someon...

2008-01-21T23:26:13.336Z

That can be very true. On the other hand if someone pushes you to the floor and you decide to bring them down with you, a sacrifice throw may come in handy. What you say has merit though AIKIDOFORBEGINNERS.

O Sensei made it clear that one of the min differe...

2008-01-21T21:24:38.650Z

O Sensei made it clear that one of the min differences between Aikido and other martial disciplines is that Aikdio always assumes multiple attackers. If this is indeed the case then clearly sacrificial throws have no place in the main syllabus at any Aiki dojo.