Let Them Fall For You

A classic mistake I tend to make, especially with Iriminage, is to rush to the technique itself and not allow time to feel uke’s weight on you and their balance shift.

A key part of receiving an attack is to allow uke to still feel their attack is working even after you, as tori, have taken control. Once they feel their balance go, they will look for anything to hold onto, typically this is you. Rushing to technique can result in giving them a stable arm or shoulder to grip which can give them back their balance.

Instead we should feel them falling and allow it, right to the point they are relying on you for balance, then execute the technique.

This is where the art of martial art comes in as every uke, and even every attack from the same uke, is slightly different. It is impossible to learn the timing. Instead I am focussing on learning how to feel the timing.