Monday, October 14, 2013

Throwing techniques in Karate and Toudi



My recent research into the throwing art of older karate came from my recent posts on Funakoshi Ginchin’s throwing techniques described in his “Karate Do Koyan” from 1935. Then with further research I found a good article ‘Throws in Karate’ by Charles Joseph Swift http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=77  on the same subject.
Then on the same topic there is the great translation by Mario McKenna of Itoman Seijin (Morinobu’s) book Toudi-jutsu no Kenkyu  which describes these throws.
Riding Throw
Back Riding Throw
Heaven Throw
Shoulder Throw
Ox Throw
Supine throw
Arm throw
Winding Neck Strike
Yielding Throw
Sacrifice Throw



Using  the Oshima 1973 translation of the Funakoshi  text he describes them as follows.”Throwing techniques include byobudaoshi, komange, kubiwa, katawaguruma, tsubamegaeshi, yaridama, tanitoshi udewa, sakatasuchi, and others.” (page 227) By comparing the descriptions of the throws from the books it seems there are some similarities and differences from those of Toudi and Karate.

It is unclear to me if these were shown as opening movements to the throws  found in kata or as separate training practices complementing the arts of kata. Perhaps further research can clarify this for me. They seem to be logical training alternatives to karate.

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