An Overview of Karate - Otoshi Gedan Uke analysis by RT

The original book 'Genwa Nakasone's 1938 Karate-do Taikan. ' was translated by Mario McKenna

The Otoshi Gedan Uke is from the Shorin Kusanku Kata. The technique was changed by Shimabuku Tatsuo in his Kusanku kata.

 

Greetings – Victor San, interesting that the technique I often muse about may be a continuation of the technique, recently discussed. See section "Karate-do kata and their meaning by Shiroma Shipan"  Pg 109-110 Figure 76-79, Otoshi Gedan-uke ,

read the explanation on pg 110.

 

 ( it is the better part of a page.) for those that do not have the book.

The squatting uke although the technique is not discussed in relation to the kata, but , more in terms of a fundamental method.

Romney^..^




Regarding otoshi Gedan-uke "I did learn it from Carl Long's Shorin Ryu but never really liked it (translation - IMO not a large man technique). On the whole I believe Shimabuku Tatsuo's replacement is a more meaningful technique."

 

Please indulge me on this , I would like to look past Physical or even mentality of personal preference, to look at the merit of the movements and descriptions based on our understanding of how Mundane situations work, and how principles may be employed to deal with these occurrences, and how this affects our kata performance of techniques similar in kind.

 

I picked this technique because I believe it is little understood, and most people have no good explanation for it nor can they effectively use their rendition in any effective way , yet many practice it regularly,

 

And I was SURPRISED to see that it is listed as fundamental .  

 

 
I have wondered/suspected that this movement was/is related to Uki-otoshi  at least as a application, it seems to use the same principles, I think the description in the book , may be a mundane application that emphasizes the potential cutting or reaping movement of the leg, which is later seen in movements like Dragon Whips it tail. keeping in mind that this is a fundamental movement , which to me implies it is the seed, of prototype for a myriad of variations .

looking at the movement as used by Shimabuku sensei, the power comes from the turn of the hips as we drop, the leg can still cut the leg out from under the opponent, and it later culminates in what appears to be a block, and strike on one knee.
I believe that the way most IR practitioner do this movement is a bastardization of the movement , because they do not use the entire middle section of the transition, For example – see   
photo 34-35-36 –

 

It appears as if the technique takes place in these photos and the turn between 35 and 36 is a simple change in orientation.


If one looks at this technique as a form of Uki-Otoshi as above, then the middle or transition between these movements is a major part of the technique and greatly affects the way that we do the transition between photo 35 and 36.


When I first learned Kusanku I was taught to pivoted after the kick and drop to the knee, now after photo 34 I step down , drop to shikodachi and then begin to transition or turn, In this manner the leg can be used to cut the legs of the opponent as we drop back and down , and then turn which is really doing Uki-otoshi and changing directions. SO back to

 

If you look at photo 3 and place both feet on the ground in shikodachi , then photo 4 place the right knee on the ground (instead of the left) as you turn the torso, you would have the way I perform this movement in Kusanku. IMO the real change in Kusanku is not the posture or the technique , it is combining it with the turn and ending on the knee.