Aikido, Keri-waza

Basic defensive techniques against kicks

Mark Stokmans
Aikido, Keri-waza
BASIC DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES AGAINST KICKS

Mark Stokmans
Copyright © 2006 Mark Stokmans

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informa-
tion storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.

Photography: Derk Stokmans, Marcel Kok, Mark Stokmans

Acknowledgements:

First of all I want to thank my fellow students, especially the guys with which I
trained most at Keri-waza: Sander van Geloven, Edwin de Graaf, Jurjen van de
Groep and Thom Holtgrefe. Our many practice and research training sessions always
flowed quite organically; it was just like Aikido. Ideas, fuelled by inspiration, ran
wild but always managed to arrive at new insights or new techniques. You could say
these guys are the co-authors of this book and as such it could not have been made
without them.

I was helped in many other ways by the many students of Aikidocentrum Utrecht:
Sander once more, helping me with Ikeda Sensei’s system, as did Eric Graf from Neu-
châtel; Marcel Kok with photography; Bruno Humbel helping me with my Japanese
and many others who trusted me enough to be uke on a great number of occasions.
Also a word of thanks to the students in my classes who at times had to put up with
my experiments. Also I need to thank my brother for the photograpy and editing
and my wife for giving me the time to work at this book. Thank you for your pa-
tience, trust, efforts and help.

Last but of course not least I want to thank my teachers, Henk van Duin, Michele
Quaranta and Fritz Heuscher who encouraged me to study this subject, Not only
that, but the seed of research, curiosity and freedom of thinking were sown by them.
The fruit of that seed you see before you. A word of warning, this is the first edition.
We will be updating it as practice and research continues.
Mark Stokmans
Table of contents

INTRODUCTION 8
a. Aikido... 9
b. ...Keri-waza... 9
c. ...basic defensive techniques against kicks. 10
d. Why write a book? 10

A BRIEF HISTORY OF... 14

a. Martial tradition of Japan 15
b. Aikido 18
c. Karate 20
d. Jiu-jitsu 23
e. Muay Thai 26
f. Conclusion 28

WHAT IS AIKIDO? 30
a. Or rather, what is “my” Aikido? 31
b. Keri-waza in “our” Aikido 33

Keri-waza; A THEORETICAL DISCUSSION 34

a. What we were missing and why 35
b. Why are there no Keri-waza in Aikido? 35
c. Why should there be keri in Aikido? 39

FINDING OUR WAY 44

a. The didactic and technical system of Ikeda Sensei 45
b. The metaphor of the Forest 45
c. The compass: a systematic approach to principles of movement. 46
d. The map: a systematic approach to the techniques. 47
e. Kobo no Genri / The map 48
f. The guide: a teacher helping you along at times. 50
g. In conclusion. 50

Keri-waza; A TECHNICAL INTRODUCTION 52

a. Attack comes before defence: how do I learn to kick? 53
b. Keri undo 57
c. What do we do with a leg? 61
d. Basic taisabaki 62
e. Ukemi to Keri-waza 64
f. Categorizing Keri-waza 66
g. Technical choices, choices in techniques 67
MAE-GERI 68 MAWASHI-GERI 92

Mae-geri / Te-waza 69 Mawashi-geri / Te-waza 93

1) Tenchi-nage 70 19) Tenchi-nage 96
2) Genkei-kokyu-nage 71 20) Genkei-kokyu-nage 97
3) Ikkyo 72 21) Ikkyo 98
4) Kote-gaeshi 73 22) Kote-gaeshi 99
5) Irimi-nage 74 23) Irimi-nage 100
6) Shiho-nage 75 24) Shiho-nage 101

Mae-geri / Ashi-waza 76 Mawashi-geri / Ashi-waza 102

7) Genkei-kokyu-nage 78 25) Tenchi-nage 104
8) Tenchi-nage 79 26) Genkei-kokyu-nage 105
9) Ikkyo 80 27) Ikkyo 106
10) Kote-gaeshi 81 28) Kote-gaeshi 107
11) Irimi-nage 82 29) Irimi-nage 108
12) Shiho-nage 83 30) Shiho-nage 109

Mae-geri / Ashi-dori 84 Mawashi-geri / Ashi-dori 110

13) Tenchi-nage 86 31) Tenchi-nage 112
14) Genkei-kokyu-nage 87 32) Uchi-kaiten Sankyo 113
15) Ikkyo 88 33) Genkei-kokyu-nage 114
16) Kote-gaeshi 89 34) Aiki-otoshi 115
17) Irimi-nage 90 35) Ikkyo 116
18) Shiho-nage 91 36) Sumi-otoshi 117
37) Kote-gaeshi 118
38) Hiji-kime-osae 119
39) Irimi-nage 120
40) Kaiten-nage 121
41) Shiho-nage 122
42) Ude-kime-nage 123

IN CONCLUSION 124

APPENDICES 126
Appendix 1: Uke and Tori 127
Appendix 2: Initiative in Keri-waza 134

Bibliography 136
 Aikido, Keri-waza

INTRODUCTION
 Aikido, Keri-waza

a. Aikido...

This is the first edition of Aikido, Keri*waza, basic defensive techniques against kicks. Aikido is a martial
way in which through daily training of martial skill we seek self-improvement. These skills and techniques
are based on facing violence and aggression in a non-violent, non-aggressive and non-destructive way. The
techniques used to handle various forms of attack are circular and harmonious. Moving with your attacker
instead of against him is paramount. This technical premiss is not only the consequence of Aikido’s humane
approach to conflict. It is also the basis of the efficiency and effectiveness of Aikido techniques. In this book
you will find the first introduction, explanation and categorization of the result of our research into Keri-
waza and how these may play a role in modern day Aikido practice.

Why write about such a subject in the first place? An Aikidoka (practitioner of Aikido) employs techniques
to a great variety of attacks: various grabs, holds, strikes, punches and outright charges. However, the kick
as such is not included in that list of standard attacks and consequently there is no defensive practice against
that attack, no “kicking techniques” as such. To a non-Aikido reader it will be a surprise that in the tradition
of Aikido, this obvious form of attack is not included. Readers who do practice or are familiar with Aikido
in any other way will, on the other hand recognize this fact.

b. ...Keri-waza...

Obviously in Aikido we do use our legs a lot. But generally, in Aikido, they serve only for the displace-
ment of our body which of course in self defence is essential. Footwork (taisabaki) as such is emphasized in
Aikido training. However you will hardly ever see an Aikidoka raise his feet from the floor (except when
we role or fall). Rather, the contact with the mat as a basis for balance is emphasized by all teachers. And of
course good balance is of paramount importance to good budo**. We have aimed to use our legs for more
then to stand on and walk with. Keri-waza is about using your legs in another way.

Keri-waza are known throughout the world of martial arts already as are defence against them is taught
within the context of Jiu-jitsu, Karate, Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Kempo, Savate, Taekwondo, Hapkido and oth-
ers. But they are not or hardly taught, as far as I know, in Aikido. In fact Aikido seems to be one of the only
martial arts that does not deal with keri attacks.

I have looked long and hard for traces of Keri-waza in Aikido. In my experience with Aikido in various
schools and countries, and during my search in bookstores (on and off-line), libraries and the internet I have
found traces. Aikidoka who say they do practice it, but not on a regular basis. Yoshinkan Aikido seems to
include them. But if they are included in Aikikai Aikido dojo, it is more an exception to the rule. Close by,
in France and Italy, high ranked teachers have published films of techniques of Keri-waza. So perhaps I am
completely wrong in thinking that I am even slightly original with “my” Keri-waza. If so I am less revolution-
ary in my ideas than I have thought. If so it would actually be very encouraging as I think we have waited
too long to begin thinking about Keri-waza.

* The word Keri is a kick, keru is to kick. The English spelling of the Japanese sound changes from k to g when a word is put in front of the word keri. For
example: Mawashi-geri = round kick. Waza = techniques. In this book, we use this phrase to refer to techniques against kicks (legs used offensively) rather
than techniques employing legs to execute those techniques (legs used defensively).
** Budo = common term for martial way, or martial arts indigenous to Japan.

8
 Aikido, Keri-waza

31) Tenchi-nage

Uke: Mawashi-geri
chudan or jodan
Tori: Uchi-sabaki
– Mae-ashi irimi,
tenkan. Mae-ashi
irimi

Tori steps away from

the kick off the line
of attack, by step-
ping in with his front
foot.

This irim steps just

off the line of attack
brings tori very close
into the centre of
tori. It is important
to come in without
hesitation, to make
atemi to the side of
uke’s neck and keep
driving forward and
then down.

Tori places his front

foot just behind
uke’s the supporting
leg. Tori must then
push forward with
his body and upper
hand while turning
his hips and finally
bringing uke down.

The combination
of movements are
throwing (back-
front) and striking
(up-down) which
constitutes the basic
Tenchi-nage princi-
ples.

9
Aikido, Keri-waza
deals with a subject
which is not common-
place in most aikido
dojo’s; defensive tech-
niques against kicks.

This book aims at pro-

viding a basis of train-
ing in Keri-waza. Not
only an explanation
of techniques but also
explaining how train-
ing can be structured
to enable educational,
safe and fun practice.

Keri-waza will not

only broaden the
view of any aikidoka
upon this great art,
but can provide a
starting point for the
exploration of the ex-
citing world of kicks.
Training in these forms
teaches aikidoka a new
form of flexibility, en-
durance, limberness,
balance, martial sense
and movement.

Copyright 2008 Mark Stokmans