Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes by Michael J. Hacker
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This month's article focuses on body parts. (No, not my
fabulous Viking legs.) This month, I'll cover the
jōhanshin, or
upper body (lit: "up-half-body").
There are several different ways to talk about the body (and
parts of the body) in Japanese, many of which show up often in our
Aikidō
vocabulary. In this series of articles, I plan to attack the body
from head to
toe, in hopes that I can clear up some common mistranslations and
misconceptions.
The word for body (mi or shin) finds its way
into several terms familiar to the aikidōka. The mi
pronunciation
is seen in such words as:
- atemi - to contact / strike the body
- ukemi - receiving (with the) body
- hanmi - oblique posture (lit: "half-body")
- sashimi - raw fish (lit: "sliced-body")
The shin pronunciation is used in the Japanese name
for Ki Society Aikidō: Shinshin Tōitsu - (lit
"mind-body-unify").
The body also has various levels:
- jōdan - upper level
- chūdan - middle level
- gedan - lower level
and surfaces:
- shōmen - front surface
- yokomen - side surface
Starting at the top of the body, I'll go over some of the
most commonly-heard terms in aikidō. This is not, by any means,
meant to
be an exhaustive anatomical reference, but something to get you
started.
While atama (the head) is not often heard in aikidō
terminology, kubi (the neck) is. In fact, the neck shows up in
various places,
as I'll show later. Additionally, some styles practice
kubishime, or chokes
(lit: "neck-strangle.")
Next up are the ude (arms). I've heard the technique
name udekimenage (lit: "arm-lock-throw") used to describe
several
different techniques. Tomiki-offshoots have a technique called
udegaeshi
(lit: "arm-return").
The kata (shoulders -- not to be confused with the 306
other versions of kata) are often grabbed, as in
kata-dori. Note
that there are two different kanji for tori/dori, each meaning
something
rather different: "to take" and "to arrest; to seize." The difference
is, in
my mind, significant. However, I see even the Japanese using them
interchangeably
(incorrectly?). When you train, are you "taking" the shoulder, or
"arresting"
your partner by via their shoulder? Interesting stuff to ponder.
Next down the arm is the hiji (elbow), which is heard
in combinations like hijikime (lit: "elbow lock"). On another
note, there
are two different kanji for "kime." One means "to decide," the other
"to go to
the end (of something); to investigate thoroughly." Which one is
correct? Again...
interesting stuff to ponder.
In Tomiki-based schools, a section of the basic 17-movement kata
is called hijiwaza, or "elbow techniques." Such a naming
convention
really helps one to know what is actually being worked on. Even
though something
may look like a wrist technique, if it falls in the hijiwaza
section,
you know it's really supposed to be an elbow technique (although all
techniques
really work on the center, right?).
The final stop on our journey down the arm is the te
(hand).
Although grabbing the hand itself is fairly useless (read: multiple
articulating
joints), it works its way into the picture in a number of other
places.
Kotegaeshi (lit: "forearm-return"), for example, is a
very common technique, but is all-too-often mistranslated as "wrist
twist." I'm
here to tell you that kote has little linguistically (or
anatomically) to
do with the wrist. There are two often-used versions of kote
in common
use: one kote means "forearm" (lit: "small-hand"). The other
kote
(lit: "cage/basket-hand") is a gauntlet used in Kendō to cover
and protect
the forearm area. Is there a relationship between the two?
Hmmm...
The actual wrist proper is referred to as tekubi
(lit: "hand-neck"). In Tomiki-related schools, you'll find another
section of
the basic kata called tekubiwaza (lit:
"hand-neck-techniques").
Next month, I'll go over the kahanshin, or lower body
(lit: "down-half-body"). As always, I welcome any feedback,
questions, and
ideas from the mob.
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