Double Forearm Strike 4

Double Forearm Strike/Shoulder Lock

This is the first motion (that is initially taught) as being side dependent (ie. It makes a difference whether the uke strikes with the Right, or the Left hand). The description is identical, except the applied technique will require/consider which of the tori's hands will be considered either the forward, or rear hand (during technique's application).

For this explanation, the tori's Right hand, will be considered to be the dominant side, with the Left being the non-dominant side.

Practice of the motion begins with the tori and the uke standing “face to face”, at an arm's length distance from each other (confirmed, by the tori placing his hand on the shoulder of the uke to establish proper practice “distance”).

Practice is began with both parties having their hands at their sides. When the uke begins their (Right hand, in this example) strike motion, the tori should motion their same-side hand straight up , until the forearm is (essentially) vertical, and continues in an arcing motion (medially) across and downward ( parrying the uke's strike with it's motion), towards the opposite side, moving the striking hand towards waist level. The tori's other hand, should be raised to strike the uke's (striking) arm above their elbow.

Contact is made slightly above the elbow (causing the uke's arm to bend). The tori's (initially) "parrying" hand, will motion the uke's parried hand, towards the uke (thereby moving the uke's previously parried hand towards themselves) which aids in bending the uke's arm (using the tori's forward hand as a fulcrum to do so). The tori's rear (closest to themselves) hand will continue with it's motion by releasing it's contact with the parried forearm, then raising, until that hand can wrap behind, and above the uke's (originally) punching arm's elbow (enacting an elbow-lock on the punching arm). As this is accomplished, the tori will withdraw their Right arm (which can be utilized for various optional (applications). As the tori's forward hand is withdrawn from the uke's punching elbow (and replaced by their Left hand), it will circle the uke's elbow (upward, and being done on the tori's side of the captured uke's arm) and tori has the option of either following up with assisting the elbow-lock (which should now be in place to do so), or with executing a Neck-strike to the Right-side of the now exposed uke's neck. To enact the "elbow-lock", the tori need only raise their own left elbow (creating pressure upon the uke's shoulder joint). This action will cause the uke to bend forward, and allow the uke to motion their body to cause the uke to colapse (to their knee's).

Note should be made of the uke's responses (body-motion, knee-buckle etc.) in reaction to the application of the technique.

If the tori placed their "wrapped" hand (instead of being correctly "above" the uke's elbow, has located it closer to the uke's shoulder, the tori should utilize their free hand, and drag the hand down closer to the uke's elbow. Doing so, does several things. First, it correctly positions the hand, second, the dragging motion activates nerves that assist in relaxing, and bending the uke's elbow.

Though initially practiced as a "side-directed" motion (Left or Right), the motion can remain to be a viable defensive response.

If the uke's arm motion is reversed (and were mistakenly assumed to be the uke's use of the Right arm, and they instead utilized their Left arm to perform the strike), the tori's defensive application is (initially) executed slightly different.

The tori's arm motions begin the same as before, but (having realized the mistake made) the tori's Left hand (now) motion's towards the uke's mid-section, performing a downward (shuto-like/side-slap?) scooping strike to the the uke's solar plexus region. The tori's Right hand, motions up and forward (thereby) creating an fprward parry (to only slightly deflect the uke's now striking Left hand). The tori's Right hand should then circle the uke's Left (striking) hand/arm (which will motion that arm downward, and across the tori's body) to the tori's Left (lower) side. The tori's Left hand should have (during this transition) grabbed the uke's Left wrist, while their Right hand motioned (circled?) to a vertical attitude (as it was when first beginning the parry), which should have placed the back of that hand's arm, against the uke's lower tricep muscle's tendon (into a standard arm-bar application).

Once both parties are confident with the actions being learned, then the tori will include a straight kick in combination with the beginning motions, or prior to a take-down attempt.. Doing so, will (often) amplify the effects of the uke's body motion, and/or the applied technique (depending upon the timing of the kick's application).

There are multiple follow-ups available, and student's should be encouraged to experiment with discovering “what” would work best for them (be it Tuite, arm-locks or strikes) for use in varying circumstances.

Practice (as always) should begin at a slow speed, until the tori is confident with the required actions, and the uke is made aware of the tori's planned actions (to assist in preventing accidental injury) Practice speed can be increased, so long as both parties are comfortable with doing so.

It should be remembered, that the primary goal (of any defensive action) is to first, prevent the user (tori) from being struck. We have student's practice these techniques to familiarize them with the various (options available for) possible responses and that may be applicable to them. None, are necessarily any better, than another. Individual circumstance, and comfort of execution should determine a student's preference.