#59: Keeping the Triangle

We were practicing Men, Hiki-waza in training yesterday when I was taught something from a sempai during the rotations. We have never really been taught in our club to my recollection on how to do Taiatari properly before since it is actually one of the more advanced waza things. I don't know if it really is classified as waza but I shall label it that anyway for ease.

What I did wrong was that upon impacting to my motodachi, I was collapsing my arms inwards so that I could push off backwards to do the Hiki-waza cut. I was then corrected, to keep my triangle.

The triangle is always present, but different in different people. When you stand at Chudan no Kamae, you have formed a triangle with your body and arms. This is the triangle being referenced. After you perform a cut and enter the stage for Taiatari, keep the triangle upon impact. You can have you arms bent to absorb the impact but do not collapse inwards and lose the triangle. The pushing off comes from momentum/inertia rebound and the return force from the motodachi, but having the triangle provides you with the right distance and maintains your kamae center to do the hiki-waza cut.

I need to do more practice on this. This of of course different to if you Taiatari into Tsubazeria because you don't use the return force of the Taiatari for the Hiki-waza.