Aikido Throw #8 (of 17), Randori-no-Kata

Hikitaoshi (elbow drag-down Aikido throw)

Hikitaoshi is the second technique which puts Uke down on his face. As Uke's arm is being held and he is pulled down, he cannot to a rolling breakfall. Instead, Uke must use his free hand, palm down, and his forearm as a spring to prevent his face from hitting the ground.

Uke must use his neck muscles to keep his head back, up and away from the ground. (The same way a football player slides along the grass to do a touchdown.)

Hikitaoshi is technique number 8 of the 17 basic techniques of Tomiki Aikido. It is also the second of the elbow techniques (Hiji Waza).

This is how you do the Hikiotoshi Aikido technique.

• Tori catches Uke's right wrist to do hikitaoshi, the same way you would hold a baseball bat if batting left-handed. (Right hand is palm down, thumb underneath Uke's wrist. Left hand is palm-up, Tori's thumb on top.)
• Tori twists Uke's arm in a big circle, clockwise, so it ends palm-up in front of Tori's belly.
• Tori steps back at the same time. Uke bends forward as his balance is broken. Tori keeps a tight grip with left hand. Tori releases his right hand and raises it up.
• Tori brings right hand down gently but firmly on Uke's elbow, palm down. Tori "glides" backwards to finish the Hikitaoshi throw with a Subi-Ashi movement as Uke slides face-first towards the ground.
• Uke cushions the hikiotoshi fall on his left hand, keeping it free so he can tap (to signal submission).
• Tori: finish hikitaoshi by maintaining your grip firmly. Be ready to apply slight pressure to Uke's elbow, to creats pain, if your opponent/partner tries to get up.
• Once Uke has tapped to surrender, the technique is over and Uke is allowed to get up again.

In a real self-defense situation, you could wait until the police arrive to take over and put the handcuffs on, or you might just have to break your attacker's arm and go on your way. I know people who've done that.

But it's your decision, and you take responsibility for it. That's the real world...

Just remember, judges and magistrates in a court of law have little understanding of what consitutes legitimate self-defense in a real-world situation. They know the Law, that's all. They don't know what it's like to be threatened physically, and then have almost certainly never had to defend themselves with just their bare hands.

It is extremely easy to cause injury here by accident. You must both test, pressing on each other's elbows like this so you can feel how much it hurts and understand how easy it is to snap the elbow joint. There is no "give" in that joint. One instant it hurts, the next it has snapped like a brittle chicken bone.

In this face-down position, Uke's elbow can be broken by hikitaoshi with just two fingers' pressure, because the arm is trapped and there is so much leverage against it. He has no "give" whatsoever to move.

THIS IS WHY these techniques should be learned in a class from an experienced and qualified instructor! It is very dangerous for two inexperienced students to try these techniques out on each other.

Next technique: Udegarame (Aikido arm bar throw technique #9)