Resulting from many decades of experience, Tamanegi Do has derived specific degrees of cultural understanding passed down through centuries of teachings by countless sensei and sempai.
In the martial arts culture of the Tamanegi Do there is a definitive difference between jutsu and jitsu arts. Mechanisms of the jitsu and jutsu arts remain essentially the same. A punch is a punch, a kick is a kick. Katatori sankyo is still katatori sankyo except…
A very fine line exists between “Do” or “The Way” of an art and it’s ever present twin “Shitou” or “Combat”. Each aspect has a very specific purpose. Training in “the Way” provides substantial health benefits mentally, physically and spiritually. Training in “Combat” provides much peace of mind, but at a very demanding price if not tethered to absolute necessity and purpose.
In the controlled dojo environment, Uke (receiving partner) expects to give all in helping Tori execute technique with full faith of not being injured. (‘Hurt’ is an incorrect term at this point because Uke will always experience pain and hurt when the threshold of their limberness is reached, but not breached.) This is the aspect of training found within the way of peace as taught by Ueshiba Morihei Sensei.
Katatori sankyo erimi executed gracefully with an experienced Uke is neither painful, nor potentially injurious because Uke trusts that Tori knows to bend the joints in their natural direction. This element of trust shared mutually by Tori and Uke is an essential product found within Tamanegi Do Aiki-jitsu (Aikido) training culture.
Replace Uke with a belligerent non-practitioner of the arts per se (because All true martial artists are peaceful…until it is time NOT to be peaceful. Correct?) and we will begin to see where the Tamanegi Do Martial Arts culture separates its “Do” (-jitsu) from “Shitou” (-jutsu).
Let’s say that Tori is met on the street by an individual who presents a non-lethal threatening attitude and posture, intimidating with body language that speaks, “I’m going to get physical if you don’t comply.” No visible weapons are currently present, but the situation appears inevitably ugly.
When the individual becomes the assailant by forcefully reaching out and then you intercept their hand to execute katatori sankyo erimi in such a manner as to inflict undeniable pain to persuade the assailant not to continue, this would be Aiki-jitsu.
You respond firmly, yet kindly, to the unwanted assault in the hope that minor pain inflicted would dissuade your assailant from furthering his initial desire to physically harm you in any fashion.
Now, let’s introduce a threatening weapon on the part of the assailant. Anything will do, but let’s start with a stick of some sort. Katatori Sankyo could be used to defend if both parties are so positioned to make it appropriate even when a non-lethal weapon is present.
You respond by pivoting tighter, manipulating the assailants weapon hand and arm more forcefully “against” their natural movement. The displayed intent, force and movement on your part elevates the technically defensive aspect of the art slightly but still within the bounds of an Aiki-jitsu understanding. Albeit with slightly escalated force.
Re-introducing our assailant in visible possession of a potentially lethal weapon, displaying his readily apparent intent to inflict bodily harm. You perceive at this point your force-escalation requires substantial skill and force in order to prevent this lethal encounter from becoming deadly.
The assailant’s rudimentary presentation indicates that you can deter this assault rather easily by effectively inflicting substantial pain. It is your hope that his repetitive attempts at assault and battery would cease. Sadly, his affirmed belligerence and persistent employment of a potentially lethal weapon to induce blunt-force trauma clearly reflects his persistent intent to incapacitate you.
Katatori Sankyo erimi could be applied at this point immediately followed with a strike to a non-lethal target area on your assailant’s body. It is this enhanced skill level of force escalation that is considered Aiki-jutsu in Tamanegi Do culture.
OP-FOR (opposing force) intent and type of threatening weapons presented dictates the martial responses required. The equitable severity of threat response is critical in moral as well as legal terms. Should the weapon presented be edged or even capable of forcefully emitting a projectile, then it’s potential elevates from lethal to a definitive “deadly”.
“All prudent force” may be escalated whether you turn a simple Katatori Sankyo Erimi into a defensive flurry of deadly follow-on techniques or equally employ your projectile emitting device, your intent is to survive by terminating re-initiation of or accomplices follow-on attacks.
“Shitou” training allows the appropriate response to any and all threats present.
This is the Jutsu of the Tamanegi Do Martial Arts.
But there’s more…
Further defining the types and degrees of training, the Tamanegi Do Martial Arts system presents six (6) specific categories. Read more here.
Realize that “force escalation” based on credible threat intent is critical to defensive response choices. You will find the -jutsu arts taught within Categories IV and V are reserved for specific threat events requiring “force-escalation” resulting in severe injury and/or death on the part of OP FOR and assailants.
All -jitsu aspects of the arts are relegated to Category I, II and III training. The Criterion Objectives found within those Student Training Standards focuses on development within “the Way”. It is the perfection of character, research and personal development through the analytical study of Kata Bunkai and waza (technique) application, that is of greatest importance.
For this reason, the practical applications remain within the bounds of tsundome (arresting the technique) and the wholesome intent and spirit of -jitsu as tested in the Crucible of Shiai.
Jitsu’s twin art, Jutsu, prepares the student not only in the technical execution of potentially lethal techniques, but in the risk mitigating strategies for prudent application of escalating responses to those deadly threats found in life’s journey.
Tamanegi Do -jutsu art training is restricted to qualified and vetted students of Categories IV and V. The specifics of which are addressed in the Categories of Training.
This IS the culture of the
Tamanegi Do Martial Arts
as a System.
