How to Execute a Dai Sankyo in Response to a Katate Dori Attack in Aikido

As you may or may not know Aikido is a relatively new martial art. It was developed in the early 1900s by Morihei Ueshiba, also known as Kaiso, meaning “founder” or Osensei, meaning “Great Teacher”. Prior to his invention, the prevalent form of martial art in Japan was either Karate, a style primarily utilizing kicks and punches, and Jujitsu. Jujistu was and still is a particularly brutal grappling form of combat that involves the use of joint locks, joint breaks, and throws. All of these do a terrible amount of harm to the opponent when used. It mas Osensei's wish to develop a form of self defense which minimized harm to both attacker and defender without compromising the efficacy of the martial art.

Aikido is what resulted from his efforts. It focuses on throws and joint locks, redirecting the opponent's momentum in such a manner as to throw or immobilize him/her without doing any lasting harm.

Here is a guide on how to perform a Dai Sankyo in response to a Katate Dori or “Wrist Grab”. The meaning of Dai Sankyo does not translate well into English, the literal meaning is “Third Group” and is a reference to a group of possible responses dependent on what part of the defender’s body the attacker attempts to grab. This is not a throw, instead it is a submissive lock designed to draw your opponent off guard and then force him to the floor. The manner in which the opponent is held is too painful, though not at all damaging, to allow him/her to attempt to fight back or work his/her way out of the hold.

Things You'll Need:
Practice Space

Attacker

Defender

Soft Mats to Cushion Falls

Step 1:
Face your opponent and allow him to take a deep stride forward to grab the outside of your left wrist with his right hand. This is the Katate Dori and is not in and of itself dangerous. It will however, lead to an uncomfortable throw or joint lock if you give your opponent time to follow through with his left hand.

Step 2:
Take a step inward and to your left in order to open distance between you and your opponent’s left hand. Follow this with an utemi as you step forward. An utemi is a short, sharp punch to the face intended to unbalance and disorient an opponent.

Step 3:
Raise your left hand above your head and step forward, under it, past your opponent while turning so that you finish facing the opposite direction. Doing this will twist your opponent’s arm inward while placing your body in the best place to take advantage of this.

Step 4:
Grab your attacker’s fist with your right hand to prevent him from pulling away from you and reposition your left hand so that you are the one now holding him by the wrist. Twist his arm until the elbow is pointing straight up. Push his fist inward toward the side of his body while lifting the lower forearm. This will cause minor pain but will also let your attacker know that you are the one in control at this point.

Step 5:
Keep the pressure on the arm while guiding it down to point toward the floor. Drop your knees and pull downward and away from your attacker’s front to guide him onto his knees and then flat on his face.

Step 6:
Twist the attacker’s arm tightly behind his back, place your left knee on the small of his back and apply steady pressure to the arm until your opponent submits.