A serendipitous discovery. Today's practice focused on kokyu-nage, and I worked with several people. While taking the role of uke, I tried to follow and flow with the different techniques, keeping open to possibilities for reversals.
Here in Saigon we practice a technique with the unhelpful name Kokyu-Nage #7. Basically, it involves tori initiating ikkyo, meeting resistance and slipping and turning under uke's arm to a position where a more traditional and standard kokyu-nage can be taken. In that position, before tori really goes for the final kokyu, I was able to take aiki-otoshi.
A lot of folks that I train with here tend to over exaggerate their movements. With Kokyu-Nage #7 they often hurry beneath my arm without getting any of my balance. Then they try to really drag me out and down to set up their kokyu throw. That exaggerated motion practically pulls me into aiki-otoshi, letting my rear leg come forward and enter deep behind them. My body easily enters across their body to break their balance, and all that remains is for me to snatch their feet out. In fact, I did it several times today while under a little pressure to repeat myself and each time was among the best aiki-otoshi I've ever pulled off.
The caveat is that my uke were substantially smaller than me. So, did it work based on my technique or my mass? That's what I'll have to explore.
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