Control unconscious reflexes to defeat your opponent! Karate Girl and Daito-ryu

0:03 You’re being thrown off balance by your own conditioned reflexes!

0:06 This is Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu!

0:10 Live recording at Mitsuboshi Global Asakusa Store.

0:13 Juria experiences Daito-ryu in front of a large audience.

0:19 The theme this time is “Using conditioned reflexes to throw your opponent off balance”

0:25 So, what will happen to Juria?

0:28 Watch closely!

0:31 Juria, you’ve been practicing karate for many years since you were a child, haven’t you?

0:34 Yes.

0:35 You’ve been busy lately, so you probably don’t have much time to practice, right?

0:39 That’s right.

0:41 But even without practicing, I can perform all the kata movements with my eyes closed.

0:45 Because I’ve repeated the kata thousands of times up to now.

0:48 Even if I haven’t practiced for about a year, I can perform it anytime, right away.

0:53 So, what should I have you do?

0:55 Stop it.

0:55 I’ll stop.

0:57 Alright, let’s talk to Sensei Yamamoto.

0:59 Today, I’d like Juria to experience the “technique that utilizes conditioned reflexes” that you demonstrated previously on Kuro-obi World.

1:07 Of course.

1:08 Please sit down.

1:15 Please sit in the position where you feel most stable.

1:19 Like this, you don’t move.

1:22 Even if I pull you forward like this, you don’t move.

1:25 So, I’ll create a little sway in this direction.

1:35 Actually, this is thanks to the conditions we set beforehand.

1:40 Because there is the condition of “maintaining proper posture and not letting it collapse,” the technique works easily.

1:46 When I pull you like this, you try to correct your posture, don’t you?

1:50 If I use a circle at this moment...

1:55 I understand what you mean.

1:59 Just now I did it while holding your dogi.

2:03 But it’s the same even if I grab your arm.

2:05 Please resist.

2:08 Even like this, you won’t move.

2:10 So just a little bit.

2:11 When I move you just a little, you try to go back.

2:13 If you do it then, the same thing will happen.

2:18 Juria, do you understand what he said?

2:20 Yes, I understand very well.

2:21 When I’m in a firm, correct posture, even a slight pull causes me to lose my balance.

2:28 I get pushed at that exact moment, so I can’t resist.

2:30 Are you taking advantage of the “instinct of a person whose posture has collapsed to try to return to a stable posture”?

2:40 That’s exactly right. I think you’re stable when you’re on all fours, but

2:44 when you sit down from a standing position on two feet, your base is prone to wobbling, so this technique is very effective

2:54 It’s also difficult to time that, isn’t it?

2:59 Yes. First, I get my opponent to exert force.

3:02 For example, having them stand on their knees works well

3:08 Then, they really brace themselves.

3:09 Then, all I have to do is this...

3:11 Since your opponent will try to pull back, this is why “the harder they push, the better it is for you.”

3:16 You just need to do it in sync with when your opponent tries to pull back.

3:20 This won’t work if your timing is off.

3:23 It’s useless to do it after your opponent has retreated.

3:26 You do it while your opponent is in the process of retreating.

3:29 Next, could you show me how you use the conditioned reflex technique on your own disciple?

3:36 Of course

3:39 Why are you two taking turns with each other’s roles?

3:42 Are you telling him, “You do it”?

3:44 This is a common sight.

3:53 Even if I pull him this way, he won’t move.

3:55 When I pull like this, he braces himself and wobbles.

3:58 If you do this at that moment, he’s more likely to fall over

4:06 He falls over from a standing position.

4:08 He won’t move even if I pull him like this.

4:13 Even a conditioned reflex doesn’t work.

4:17 Pulling like this doesn’t work.

4:20 So I’ll combine everything.

4:22 By drawing a circle like this, I’m actually locking his joints.

4:27 Since this area is already locked, I can use my strength to throw him.

4:33 Next, breathe while drawing a circle.

4:38 It’s most effective if you do it the moment his head wobbles as he tries to return to his original position.

4:45 So this is a technique that combines “circles, breathing, and conditioned reflexes,” right?

4:48 That’s right.

4:49 Juiria, you should try it too.

4:53 I’ll be gentle.

4:55 It’s okay.

4:56 Grip it tightly.

4:59 She won’t come even if I pull this.

5:01 If I draw a circle

5:03 Here.

5:04 Whoa! It’s locked.

5:05 It’s locked, isn’t it?

5:06 And we’ll synchronize our breathing.

5:09 Your center of gravity is floating upward.

5:11 You’re holding your breath a little.

5:12 When I exhale, you exhale too and your body relaxes.

5:14 When you combine these techniques...

5:20 Juria, usually when a technique is applied quickly, it’s effective, right?

5:28 But even though he’s performing the technique slowly, did you feel “It’s already working. I can’t resist”?

5:33 I feel it. I feel like I’ve been thrown off balance.

5:37 So, are you saying you are performing a technique designed to take someone down slowly and carefully, but doing it quickly?

5:42 That’s right.

5:42 That’s amazing.

5:44 You should draw as precise and smooth a sphere as possible.

5:48 If you create a straight line anywhere while drawing a sphere, it will become distorted.

5:54 That makes it easier for your opponent to block.

5:57 Rotate it as smoothly as possible.

6:00 Do you understand?

6:01 I love straight lines.

6:04 It’s true that linear techniques are highly developed in karate.

6:11 But in Daito-ryu, is the circle important?

6:12 Yes, for example, if you keep compressing this sphere, it becomes a thin circle like this, right?

6:22 That makes it look straight.

6:24 Earlier, I spun you around in a circle like this.

6:27 But if you do this, you’ll fall straight down.

6:32 So you can also turn the circle into a straight line.

6:37 First, you learn to draw a nice sphere, and then you make it thinner.

6:42 Because I do it so quickly, it looks like magic.

6:47 I see. It really does feel that way.

6:52 I see.

6:53 It was super fast.

6:55 I saw the universe.

6:56 Universe?

6:58 It was too fast.

7:00 It’s hard to tell when you’re watching from the outside, isn’t it?

7:02 Since it’s happening inside his body, it looks unreal when you see it on video.

7:12 That’s right

7:14 But are you perhaps used to situations where people think, “This has to be fake”?

7:19 Yes, at first I thought, “This has to be fake.”

7:24 I used to practice Aikido, so I was used to moving my body in large motions and focusing on joints and angles during practice.

7:34 That’s why I started Daito-ryu, thinking, “This is absolutely impossible.”

7:40 I see.

7:41 Even I had my doubts, so it’s only natural that everyone else would too.

7:43 Wonderful.

9:06 Stay tuned for the next episode of Juria's Daito-ryu experience!

9:13 Exclusive news for all you “Kuro-obi World” fans!

9:17 Mitsuboshi Global Asakusa is currently hiring new staff!

9:22 Why not share the appeal of martial arts with customers from all over the world?

9:27 If you're hired, you'll even get to appear on “Kuro-obi World”!

9:32 Be sure to apply via the Mitsuboshi Global website!