Kuzushi

I have recently been hearing a repeated term of Kuzushi from some training material. they briefly explain what it is but since it bared so much repeating I had to look further into it. First off thanks to Sensei Erik Paulson and Ajarn Greg Nelson for it is from them I heard this repeatedly in their training videos. It is out of the last few training series I have noticed this term.

Kuzushi is the act of off balancing. I am sure it has many terms in many martial arts. But one thing for certain is if you don’t understand this principle everything is harder. When you try to sweep/ throw/ reverse if you haven’t off balanced(kuzushi) it becomes a strength move and is slower and more tiring. When you broaden this definition of kuzushi of off balancing as just tipping in your favor. weather that is position, footwork. Even in real life research against things you dont favor. You are at an advantage over these opponents because you have upset their game and put odd in your favor.

Back to the martial aspect. In striking kuzushi could be using footwork to get a person out of position. Maybe using certain tactics to draw a response that is more easily dictated. It is alot more easily defined in the grappling phases but I think this definition is only the beginning of it. Jason Jones(Dagaso on our forums) is very skilled in Kenpo, and Pekiti Tirsia Kali and has other arts influence also. I know that he uses off tactics that take and put a person out of their game with both arts. To me that is also kuzushi. In kali the block/ strike that makes the opponents stick react differently than the holder intends thus disrupts the balance of the stick. In kenpo the sector in different angles that cause the person to not be able to react very well and if they do react they are out of their base. Kali also has such footwork, I think Kuzushi is a HUGE part of kali, & silat. Its all about these subtle knee bumps, little taps and traps, a little pressure here and there. All of a sudden you are compromised. the other part of kuzushi I think is obvious don’t disrupt your own balance to disrupt others. This would give them opportunity to counter in the similar way even worse you did your off balancing so you gave it to them.

I have seen also where the principle gets looked at too much also and doesn’t take into account a response from the opponent. Sometimes a slow gradual build up to a disruption. An example of this is Aikido. I know a highly ranked Aikido practitioner who is in law enforcement. They are also ranked in a typical karate style. He says that Aikido is difficult to use in its pure sense because your joe average guy doesn’t move and respond as a trained opponent. It also doesn’t take into account crazed attackers that are very random  and unpredictable. So he has to mix the karate into it for it to work in his job as a law enforcement agent. 

I think this element(kuzushi) is really lacking in MMA and some modern Americanized martial arts. A true understanding of off balancing. Especially out of the slugger type training groups. I even see people who are pretty good martial artist who don’t use the concept. They stay head to head and exchange. Test of manhood type mentality. I owe the forum at www.defend.net a thanks for having a topic on this subject. That topic led me to www.judoinfo.com. http://judoinfo.com/kuzushi.htm
http://judoinfo.com/kuzushi1.htm
http://judoinfo.com/balance.htm

Again thanks to the CSW instructors. Erik Paulson and Greg Nelson. www.erikpaulson.com tons of info avail. I plan to meet Mr. Paulson next time he is  in the SLC, UT area for a seminar.