Aikido Terminology

Posture/Stance | Attacks | Defense

Posture/Stance

Posture:

tachi-waza: attacker (uke) and defender (nage) standing
hanmi-handachi: attacker standing and defender kneeling
suwari-waza: attacker and defender kneeling

Stance:

ai-hanmi: same stance
gyaku-hanmi: mirror-stance

Attacks

Holds:

katate-tori: one hand grabs near arm
gyakute-tori: (a.k.a. katate-tori gyaku-hanmi) one hand grabs opposite arm
morote-tori: two hands grab one arm
ryote-tori: two hands grab both arms
kata-tori: one hand grabs near shoulder/lapel
ryokata-tori: both hands grab both shoulders
ushiro-kata-tori: both hands grab both shoulders from behind
ushiro-hiji-tori: both hands grab both elbows from behind
ushiro-tekubi-tori: both hands grab both wrists from behind
ushiro-kubi-shime: one hand grabs wrist and arm chokes from behind

Strikes:

shomen-uchi: overhead strike to the head
yokomen-uchi: diagonal strike to the head
mune-tsuki: strike to the abdomen

Defense

Pins and Locks (Katame Waza):

ikkyo (omote/ura): first technique (forward/backward)
nikyo (omote/ura): second technique folding wrist (forward/backward)
sankyo (omote/ura): third technique twisting wrist (forward/backward)
yonkyo (omote/ura): fourth technique on arm nerve (forward/backward)
hiji-jime: elbow lock
kata-gatame: shoulder lock

Throws (Nage Waza):

irmini-nage: twenty-year throw
(shomen/sokomen) irimi-nage: (front/side) approach body throw
juji-nage: "+" or crossed-arms throw
(uchi/soto) kaiten-nage: rotary throw (inside/outside)
kokyu nage: breath throw [there are many, many variations of this]
hiji-ate kokyu-nage: breath throw against elbow
koshi-nage: hip throw
kote-gaeshi: wrist turn-out
shiho-nage (omote/ura): four-direction throw
tenchi-nage (omote/ura): heaven-and-earth throw
aiki-otoshi: leg pull throw
sumi-otoshi: corner drop
ushiro-udoroshi: pull down from behind

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