Yokomen, Shomen, Tsuki

Yokomen, Shomen, Tsuki

The traditional attacks used as basic architypes for defense practice all have “extension.”  Yokomen is not a smack, shomen is not just a pat on the head, tsuki is not a jab.  In each the strike lands and continues to drive power (extend) deep into and through the target.  This creates an opportunity for the balance taking these techniques deliver.  Without this follow through, we need to use more static attack techniques.

This isn’t to say the other types of attacks can’t or don’t happen, but they are separate “what-ifs” that may use similar looking responses but are not the same.  Therefore, to practice yokomen hantai defenses, the attack should be a yokomen hantai, not a backhand.  Likewise, to practice backhand defenses, the attack should be a backhand, not yokomen.