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Wastelander
Wastelander's picture
The One-Legged Spin in Kusanku

Hello everyone,

I think I've shared a quick video of my application for the spin in Kusanku, before, but I didn't really include much in the way of commentary. Recently, I saw the throw show up in a judo highlight video, and I thought I would revisit the technique. In this article, I give some examples of the technique being used in a variety of other martial arts, as well.

http://www.karateobsession.com/2015/02/revisiting-the-one-legged-spin-in...

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Good peice! Thanks for sharing.

Marc
Marc's picture

Great, a satisfying application for this move. I'm grateful.

What I like about this kind of throw is how you can buy a little complience by targeting the groin or any of the inner thighs with your knee on the way to the leg lifting action. Or, to put it the other way around, This throw flows nicely from a kneeing the inner thigh or groin.

Have you also noticed that, after you have your partner on the floor, how you can slide into a kesa-gatame (scalf-hold), like in this video?

If you then go and force your partner's arm between your legs into a shoulder lock or an arm bar, then your action at that very moment (freeze the video at exactly 8 seconds) strongly resembles a gedan shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi. Only you're sitting on your bottom while doing it. In the Shotokan version of Kanku-Dai that I practice, the gedan shuto-uke is the next technique after the One-Legged Spin you described. Same thing in Kanku-Sho.

Marc

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

Marc wrote:

Great, a satisfying application for this move. I'm grateful.

What I like about this kind of throw is how you can buy a little complience by targeting the groin or any of the inner thighs with your knee on the way to the leg lifting action. Or, to put it the other way around, This throw flows nicely from a kneeing the inner thigh or groin.

Have you also noticed that, after you have your partner on the floor, how you can slide into a kesa-gatame (scalf-hold), like in this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9T-Uy8FUgo

If you then go and force your partner's arm between your legs into a shoulder lock or an arm bar, then your action at that very moment (freeze the video at exactly 8 seconds) strongly resembles a gedan shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi. Only you're sitting on your bottom while doing it. In the Shotokan version of Kanku-Dai that I practice, the gedan shuto-uke is the next technique after the One-Legged Spin you described. Same thing in Kanku-Sho.

Marc

Happy to help! You can absolutely knee them in the thigh or groin on the way to this throw. The preceeding movements are done in neko-ashi-dachi (in the version I do, anyway) which indicates that you can also kick them, and there are clearing/striking motions with the arms, as well. There is also another application for this turn, which comes from styles that do a jumping or stepping spin, which is kani-basami. It is fairly easy to transition to kesa-gatame or yoko-shiho-gatame after this particular throw, provided they don't lock you down in half-guard. I usually just spring back up to my feet to escape, though, like the kata shows.