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Katate dori (one hand held) is a familiar attack in Aikido/Aiki Jujutsu and Jujutsu arts, commonly taught in the early stages of development (beginner to intermediate stages). In many dojo where I have seen this form taught it is common for Uke to take hold of Tori’s right wrist with say his right hand (R/H to R/H) all be it in a passive manor with no other form of movement employed in the attack. Tori would then proceed to perform a suitable technique i.e Ikkyo.
I often get asked about the validity of this form of attack in a western concept, after all it is not the sort of attack you would expect to find in a street fight or bar brawl, an assailant just grabbing your lower forearm with his/her left or right hand.
It has been my experience both as a student and instructor, that little explanation if any, are given to the origins of the technique we use to practice our Martial Art. Rather the student is just expected to accept that "this is the way it has always been done" or "its tradition" approach to instruction.
It may be of interest to examine the context of how we came to practicing our technique from this particular context of having "one hand held." Certainly the form of attack has a historical background, and it has become "tradition" to include it as part of grading syllabus, but what of its history?
In feudal Japan the concept of restraining one arm was not unusual,
consider the need to stop your adversary from drawing his sword. By restraining
his sword arm with say your right hand, then by moving swiftly to the rear
of the swordsman, in order to take full control.The photo sequence illustrates
the concept of this attack.
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But what of the defence from the swordsman’s point of view? (I never
tire of telling students that the origins of Aiki Jujutsu lie in sword
art), and it would be interesting to examine here how Ikkyo may have derived
from such a situation. As Uke attacks right handed, Tori harmonizes with
his movement releasing his R/H grasp on the sword, and takes control of
Uke’s wrist while utilising the L/H grip on the sword to apply pressure
above the elbow joint, preferably on a pressure point for maximum effect.
Photo sequence#2 illustrates the relationship to Ikkyo.
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