PRINCIPLES - TECHNIQUES

the body has
multiple functions

Wadoryu regards the body to be one, move as one and always use the whole body. Yet, there is a left and a right side of the body. While one side attacks, the other side is to be defense or kamae. So utilize different limbs for different functions.

This means that in the highest level of wadoryu, there is no such thing as one side do be defense and the other to be kamae. This sounds as if go-no-sen doesn't exist in wadoryu, but on the contrary. The concept of go-no-sen is to "defend" and respond before ukemi can recover from the "defense". I say "defense" because I actually don't see anything purely as defense. Defense is the natural human instinctive response, like covering the head, freezing or running away.

An example of go-no-sen. Ukemi "attacks" with maegeri chudan, to which torimi responds with uchi harai. (actually torimi should have put such pressure leaving ukemi with no other choice then to "attack" using maegeri) Torimi will "defend" using uchi harai, but this can or well, I regard it to be an attack, because you will position ukemi in an advantageous position for yourself, to launch the final blow. So, by making the uchi harai in such a way that you create an advantageous situation, the uchi harai must have been very strategic and well thought through.

A defense is - for me - purely making sure the attack does not land on my body. It is not bad, but it is a primitive movement.