PRINCIPLES - TECHNIQUES

nuki

This term is easily translated as “power off”. Thus it’s like a piece of electricity. Energy flows through the wires until the plug is pulled. Suddenly the energy disappears. We use this idea in Wado technique. A famous master from Shotokan states: "A powerful technique originates from a strong, stable stance. Only when the body is stable and balanced the offensive or defensive technique can be effective". Also it is said that the strong stance has to be able to withstand the blow that comes back. When you exert force you will receive the same ammount of force back. So you need the stance. But, in Wado, actually by using nuki we leave all energy in the opponent not receiving the blow back.

So what does this have for an effect? Not even talking about the result of damage in the opponents, because I don’t really think it makes that much of difference, still you can’t produce more then your own maximum power using correct technique. We don’t have superpowers. It will only be less like a push.

The effect is shown in the stance or tachikata. Kata, in wado, is a tool for principles to train the fundamentals of movement and learn to understand the objective of the movement. So actually the ‘stance’ is not really a stance considered as such like in Shotokan. You should think about how to get there. If you finally get there, you should be able to continue in any direction. Thus making the stance more of an intermediate or pause then an end. The reason I’m adding this to this subject, is that nuki is the feature to make it possible. By leaving the energy where it belongs your don’t have to worry about the blow back, so you can smoothly move into the next movement. Kata however, has a stop to (for example) perfect the energy transfer moment of the technique and as a matter of checking ones balance etc.

I learned Hiza no Nuki from Mr. Nukina, who is the Chief Instructor of Romania. See picture above Mr. Nukina on the right. We just arrived in Bucuresti from the airplaine and took some coffee in this exclusive mall

hiza no nuki
This means to take the power off the knee. You could refer to soft knees too. The objective of hiza no nuki is to bend the knee(s), move smoothly and use the gravity. Like explained above, nuki means to cut off the power, or in this cause to release the tension. You have to tense some muscle to remain in kamae, else you will drop like a pudding. Even having this correct tension it works against one when moving.

So back to the knee. You need some tension in the knee to remain standing, or to keep the kamae. If the knee is pointing forward there should be just a small moment of nuki, making the knee completely relaxed. Relaxation is the key of power. (Read 'seiza' by Mr. R. Kear) This moment should be as long as needed and as short as possible. You must keep form or you will drop. Use the hiza no nuki to drop slightly and use the gravity to accelerate your movement. If you remain tensed you will have more trouble accelerating.

You can practise it in this way: Stand in shizentai and bend both knees (relax/ power off) at the same time, lowering the centre of gravity, drop straight down, then like a slider eventually end in a horizontal line travelling forward. Eventually you must bend the knee as you are moving forward. This is actually a lot harder to use, so start doing in phases. First drop, then move forward. Later, move and drop at the same instant. Tobikomizuki is an excellent example of the training of this technique.