is a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

term for unbalancing an opponent in the

Japanese martial arts Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts. The usage ...

. The noun comes from the

transitive verb A transitive verb is a verb that accepts one or more objects, for example, 'cleaned' in ''Donald cleaned the window''. This contrasts with intransitive verbs, which do not have objects, for example, 'panicked' in ''Donald panicked''. Transitiv ...

''kuzusu'' (崩す), meaning ''to level, pull down, destroy or demolish''. As such, it refers to not just an unbalancing, but the process of putting an opponent to a position, where stability, and hence the ability to regain uncompromised balance for attacking, is destroyed. In

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...

, it is considered an essential principle and the first of three stages to a successful throwing technique: kuzushi, ''tsukuri'' (fitting or entering) and ''kake'' (execution). Kuzushi is important to many styles of

, especially those derived from, or influenced by,

Ju Jutsu Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...

training methods, such as

Judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...

Ninjutsu , sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term , is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. ''Ninjutsu'' was a separate discipline in some tradit ...

Aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...

, Uechi-ryu

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...

, Goju-ryu

, and

Wadō-ryū is one of the four major karate styles and was founded by Hironori Ōtsuka (1892–1982). The style itself places emphasis on not only striking, but ''tai sabaki'', joint locks and throws. It has its origins within Tomari-te karate, but was als ...

.Ju Jitsu Classical and Modern, Eddie Ferrie, Page 9 The methods of effecting kuzushi depend on ''

maai , translating simply "interval", is a Japanese martial arts term referring to the space between two opponents in combat; formally, the "engagement distance". The concept of incorporates not just the distance between opponents, but also the ti ...

'' (combative distance) and other circumstances. It can be achieved using ''

tai sabaki is a term from Japanese martial arts and which relates to 'whole body movement', or repositioning. It can be translated as ''body-management''. It is a term used widely in and very important in kendo, jujutsu, aikido, judo, karate and ninjutsu. T ...

'' (body positioning and weak lines), taking advantage of the opponents actions (push when pulled, pull when pushed), '' atemi'' (strikes), or a combination of all three.

Judo

There are three primary ways of applying kuzushi in judo: *direct action (e.g. pulling or pushing while entering for a throw); *inducing opponent's action (e.g. a feint or combination attack); *direct action by opponent (e.g. a counter throw).

References

External links

judoinfo.com
kuzushi: beginning and advanced concepts
bestjudo.com/blog
Kumite Gata and the Essence of Wado-ryu. Part III: The Principle of Kuzushi
zenshindojo.fi {{Japanese martial arts Japanese martial arts terminology

Judo

References

Further reading

External links