H. Yondan, Step 9-11, Kumiuchi, Nihou Geri, Empi Uchi

[HanshiClayton]

Reference, Iain Abernethy, Bunkai Jutsu, Pinan Yondan (fifth cluster), Summersdale, 2006.
Also, "Elbow to the Spine," page 198 of KGB Alpha Team Training Manual: How The Soviets Trained For Personal Combat, Assassination, And Subversion, Paladin Press, 1993.

Step 9-11 of H. Yondan are the moves leading up to the first kiai. There are open-hand blocks, a shuto uchi to the neck, a kick, and a complex "swimming" gesture where we seem to grab something with the left hand while executing a right uraken uchi, apparently to the face.

This application depends on an appreciation of the weaknesses of samurai armor, and the battlefield-grappling art of kumiuchi. See this article for background on these topics.

There is an issue with part of this sequence. The left shuto downblock and right shuto upblock at the beginning of step 9 are missing from most non-Shotokan styles. It is likely that this move was added to Shotokan at some late date. Since we are exploring for the original applications, we will ignore this move. See the"perspective" article for the details.

In the second half of step 9, sweep the left hand up in a shuto age uke, the point of which is to knock the opponent's helmet askew and open a gap between the skirt of the helmet and the top of his left shoulder. Your right-hand shuto uchi slices into this gap to strike the exposed side of his neck. This is a stunning blow.

At this point, you have both hands on his helmet. This time the chin strap is firmly attached and does not break when you yank the helmet down to waist level. Your right leg provides the nihou geri (two-treasures kick), which impacts his faceplate (with your knee) and his groin (with your foot). After the kick, reach over his head with your left hand and grasp the skirt of his helmet at the rear. Pull it toward you, exposing the back of his neck. Step in and drive your right elbow down into the back of his neck. (This move is usually pictured as an uraken uchi.) This attack is sufficiently vicious to be pictured in the KGB's manual on assassination and kidnapping (reference above).

This interpretation instructs the bodyguard trainee about the major weaknesses of samurai armor in the region of the neck, and shows him how to exploit them. In the modern context it applies well to a person wearing a motorcycle helmet.

My interpretation of this cluster is very close to Iain Abernethy's. Iain didn't envision the armored opponent, but he recognized the nihou geri kick, and he pointed out that the "backfist strike" is really a downward elbow strike into the opponent's neck or back. That was very insightful of him, and put me on the path to this interpretation.