The morote dori (or katate ryote dori) grip is applied from the shomen uchi contact, as can be seen in the video:
This is very important because this way of grabbing allows you to understand the meaning of holding an opponent's arm in this way. The progressive downward grip from shomen, in other words from jodan level to gedan level, gives you very good control over your opponent.
In the morote dori grip, the opponent's arm is held like a sword, the back of his forearm embodying the back of the blade. If this grip is correct, aite's arm is controlled all the way to the shoulder by means of his forearm, thanks to the leverage of the sword. And if the shoulder is controlled, then the whole body is controlled. Morote dori is a form of arm control using the elbow lock characteristic of ikkyo.
This is why the repeated exercise of tanren uchi with the sword is essential to the acquisition of good morote dori practice. And here again we can recognise one of the aspects of riai, which holds that the practice of aiki ken is essential for mastering the empty-hand techniques of Aikido.
In truth, once we have understood the permanent relationship that exists between what are known as Aikido weapons techniques (buki waza) and unarmed techniques (tai jutsu), we realise that this distinction is superficial and irrelevant. With or without weapons, the body always behaves in the same way.
