In Aikido, a throw is always the result of a rotation. There is no such thing as a linear ‘straight forward’ entry, just as there is no such thing as a linear ‘straight backwards’ throw.
There is a rotation that determines the direction of uke’s loss of balance, and it is therefore in the direction decided and initiated by this rotation that uke naturally falls:
For morote dori kokyu ho (also known as kokyu nage or sokumen irimi nage), one must rise towards the sky (age). But in order to rise in harmony with uke’s loss of balance, one must first reverse the direction of the arm; one must therefore lower the elbow.
For this technique, the kuden left by O Sensei, which Morihiro Saito often repeated, is as follows:
“Kata mo hiji mo koshi mo kimochi o sagete”, which means “Lower the shoulder, the elbow, the hips and the feeling”
To rise (age), one must therefore first descend (sage).
