From Barnes Sensei/Go-dan
Shihan Bushi Dojo
Santa Monica.
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Greetings Hanshi, Kyoshi's, Shihan, Sensei's, Sempai's and deshi.
Bushi Dojo is honored to submit this weeks Technique For The Week.

Hiji-Ate (Elbow smash)

We speak of punching and kicking often.
let's look at Smashing shall we ?

We have Upward/Forward/Backward and Supported Elbow Smashes

We find them in Kata's
Fukyugata II
Pinan III / IV & V
Nihanchi I/II/II
Passai/Gojushiho/and Kusanku

and Pre-Arranged Three.

On page 78 of Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do
Shoshin Nagamine, writes
...... "delivery is employed when one is too closely approached or suddenly
hugged by an opponent".

I would like to submit it is also useful and mandatory when "we attack" and
find ourselves in close as we will organically with our moving forward
principle.

In a block and attack scenario such as moving IN with a high block and
and simultaneously delivering a Tate hiji-ate (Upward elbow smash- FII) from
a Soto-Hachiji Shizentai-Dachi (Natural walking stance) is as natural as a
chest block/reverse punch.

the elbow is as valuable a weapon as our fist and feet, it is by design
the ball pin hammer of our bodies, wield it with spirit.

Domo arigato gozaimasu, Hanshi for all your wisdom.
Peace to Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA family.
Barnes Sensei/Go-dan
Shihan Bushi Dojo
Santa Monica.