Hanebi | Bujinkan Martial Arts Class #009 | 2021

This Gyokko Ryu kata, Hanebi, is kind of strange on the surface. There doesn't seem to be enough space for the attacker to kick after grabbing the back of the neck.

But the kata was originally designed to be performed while wearing ancient Japanese armor. On some armor, there is a cord on the back that connects between the shoulders. This makes for a good handhold for the attacker. And the slack in the cord could allow for the space to kick.

It's very important to understand the overall context when studying kata.

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