* Differences in translation of Kuzushi *

(Note: The following is my understanding of kuzushi which I have
learned from my teachers. It is not my invention but my way of describing
and practicing what I have been taught. Any mistakes are mine.)

 

Over the years it has been accepted to translate the term "kuzushi" in English as "breaking balance." I think this is not only incorrect and misleading but has been one of the major problems in getting the real meaning of this important aspect of the practice of judo, aikido, and other traditional budo.

I don't want to go into a detailed explanation of kuzushi here as it's not easy to do in this format. It will be done in my book but there'll be lots of photos and will be a major undertaking. I'll take many pages to describe and illustrate what Mifune and Tomiki did in a couple of paragraphs in their books. If you already understand what they're talking about, their limited words make sense, but if you don't, people just keep reading with no comprehension about the real meat of kuzushi. I don't believe their motivation was to keep it a "secret" or, as some have said, the Japanese didn't want gaijin to understand the secrets. Some zenophobic teachers may have felt that way or still do but not Mifune, and especially Tomiki, Miyake, and others that had the goods that I have felt and understood their hearts.

I have put two pages here from the "Canon of Judo" by K. Mifune, Kodokan Judan. One from the original and the reprint and newly translated version of the same book. The differences in translation are huge in my opinion. The new translation shows a common view of kuzushi that is prevelant in the kyogi judo (sport) mentality and in the aikido world while the original translation, although hard to understand, has more valuable information that helps us understand true kuzushi.

  

Original translation of Mifune's "Canon of Judo"

Original version of "Canon of Judo"  
Notice the chapter heading. "Meaning of Posture Breaking"   The meaning of kuzusu, the verb in Kenkyusha's Fourth Edition Dictionary is:
1. destroy; demolish; pull down; level (down);
2. break; change
3. simplify
4. put into disorder
5. cut; lower; reduce.
 
In my understanding, the fourth choice is better and fits the first sentence of explanation of kuzushi. "... is to induce the opponent to instabilize posture devoid of various actions." With the following words, "... you make the opponent barely maintain his balance." Making the opponent realize that his structure/posture/intent (or "game plan) has changed and needs to be recovered in order to continue with the plan or regain posture necessary to change plans to continue the attack or to escape comes closer to how real kuzushi works. Notice also that Mifune says, "In both throwing and floor techniques, Kuzushi is after all an essence of techniques." Most people do not consider kuzushi to be part of newaza. They are mistaken.

 (I also have very different understandings of the mechanical, physical forces involved in creating kuzushi. I don't want to go into this in great detail at this time here. However, I'll remind you that the strongest, most usable force we can affect an opponent with is our connected centered structure dropping on an appropriate vector through our opponents structure. If we can't lift a non-compliant opponent off the floor against their will, we should never try to affect them by lifting. Most teachers explain and demonstrate what they think is happening when they do very nice, strong waza in dynamic motion, but, in truth, they often don't understand what is happening and they get it wrong. What they describe and show in slow demonstration form is often wrong. This is another big reason why there has been much misunderstanding in the spread of budo.) Notice in the photos above that Mifune Sensei shows the dropping effect in the bottom photo, but shows a lifting process in the center photo which has rooted his feet in place and his posture is leaning backward with his force really going away from the uke. If the uke is not compliant, he could easily have taken advantage of this problematic posture in Mifune.

New translation and edition of Mifune's "Canon of Judo"

 New translation of "Canon of Judo" 

 Notice in this new translation that the first sentence is much different than the first translation. "Kuzushi is the art of disrupting the opponent's balance so he is forced into a vulnerable position." Forcing someone into a vulnerable position is extremely difficult. Going further into the second sentence, "... to apply a throwing technique (nage waza), you must break the opponent's balance so that he cannot support his center of gravity. Compare this with the older translation of, "... you make the opponent barely maintain his balance." This may seem like a small difference, but it is a HUGE difference in tactical usage. This difference is the meat of real kuzushi.

If we DISRUPT the opponent's balance so that they BARELY MAINTAIN THEIR BALANCE and try to recover because they want to keep attacking or get away... then we get to use the force they create in attempting this recovery. Also, because they are bipedal, it is not difficult to predict where they have decided to go in this recovery. We then apply the priniciples of kuzushi by fitting (the concurrent parts of tsukuri... jibun no tsukuri and aite no tsukuri... or fitting ourself and the opponent together appropriately without clashing. This is in effect the real definition of AIKI. When this happens then the kake or waza (technique) happens.

 Notice above the photos that indicate lifting as opposed to dropping center. I have closely observed slow motion frame by frame video of many of the top judo and aikido teachers in the past and today. When in dynamic motion they never lift (unless they have "brainwashed" compliant uke. However, they often describe and demonstrate, during teaching, incorrect use of power. We must be able to understand kihon, riai, and waza so well that we can do them slowly or dynamically using the principles properly so that our action and words are congruent.

 I welcome ongoing discussion and feedback about this subject. However, I would rather not have this shared with people that are interested in arguing or trying to defend the way they view this. I can demonstrate the reality of this and why it works. I am not interested in internet and philisophical confrontational discussions with people that are not interested in seeing, feeling, learning, and practicing something that's real. I am the first to say that the way I understand these principles and teach them is NOT THE ONLY WAY.   - C. Clark