Tantō Dōri – Tsuki – Sokumen Irimi Nage – Throat Palm Atemi Entry / Shihō Nage Kuzushi / Elbow Atemi Knee-Drop Variation

As Uke launches a Tsuki to the midsection, Tori steps forward on the centerline and makes simultaneous contact with both hands: his rear hand meets the attacking arm on the inside, while his lead hand strikes Uke’s throat with an open palm (it could also target the chin, but the throat is preferred). The atemi is crucial, as it both distracts Uke, preventing him from rearming and attacking again, and unbalances him backward; parrying Uke’s incoming attack without the atemi with the other hand is insufficient, as Uke is able to quickly rearm and attack again. Using this disruption, Tori takes hold of Uke’s attacking arm with both hands, placing one hand on Uke’s hand to lock and control the wrist, then lowers his body into a horse stance, pulling the arm to unbalance Uke forward. From this position, Tori raises Uke’s arm on the inside and orients his body inward, as in the beginning of Shihō Nage Omote, creating the Shihō Nage kuzushi with the shoulder controlled through the wrist and elbow alignment. Maintaining the grip on the hand, Tori releases his other hand and delivers an elbow strike to Uke’s face (like a horizontal spear elbow), stepping to the outside with his lead foot and entering with his whole body rather than striking with the arm alone. Uke leans backward to avoid the elbow and remains unbalanced. Tori then completes Sokumen Irimi Nage by extending his arm in an arc, first upward and then downward with the palm facing up, while turning his hips toward Uke and lowering his rear knee to the ground, thus lowering his whole body rather than just the arm, bringing Uke down.