Aiki Nage

Juji Nage (literally 'cross throw' or 'X throw', from juji 十字 — the kanji shape of the cross) is an aikido throw in which the aikidoka crosses the opponent's arms over each other and then off-balances them through the structural failure that the crossed-arms position creates. [1,2] The cross can be created in two main ways: by drawing one of the opponent's arms across their own body to meet the other, or by stepping under one arm to cross it over the other from below. [1,3] Once the arms are crossed, the opponent's structure is fundamentally compromised — they cannot use both arms independently to recover, and their centre is exposed. [2,4] The aikidoka then projects them through the cross by either driving forward (a forward sacrifice variant) or by stepping back and pulling them through (a backward variant). [3] Juji nage is taught at intermediate-to-advanced levels because it requires careful timing and a clean entry — premature crossing without off-balance produces a tangled position rather than a clean throw. [1,2] The throw is closely related to Daito-ryu's juji-garami (cross-entanglement) techniques. [3,4]

Kaiten Nage (rotary throw) is one of the canonical aikido throws — a spiral throw in which the aikidoka guides the opponent's head down toward the ground while the opponent's arm is extended overhead, producing a wheel-like rotation of the opponent over their own bowed back. [1,2] The throw is named for its kaiten (rotation) motion: the opponent rotates around their own spine like a wheel, with the thrower's hand on the back of their neck pressing forward and down while the other hand extends the opponent's arm forward and up. [1,3] Kaiten nage is most often executed from shomen-uchi (overhead strike) or katate-dori (single wrist grab) entries. [2,4] Two main forms exist: uchi-kaiten-nage (inside rotation, the throw begins inside the opponent's centreline) and soto-kaiten-nage (outside rotation, the throw begins outside the opponent's arm). [3,4] In Aikikai pedagogy, kaiten nage is typically taught from 4th-3rd kyu (intermediate beginner level) because it requires a complete entry plus a clean two-handed off-balance — not a beginner skill. [1,2]

Kokyu Nage (literally 'breath throw') is the most fundamental and widely-practiced throw in aikido — a category of throws unified by the principle of using kokyū (the Japanese concept of unified breath, timing, and ki) to project an opponent without apparent muscular effort. [1,2] Unlike a hip throw or a sacrifice throw, kokyu nage is not defined by a specific mechanical entry but by the quality of the connection: the thrower's centre, breath, and body move as one with the opponent's incoming force, redirecting it into a forward extension that drops the opponent face-down or onto their back. [1,3] Many practitioners describe kokyu nage as 'the throw with no technique' because the apparent throwing action is minimal — the visible motion is mostly the uke (receiver) running themselves into the throw on the wave of their own attack. [2,4] The canonical entries are from katate-dori (single wrist grab), shomen-uchi (overhead strike), and ryote-dori (two-hand grab); each version uses the same kokyū principle expressed through a different point of contact. [3] In Aikikai, Yoshinkan, and Iwama-ryu lineages, kokyu nage is taught from the earliest belt levels because it embodies the core aiki principle — and is also the throw most practitioners struggle with longest, because the principle is felt rather than performed. [1,2]

Koshi Nage is the aikido hip throw — distinct from judo's koshi-waza in that the entire body, not just the hip, serves as the throwing axis. [1,2] In aikido koshi-nage, the thrower turns deeply under the opponent's centre of gravity (a position similar to judo o-goshi or harai-goshi) but uses an arm extension and full-body rotation to project the opponent over the back, rather than relying on the hip as a discrete fulcrum. [1,3] The result is a longer, more spiraling throw: the opponent travels over the thrower's lower back rather than being snapped over a hip-only fulcrum. [2,4] The classic aikido entries are from katate-dori (single wrist grab) and ryote-dori (two-hand grab); the aikidoka pivots inside the line of attack, drops their centre, extends through uke's arm, and projects them across their back. [3,4] Koshi nage is taught at intermediate-to-advanced levels in most aikido lineages because it requires confident ukemi (a long forward roll-out) and committed entry. [1,2]

Tenbin Nage (literally 'scale-beam throw') is an aikido throw that off-balances the opponent by hyperextending their elbow joint while levering against the shoulder, treating the opponent's straightened arm as a tenbin (the beam of a balance scale). [1,2] The throw is mechanically distinct from kokyu nage and kaiten nage in that it uses joint engagement as the primary off-balance vector — the elbow extension creates pain compliance that drives the opponent forward and down. [1,3] Tenbin nage is most commonly applied from sumi-otoshi or katate-dori entries and is closely related to Daito-ryu's ude-nobashi (arm-extension) techniques. [2,4] In Yoshinkan curricula it is sometimes classified separately from the pure aiki throws because of the joint-engagement element; in Aikikai and Iwama-ryu it is taught as a canonical aikido throw at intermediate levels. [3,4] The throw is named for the visual analogy: the opponent's straightened arm becomes the beam of a scale, with the aikidoka's lever applied at the elbow as the fulcrum and the wrist as the load. [1,2]

Tenchi Nage (heaven and earth throw) is one of the canonical aikido throws — a bidirectional throw in which one of the opponent's hands is driven up (heaven, ten 天) while the other is driven down (earth, chi 地), splitting their structure into two opposing vectors and collapsing their balance through the gap between them. [1,2] The throw is most commonly entered from ryote-dori (two-hand grab), where the opponent grabs both of the aikidoka's wrists; the aikidoka extends one hand up and forward (often as if reaching to the sky) while the other drops behind the opponent's near hip (toward the earth), simultaneously stepping off the line of attack. [1,3] The bidirectional split makes recovery nearly impossible — the opponent cannot resist both vectors at once, and their structure collapses backward. [2,4] Tenchi nage is taught in essentially every aikido lineage and appears in the curricula of Aikikai, Yoshinkan, Iwama-ryu, and Tomiki schools. [3] The Yoshinkan form is particularly compact (Gozo Shioda was known for tight, militarily-precise applications); the Iwama-ryu form (Saito) is more elongated and ki-extension-focused. [3,4]