Jō Nage is using the jō to throw an opponent. But it is not an offensive technique. Throwing with a jō is weapon retention. Furthermore, I have shown that the use of the jō in Aikido is more closely related to bayonet than it is to staff work.
Review 8 Count Kumijo
Because weapon work demands familiarity with the weapon being used, we covered basic dexterity drills.
To warm up and develop wrist flexibility and strength we performed the basic figure-eight flourish – twirling the jō in a horizontal “infinity” symbol. Starting one-handed, left, right, then transitioning to link the hands by dropping the spinning jō into the waiting open-hand.
I then demonstrated the one-handed vertical figure-eight starting with the thumb-up grasp and the jō placed perpendicular to the ground. The bunkai is to use the bottom of the jō as an overhand strike to uke’s head. To effect the strike the jō is “whipped” up and over – and because there is no contact with a target – momentum caries the jō through the arc and forces nage to perform another back hand strike. This too is a wrist warm-up and strength building exercise. It teaches your body to effect the vertical figure-eight in addition to the horizontal.
This use of the spinning jō is a potential shielding action.[1]
The basic warm-ups complete, we then performed chudan tsuki and junte tsuki.
From there I presented the 8-Count Kumijo to reinforce the foundational coordinated movements with the jō in a paired exercise and to help develop a better understanding of maai (spacing).
The jō nage techniques broader than the class outline, but especially for test-demonstration purposes, focus of the following six which are done sequentially. Mulligan sensei demonstrates the pattern with Asako. (Jō–tori follows with Alex Levens as uke.)
The matrix:
| Time | Order | Nage | Uke | Hanmi | Throw |
| 0:06 | 1 | Chudan tsuki | grab jō | Left | Tsuki – counter tsuki |
| 0:09 | 2 | switch hands | grab jō | Right | Sweep the leg |
| 0:10 | 3 | switch hands | grab jō | Left | Hockey check |
| 0:15 | 4 | switch hands | grab jō | Right | Flowing shihonage |
| 0:18 | 5 | switch hands | grab jō | Left | Shihonage omote |
| 0:22 | 6 | switch hands | grab jō | Right | Nikkyo – wrist lock |
| 0:25 | 7 | lever roll uke | prone | Slip to arm bar pin |
Kuden explications and presentations of bunkai applications are best covered live in the dojo – see you there!
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Variations
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[1] A related concept to consider is the florette. Watch and listen to Master Keating‘s demonstration to further your understanding on “linking transitions.” It should augment your conceptualization of the jō.
