How Height Differences Affect Techniques
Clint Bowen
Nidan Essay
June 2025
Aikido is practiced by individuals of all body shapes and sizes, often resulting in any given technique that may usually work well for an aikidoka to be ineffective against an uke of different body build. Height, appendage length, and center of gravity can each affect whether an attempted technique will succeed or fail.
Standing at 6’1”, I am often taller than my uke. This height delta is usually an advantage, but can lead to performing techniques in a manner that relies on this height difference, creating difficulties when facing someone of equal or greater height. For example, when performing mae otoshi on a shorter uke their shoulder is lower than tori’s, making it easy to lever their arm for the throw. When working with a taller uke tori’s arm must be extended higher, and they must lever uke’s arm lower and with more attention to maintaining kuzushi. An alternative solution would be to lower the point of contact from the armpit to the tricep, with the acknowledgement this increases force and risk of injury to uke’s elbow. To standardize this technique universally regardless of uke’s size, tori should focus on front weighting uke during the “throw” portion, ensuring uke’s arm is extended, twisted, and below uke’s shoulder.
Examining shomen ate, the height factor is even more apparent. When driving uke’s chin to their chest and applying the technique, a taller tori’s arm is already at a downward angle, and applying forward locomotion applies a downward and rearward force to uke, rooting their heels and executing an effective throw. Absent bringing a taller uke down to tori’s level with the first strike and maintaining that level, tori will have their arm in an upward angle, risking the force vector to be up and allowing uke to step out of the throw. In our dojo we refer to this as “tall man aikido” and “short man aikido”; tori must not attempt to work at uke’s comfort height, instead manipulating uke in ways that allow tori to obtain kuzushi and perform the throw at tori’s comfort height. A shorter tori should not attempt tall man aikido, and taller toris may have trouble attempting short man aikido; not only would tori be operating in the shorter partner’s comfort zone, they would risk corrupting their own structure to do so.
Finally let us consider waki gateme. As a taller aikidoka I have long performed this technique by catching the underside of the attacking hand at the wrist, driving it up and over uke’s head, taking kuzushi via lifting and extension to my right front side, about the 2 o’clock position. When I began to work with a taller uke this form was no longer viable, and I returned to driving the attack arm out uke’s weak line, about my 4 o’clock position. Regardless of uke’s height their weak line is in approximately the same direction each time. Standardizing the method by which the technique is performed increases the chance the technique will be effective, and removes a variable from the decision process. Like Steve Jobs always wearing a black turtleneck, internalizing the most effective method of achieving kuzushi and executing a technique removes hesitation.
There are two general classes of private aircraft, related to the configuration of the landing gear. Taildraggers have two wheels under the wings, and a third at the rear of the aircraft, while tricycle style planes have the third wheel under the nose of the plane. It is the same FAA pilot’s license, but to fly a taildragger requires an endorsement for such. There are several reasons for this, such as when landing a taildragger the wings will be tilted up, increasing lift, the same position as needed for takeoff. One should apply the same thought process and techniques in both cases, but the tricycle style plane allows a pilot to shave some corners that the taildragger will not allow. In the same manner aikidoka may have developed styles that usually work, but in reality are shaving corners and could reduce effectiveness when encountering new ukes with body types with which tori has not had much experience.
How do we know if we have internalized styles that may not always be effective? By engaging with all aikidoka at every possible chance. It starts local, by playing aikido with everyone in your dojo, from the white belts up. We can fall into a routine with our usual partners, and working with a low kyu grade student can help identify these weakness when they don’t perform in the same manner we have come to expect. We all want our aikido to be effective, and the ultimate test we hope to never encounter is out on the street, where the attacker is neither docile nor cooperative. A low kyu grade is as close as we can get to that scenario, patiently and carefully play aikido with them. Attend regional and national events to expand the number of partners to play with. You will meet players of all ages, shapes, sizes, and experience; engage with them at every opportunity to further your own experience and hone your aikido skills.
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