Yokomen Uchi

Yokomen Uchi is a strike to the side of the head. Fig. 1 shows the end of count One. Uke is half through the first step and the hands are in position. In Fig. 2 Uke is at the end of the step and the hand strikes the side of Nage's head. In Fig. 3 the first strike is driving Nage's head down and the second strike is hitting Nage's face. Here the hand is just pushing. At Fig. 4 Nage is driven into the mat.

Fig. 1 End of Count One		Fig. 2 End of Count Two		Fig. 3 End of Count Three		Fig. 4 End of Count Four

In this sequence Nage does not try to do a technique so that the natural progression is obvious. If Nage tries to do a typical Tenshim both hands come up toward Uke's face as Nage moves back. Uke will push the arms down and into Nage. This seems ok because Nage is cutting down with both arms anyway. The problem is that this opens Nage's face for that second powerful strike. The way I was taught this is suicide against a real attack! This can be fixed with an adjustment that is barely apparent at normal speed but it is very important.