Reconfigure your hands… “Put your hands in hanmi!” by Stanley Pranin

“Gaining an advantage through the positioning of your hands!”

Many styles of aikido begin the static practice of techniques from a triangular “hanmi” stance. The hanmi stance is generally considered to offer a more stable position, and also leave fewer vital points exposed compared to standing face-to-face with an opponent.

If the technique being practiced involves a hand grab — either katatedori or ryotedori — nage generally offer their hands without giving much thought to the positioning or configuration of the hands. In the same way that we hope to gain an advantage in an encounter by adopting a hanmi stance, we may also be able to leverage that advantage even further by considering the possible hand configurations.

For example, rotating the thumb from an inward to an outward position at the time one is grabbed may help to unbalance uke thus affording nage an additional advantage.

What do you think of this idea of “putting your hands in hanmi”?