Kyokushin Happo Kuzushi ( unbalancing the opponent)
Is very often thought of as simply pushing or pulling.
Kuzushi means unbalancing the opponent to gain advantage over them.
At more advanced levels however it is much more than that. For example, kuzushi can also be achieved by breaking the opponent’s rhythm, fake attacks, strikes, changes of body position or grip, or a sudden change in speed or tempo. A critical element in kuzushi is that it should disrupt more than the body.
Kuzushi is very much a mental thing. Kuzushi should always disrupt the opponent’s concentration, resulting in a momentary opportunity for an attack. strong and positive mental attitude can often dominate a weaker state of mind, resulting in effective kuzushi.
Through out Kyokushin Karate the concept of Happo kuzushi is continually used. A frequently ignored and misunderstood concept, it is so fundamental to budo karate and the successful execution of its techniques that its importance cannot be over-estimated or over-emphasized.
This concept is found in all the kumite, goshin jitsu and kata of Kyokushin Karate. An understanding of how it got into Kyokushin Karate is important in understanding its place and its integration with circle and point theory. The happo kuzushi is in fact the simplest, while being the most complex expression of the circle & point theory in the movements of the body, which is the foundation of Kyokushin Karate.
This particular area of training came as a result of Sosai’s training in daito-ryu aiki-jutsu, also known as Takeda Ryu, and is mentioned in “This is Karate” – Chapter 12; Oyama, Masutatsu, ? 1965, Japan Publications Trading Com