Ryo Te Tori

Ryo Te Tori, more commonly romanized as ryote tori or ryote dori (両手取り), is a term used in Aikido and other Japanese martial arts for an attack in which an attacker grabs both of another person's wrists, normally using one hand to control each wrist. In Aikido practice, the attacker is generally called uke, while the person practicing the response may be called nage or tori, depending on the school and terminology being used.

Ryote tori is a relatively simple attack to describe, but it can provide a large amount of material for learning. Because both wrists are controlled at the same time, the person practicing the technique cannot rely as easily on simply pulling one hand free. Instead, the exercise can encourage the use of posture, movement, timing, balance, rotation of the body, and coordinated movement of the entire body.

As with many forms of Aikido training, the purpose is not necessarily to treat a wrist grab as the most likely form of attack encountered outside a dojo. The attack can instead provide a structured situation through which principles of movement and interaction can be studied.

Ryo Te Tori is a the term within Japanese martial arts describing an attack in which the attacker grabs both of their opponent's wrists, one with each hand.

Terminology

The Japanese term is written 両手取り.

Ryote refers to both hands. Tori or dori refers in this context to taking, holding, or grabbing.

Romanization and terminology vary among Aikido organizations, so several forms may be encountered:

• Ryote tori
• Ryote dori
• Ryōte tori
• Ryōte-dori

These generally refer to the same basic attack.

Ryote tori should not be confused with morote dori. In ryote tori, uke normally grabs both of the other person's wrists, with one hand controlling each wrist. In morote dori, both of uke's hands normally grasp a single wrist.

Another related attack is ushiro ryote tori, in which both wrists are grabbed from behind.

Ryote tori in Aikido practice

In basic practice, uke establishes a grip on both wrists. The person responding then attempts to move without becoming rigid, losing posture, or simply struggling against the strength of uke's arms.

The exact starting position, strength of the grip, foot placement, and expected movement vary among Aikido schools.

A useful grip should provide enough resistance that the person practicing the technique has something meaningful to work with. At the same time, training partners generally cooperate sufficiently to permit learning rather than turning every repetition into a competition over who can prevent movement.

A stronger and more dynamic attack can be introduced as students develop greater familiarity with the movements.

Ryote tori can be used as the starting attack for many Aikido techniques. Depending on the school, examples can include:

• Ikkyo
• Nikyo
• Sankyo
• Shihonage
• Iriminage
• Kokyunage
• Tenchi nage

Not every school teaches exactly the same combinations or uses identical terminology.

Using the whole body

One of the useful lessons of ryote tori is that having both wrists held can expose inefficient movement.

If a person attempts to overcome the grip using only the muscles of the arms, the exercise can become a contest of upper-body strength. Aikido training generally attempts to develop a different approach.

Movement can instead involve the legs, hips, center, posture, and turning or entering movements of the entire body.

Students can experiment with questions such as:

• What happens when the shoulders become tense?
• Can the hands move as part of the movement of the whole body?
• How does changing the angle of the body affect uke's grip?
• What happens to uke's balance when nage enters rather than pulls backward?
• Can the movement remain relaxed without becoming weak or disconnected?

This makes ryote tori useful for studying body mechanics.

Connection and balance

Ryote tori also creates a direct physical connection between two people.

The grip allows both training partners to feel changes in pressure, direction, tension, and balance. A student can therefore practice sensing movement rather than relying entirely on visual information.

In Aikido, the goal is often not simply to break the grip. The contact itself can become useful. Movement through the point of contact can influence uke's posture and balance.

This can help students explore concepts such as kuzushi, or the disruption of balance, along with timing, distance, and coordinated movement.

Training roles

Both people have something to learn during ryote tori practice.

Uke can practice:

• Maintaining balance.
• Establishing a clear and realistic grip.
• Following movement without deliberately collapsing.
• Protecting themselves while receiving a technique.
• Developing ukemi.
• Adjusting resistance appropriately for the level of training.

Nage or tori can practice:

• Remaining balanced while both hands are controlled.
• Moving without excessive muscular tension.
• Using the whole body rather than isolated arm strength.
• Recognizing openings in uke's posture.
• Maintaining appropriate distance and timing.
• Applying a technique without unnecessarily injuring the training partner.

Good practice therefore involves a relationship between attack and response rather than one person merely performing a movement on another.

Learning and experimentation

Ryote tori can be studied experimentally within normal safe dojo practice.

Students can compare what happens when:

• Uke grips lightly versus firmly.
• Nage pulls directly backward versus changing angle.
• Nage moves from the shoulders versus moving with the whole body.
• The attack begins statically versus dynamically.
• The distance between the partners changes.
• Nage enters forward instead of attempting to escape backward.

These comparisons can make abstract martial arts principles easier to observe.

Students can also compare how different Aikido instructors and organizations approach the same attack. Differences do not necessarily mean that one interpretation must be incorrect. They can reveal different teaching priorities, historical lineages, assumptions about attacks, or ways of explaining movement.

Discussion questions, essay ideas, and learning related AI prompt ideas

• Why is ryote tori useful for studying whole-body movement?
• What is the difference between ryote tori and morote dori?
• How does gripping both wrists change the movement options available to nage?
• What happens when nage attempts to solve the attack primarily through arm strength?
• How can ryote tori be used to study kuzushi?
• What responsibilities does uke have during cooperative martial arts training?
• Compare how three Aikido schools demonstrate ryote tori.
• Ask an AI system to explain the biomechanical differences between pulling against a wrist grip and moving the body to change the angle of force. Evaluate the explanation through safe practice.
• Research how ryote tori is used as an attack for tenchi nage, shihonage, or kokyunage.
• How does static practice help prepare a student for more dynamic movement?
• What can ryote tori teach about the relationship between relaxation and effective structure?

Readings

Wikipedia

• Aikido
• Morihei Ueshiba
• Japanese martial arts
• Ukemi
• Joint lock
• Japanese martial arts terminology

See also

• Aikido
• Aikido techniques
• Uke
• Nage
• Ukemi
• Katate tori
• Morote dori
• Ushiro ryote tori
• Ikkyo
• Nikyo
• Sankyo
• Shihonage
• Iriminage
• Kokyunage
• Tenchi nage
• Kuzushi
• Tai sabaki
• Japanese martial arts