tai sabaki

{{Short description|Term from Japanese martial arts}}

Image:Taisabaki.svg

{{nihongo|Tai sabaki|体捌き}} is a term from Japanese martial arts and which relates to a science of state of being,'whole body movement' or ability to out play one’s own characteristics mis-en-scene. It can be translated as body-management. It is a term widely in and very important in kendo, jujutsu, aikido, judo, karate and ninjutsu.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=08dX0rFfLHMC&pg=PA58&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=Aikido: The Tomiki Way - Neil Saunders |isbn=9781412006682 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last=Saunders |first=Neil |year=2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831230407/https://books.google.com/books?id=08dX0rFfLHMC&pg=PA58&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |archive-date=2024-08-31 |url-status=live}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWflu-BBjxcC&pg=PA48&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=Black Belt Judo - Neil Ohlenkamp |isbn=9781845371098 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last=Ohlenkamp |first=Neil |year=2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831230550/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Black_Belt_Judo/b8XavAEACAAJ?hl=en |archive-date=2024-08-31 |url-status=dead}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HGpbICBZdGwC&pg=PA42&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=KODOKAN JUDO:THROWING TECHNIQUES - Toshiro Daigo |date= June 2005|isbn=9784770023308 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last=Daigo |first=Toshiro |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240831231325/https://books.google.com/books?id=HGpbICBZdGwC&pg=PA42&dq=Tai+sabaki%23v=onepage&q=Tai%20sabaki&f=false |archive-date=2024-08-31 |url-status=live}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IWH6LCS35D0C&pg=PA45&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=Aikido - The Basics: Techniques - Principles - Concept - Bodo Roedel |date=2013-04-24 |isbn=9781841263021 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last=Roedel |first=Bodo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831231828/https://books.google.com/books?id=IWH6LCS35D0C&pg=PA45&dq=Tai+sabaki#v=onepage&q=Tai%20sabaki&f=false |archive-date=2024-08-31 |url-status=live}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=55SVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=The Art of Ju-jutsu - Edgar Kruyning |date=2009-05-27 |isbn=9781409282693 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last=Kruyning |first=Edgar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831232306/https://books.google.com/books?id=55SVAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&dq=Tai+sabaki#v=onepage&q=Tai%20sabaki&f=false |archive-date=2024-08-31 |url-status=live}} Tai sabaki is usually phrased to avoid an attack, such that the receiver of the attack ends up in an advantageous position and it is often wrongly referred to as evasion.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lrf8feU9vl4C&pg=PA116&dq=Tai+sabaki#q=Tai%20sabaki |title=Karate-do |isbn=9780979010804 |accessdate=2015-08-11|last1=Seiler |first1=Kevin L. |last2=Seller |first2=Donald J. |year=2006}}

An example of tai sabaki is 'moving off the line' of attack using irimi and tenkan movements rather than to 'move against' the attack. This implies the use of harmony rather than physical strength. See hard and soft (martial arts)

Tai sabaki is related to ashi sabaki (footwork) and te sabaki (handwork).

The origins of Tai-sabaki can be transliterated from the sumo wrestler way of honoring the top ranks of grand champions "津名学士気"; which translates into "Bachelor Flow of Grand Champions" when taking into account the yokozuna ranking system for sumo wrestlers.