Shiho-nage (Four-Direction Throw)
四方投げ
The defender folds the attacker's arm back over his own shoulder as in a sword cut, and from there lays him on his back. The movement comes from swordsmanship.
Quick Facts
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Common mistakes: twisting the shoulder sideways instead of folding along its axis, throwing faster than the partner can follow, and letting go of the hand so the partner lands uncontrolled.
💡 Key Tip
Lead the arm along the path of a sword cut, not in a sideways arc. And throw slowly — the partner's shoulder is at the end of its range.
About
Shiho-nage, the four-direction throw, is one of the basic throws of aikido and shows more plainly than any other that aikido grew out of work with the sword. The defender takes the attacker's hand, passes under his arm and turns, leading the arm upward and folding it back over the attacker's own shoulder. The path the hands travel is exactly the path of a downward sword cut, only without the weapon. The closed shoulder and elbow allow the attacker neither to step back nor to turn, so nothing remains but to go down backward. The name refers to the fact that the closing cut can be made in any of four directions, which makes the technique a solution against an attack from any side. Shiho-nage is practised in both omote and ura, and it is among the techniques where care for the partner matters most: the shoulder is brought to the end of its range, and a fast throw there injures easily.