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Henka

What is Henka?

Henka is a controversial and strategic maneuver used in sumo wrestling. It involves a wrestler sidestepping immediately after the initial charge (tachi-ai) instead of engaging head-on with their opponent. This sudden lateral movement can cause the opponent to lose balance and fall forward or to the side, often leading to a quick victory for the wrestler executing the henka.

While henka can be effective, it is sometimes viewed negatively by fans and other wrestlers because it is seen as avoiding a direct confrontation, which is a core aspect of sumo's fighting spirit. Despite this, it remains a legitimate technique within the rules of sumo and is occasionally used by wrestlers seeking to outmaneuver a stronger or more aggressive opponent.

Related Article: Sumo Wrestling: The Traditional Japanese Combat Sport

The minute you don a black belt, the minute you step in front of a class to teach, you are seen as an expert on violence. It doesn’t matter if you have absorbed a complete philosophical system with your martial art. It doesn’t matter if the art gave you, for the first time, the confidence to view the world as a pacifist. It doesn’t matter if you studied as a window to another age and culture. It doesn’t matter that you have found enlightenment in kata or learned to blend in harmony with the force of your attacker. It doesn’t matter because you are about to teach a martial art, an art dedicated to Mars, the God of War. A MARtial art. Even if somewhere over the years you have lost sight of this, your students have not.
Rory Miller

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Other Glossary terms

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