I can find words for punches, kicks, etc. But there are other aspects of learning that I don't have a mental handle on. One is the aspect of 'walking through' somebody. Is there available terminology for this? By this, I mean using the angles, momentum, and balance to make the most of one's own mass. Feels like the other person just 'walks through you.'

thanks for any feedback

I refer to it as crushing people. And throwing them into the wind.

What's wrong with describing it as walking through someone?

I think the correct term is "irimi" which means "entering".

I prefer your first term.

In AKK this is called "launching", accelerating your mass to occupy the space where your opponent is. Usually as part of a specific attack (kick, punch, etc), but sometimes just as a 'rush' into their space to knock them away.

There really is no sense of force. I can't find the term 'irimi' associated with karate on the forums (yet). I suppose this video touches on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrYKn7Rtkwg

What I can understand of this mechanic so far, is it's part of blocking, unbalancing, and redirecting the other person...they just go flying if you get the angles right.

Harlan

Irimi is a term most often used in Aikido. Here are some pretty good Aikido explanation of it (well, Irimi-Nage):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt4ts-rOpyM

http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?p=205189

Aside from the physical movements associated with Irimi, I was taught it was almost like a pre-empt. movement. For instance, you seen someone moving to grab a tanto (knife) from their belt. You "enter" into their "sphere" (body space, for want of a cruder explanation) and seixe their wrist before they take out the knife. Although I "entered" his space, and grabbed his wrist, he attacked first due to his intent (trying to take out a knife). It is a key idea of Aiki as I understand it.

It's hard to explain without starting another thread entirely! Would be a good discussion for the Aikido forum!

Don't know if that is the term you were looking for overall though???

Thank you...that was very interesting. I came across another term in conjunction with 'irimi' and that was 'tenkan'. Am reading on it. I do think it is basically the same idea...but done differently than the Aikido samples I see.

Lacking common terms, I can give one example. There is a drill we do...call it 'sun/moon block' for now. Two hands/arms...like a double muwashi. One can use the first muwashi as a block moving in, and the second muwashi to diplace the opponent at an angle.

Is there a 'chinese' version of this concept of 'irimi'?

thank you.