While Sabaki Method is the definitive text for Enshin Karate, it is worth noting that the concept of Sabaki is shared across several Japanese full-contact styles. Hideyuki Ashihara (Ninomiya's former teacher) also defined Sabaki as the combination of defense and offense into one move. However, while Ashihara's system focused largely on striking from circular movement, Kancho Ninomiya evolved his iteration of Sabaki to close the gap completely, incorporating the Judo sweeps and throws he learned in his youth.
Kancho Joko Ninomiya’s "Sabaki Method: Karate in the Inner Circle" outlines Enshin Karate as a system utilizing circular motion and "Tai-Sabaki" (body movement) to enter an opponent's blind spot, converting defense directly into offense. The method emphasizes leveraging an opponent’s momentum through grabbing techniques, efficient hip-generated power, and strategic positioning to maximize effectiveness. For a detailed look at these methods, review the manual provided at VDOC.PUB . Sabaki Method: Karate In The Inner Circle [PDF] - VDOC.PUB Sabaki.Method-.Karate.in.the.Inner.Circle.pdf
To truly test the principles described in the PDF, Ninomiya founded the "Sabaki Challenge." This is an annual full-contact, no-pads, knockdown karate tournament held in Denver, Colorado. It is here that the philosophy meets reality. Competitors must use the Sabaki Method to survive and win, turning throws, sweeps, and circular counters into effective points against aggressive strikers. The tournament serves as a living laboratory for the text, proving that the "inner circle" strategy works under the pressure of a real fight. While Sabaki Method is the definitive text for
Sabaki Method: Karate in the Inner Circle is a text associated with (1928–2011), a prominent 8th Dan Wado-Ryu karate master who brought Wado-Ryu to the United Kingdom in the 1960s. The document is often cited in debates about internal power (kokyu, junanshin), body mechanics , and the "hidden" or "higher" teachings of traditional karate. Kancho Joko Ninomiya’s "Sabaki Method: Karate in the