Balance and stability is just as important as strength and endurance in the martial arts. Good balance and stability can be the difference in landing a good punch or kick, evading a strike, or ultimately avoiding being forced to the ground, where you don’t want to be.
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Good balance also increases your striking ability, your punches, elbows, and kicks will all generate much more force and power.
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While you have good balance it is imperative that you disrupt your opponent or attackers balance.
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From the Japanese verb, “Kuzusu” (崩す), to destroy, pull-down, make change…… Kuzushi (崩し) is widely used in the martial arts as a term to describe off-balancing another person. Attaining kuzushi is a key component and core principle during martial arts training and implementation. Unbalancing an opponent can be accomplished numerous ways and is typically what must occur prior to performing certain principles or techniques.
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When talking about ‘off-balance’, falling or losing your balance is what typically comes to mind. Kuzushi can, however, be utilized both mentally and physically.
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Mentally, this can mean to disrupt or alter another’s emotions or focus. It involves distractions, misdirecting, or redirecting another’s focus.
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Physically, kuzushi aims to compromise the posture and equilibrium of an opponent causing confusion or disorientation. Once this has happened, the opponent will take time to re-position, re-center, or reorient themselves whilst disregarding other aspects of the situation. Anytime, even if just for a small amount of time, an attacker is NOT focused on you, an advantage is gained. Kuzushi creates openings and vulnerabilities in an opponents defenses.
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Kuzushi can be off-balancing your attacker. That’s not all it is though. Kuzushi doesn’t have to be big and obvious, pulling someone off their center. It can be smaller, moving their posture just enough to make them unstable even while they are still balanced, and unable to respond to what is happening. If you make someone unstable, they can’t respond fully to what you’re doing, and hopefully you will gain the advantage.
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Kuzushi is a ‘principle’ within the martial arts for good reason, because without it, performing counter-attacks, locks, throws etc. are extremely difficult. It is not advised to attempt a physical technique without first utilizing some kind of kuzushi. 
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Photo Credit: TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography.
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