Are double-cuts trick-cuts?

Are double-cuts trick-cuts? Yes …., but mostly No. Let’s start from the beginning - what is a double cut? A double cut is a combination cut, where the first cut is immediately followed by a second cut through the loose piece of tatami before it falls. There are many possible variations of this, but the easiest variant is a rising cut from your non-dominant side followed by a descending cut from your dominant side. This may sound and look like a trick cut, so why do I say it isn’t? Well, because the main “trick” here is doing the fundamentals well and that is not a trick. Any imperfection in a cut, like poor edge alignment or changing the trajectory while still inside the cutting medium, means not all applied force is going usefully into the cut, but instead goes into the upper or lower piece of tatami. Applying a lot of force to the upper piece of tatami will send it flying. For a double cut to be successful the upper piece needs to fall gently enough for you to be able to hit it again before it falls, so