Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

Scott asked a great question at noon class today – what are the principles of judo standing and on the ground that I can look to for self-correction (like in aikido we have the list of same hand and foot , eye contact, unbendable arm etc… ) ?

So here goes a stab at it for Standing Judo

• Be offensively oriented
• Every time a foot moves you have a chance
• Get religious with the line conditions , on, down and ,across the line
• Point you foot in the direction of the throw
• Keep weight on the ball of the foot, knees slightly bent—cat like
• Keep posture upright (don’t get sucked into jigotai)
• Grip with little fingers-loose upper fingers
• Grip lapel at shoulder level
• Grip sleeve with wrist down and elbow in
• Turning causes two pulls- elbow up and elbow in
• Elbow in is locked to your ribs using the pecs and lats
• Eyes at the heart/chest
• Never block for defense, always dance out
• Work with graduated resistance
• For sweeps and reaps point the toe and flex from the knee-not upperleg
• At the intermediate stage work all ashiwaza from progressively smaller steps
• Hip throws are crack of the butt on the lead thigh (posture may distort)
• Fulcrum of hip throw is the butt
• Shoulder throws , fulcrum is shoulder—posture stays straight
• At the intermediate stage ,work all big throws from all stepping conditions
• Hands stay light –dont hang
• Hands always support foot actions
• Stay in step mostly
• Work with continuous movement
• Throw on the move – dont stop center to throw
• Work for kuzushi on the step
• Beginning stage-- lots of nagekomi
• Intermediate to advanced –footsweep to control
• Advanced and for competitors, stugeiko

I will work up ground work next

Man that's a lot.

Yeah, pretty comprehensive list.

yep too long i think -- needs rethinking -- all of that is not "principle" (buts its all important) -- sadly the ground work list is really long because of all the important stuff that comes up in specific application -- i'll post it all soon even though its unwieldy but i think with some winnowing we might get a good short list for both tachi and nei waza-- its just so easy to slip off into particulars --hard to stay focused on the principled generalities

I'd keep everything there, just distill it into groups of like things.

For example, mindset:
• Be offensively oriented
• Never block for defense, always dance out

Setup:
• Every time a foot moves you have a chance
• Get religious with the line conditions , on, down and ,across the line
• Point you foot in the direction of the throw
• Keep weight on the ball of the foot, knees slightly bent—cat like
• Keep posture upright (don’t get sucked into jigotai)
• Stay in step mostly
• Work with continuous movement
• Throw on the move – dont stop center to throw
• Work for kuzushi on the step

Grips:
• Grip with little fingers-loose upper fingers
• Grip lapel at shoulder level
• Grip sleeve with wrist down and elbow in
• Turning causes two pulls- elbow up and elbow in
• Elbow in is locked to your ribs using the pecs and lats
• Hands stay light –dont hang
• Hands always support foot actions


Etc.

nice organizing idea kyle --
heres the ground work list -- its still too long --same problem applies as above-- need to distill it to simplicity

Ground work (bottom)

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•Head up , knees bent and close to your butt work from the side of the back more then the flat
•Use big toe to little toe and ball of foot movement
•Bridge in diagonal line –abs engage to unify hip and shoulder line
•Symmetrically work bridge, shrimp, and reverse shrimp for turn under and turnover actions
•Use graduated resistance
•Escape work is primary—make them give up space or adjust

Groundwork (bottom side leg trapping and turnover)

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•One foot up one foot down—both in propping positions
•Feet stick to surfaces like glue
•Hands support the foot actions with pulls
•Hands can replace feet as props
•Practice egg beater
•Stretch him out


Ground work (top for pin)

•Stop look listen—don’t rush—identify the situation
•Two hands in one spot—cross hand high when gripping
•Golden spike—hold one square inch of the guy
•Enclose with hips, elbows, knees, shoulders –toes stay live or inside edge of foot turns down to brace –knees and hips and head stay low
•Make him the weight bearing object
•Work step through and ball for envelope transitions
pin to armbar to choke to pin- stay fluid


Ground work (top for armbars)

•Work in the armbar line
•Let them happen—never force them
•Control the joint above the one you want to lock
•Always work light for control not pain
•Know your elbow anatomy by feel
•Primarily work armbar series repetitions for coil, reverse coil, straight and compression

Ground work ( variety of positions--chokes)

•Learn the anatomy of the neck by feel
•Work with precision of position and correct surfaces (small edges) –don’t hold too much gi
•Remove all slack
•Wring the hands
•Hunch up shoulders
•Drive with the legs
•Work the variations of pulling and pushing and leg action chokes with gi and naked

Ground work ( top side from double leg entanglement aka “ in the guard”

•One knees up one down-live toes—stay low
•Elbows in –soften up locked ankles
•Don’t reach past belt line until transition
•Drive to diagonals
•Hold what you get and compress limbs or spin or both before transition

Ground work ( top from single leg entangle)

•Knee up elbows in
•Underhook head to bow body
•Shoulder in neck control
•Extract knee
•Peel out with free leg

Ground work (turtle)

•Avoid – defensive – panic position
•Offensive side work variety of drills from different beginning positions and different configuiations
•Defensive side work the armbar turn out form underneath