Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

Zdenek Matl is national-level Judo coach from Czechoslovakia. Since he was teaching at the university level, he would deal with over 1,000 students each year.

Zdenek holds the rank of 8th Dan through our organization. His ranking is a very interesting story. When he came to the US, various Judo organizations (USJA, USJI, etc) wanted to recognize him with rank as he was a national-level coach. He politely refused. Eventually he met Karl Geis, and said, "You know more about Judo than I do. You can promote me." This is enlightening for two reasons: the first, he recognized Mr. Geis' deep understanding of the Judo; second, he realized the other guys did not understand things as well as he did.

His style of Judo is exceptionally light -- it can be performed on carpet. His syllabus has many powerful lessons. This is one of the main reasons I want to share my notes from a seminar he had in Dallas in April, 2005.

I'm sure Nick can add to this, but I think it serves as a basic introduction to the man and his ideas.

The main themes from this seminar:
Judo is hand-foot-hand-foot actions
Hands work one at a time.
Real self-defense must be safe, simple and easy.

The following describes throwing as taught by Zdenek Matl, 8th Dan Judo

Overall Ideas
Judo is hand-foot-hand-foot actions
Hands work one at a time.
Real self-defense must be safe, simple and easy.

De Ashi Harai
Begin by gripping uke with your left hand only on uke’s right sleeve, with your grip inside uke’s lapel grip. As uke steps back with his left foot, reach up with your right hand and deliver a slight push on uke’s right side to break his balance. Sweep uke’s right foot with your left foot. As uke falls, let your left grip move downward like a cutting action with a sword. Finish by walking around on uke’s left side as uke is laying on his back. Begin by stepping back with right foot, then your left foot and drop to your knee. Your left knee should be approximate to uke’s neck/shoulder pocket. Enter into ushiro kesa gatame.

Kosoto Gari
This throw is performed entirely with the left hand. Begin by gripping as above. Step with your left foot first, followed by your right foot. Step so that your left foot is three feet on the line, toes pointing toward uke’s feet. Using your left hand grip, push slightly through uke’s shoulder line to affect an off-balance and shift uke’s weight to his left foot. Shift your weight to your right foot. Sweep uke’s right foot with your left foot, and again add the cutting action as if gripping a sword in your left hand. Finish as above.

Osoto Gari
Begin with left handed grip as above. Add right grip on uke’s left sleeve. Push to uke’s back left corner. Uke’s weight should shift to his left foot. Make a very small reaping action with your right foot. It is not necessary to point the toes – make contact at the ankle and draw your right foot back and behind your left foot. After the reap has started the falling motion, add the sword cutting action with your hand. Finish by entering into kesa gatame. Using your right hand (under uke’s head), grip your left pants leg on the inside to help prevent a sit-up escape from kesa gatame. The sweeping action is very small and quite similar to kosoto gari as described above.

Osoto Otoshi
Use your right hand to control uke’s head similar to aiki nage. Grips as above. Hook uke’s right leg with your right leg. Pull your left hand to your belly, causing uke’s torso to twist. Scoop uke’s head with your right hand to draw uke’s head in the throwing action. Uke can make this fall easier by stepping back with his left foot and performing a sit-down breakfall.
-- or –
Hook uke’s right leg with your right leg. Uke blocks your action. Put right foot to three feet on the line. Drop to uki otoshi position with your right knee up. Throw uke to his right rear corner. Use a little twisting action. To enter into osae komi waza, drop your right knee in front of your left as if knee walking.

Uki Otoshi
Begin with left inside grip only. Step to three feet on the line, your left foot lining up with uke’s feet. Continue the balance break down the line with the left grip. Step backward, drop to your knee. Uke performs a sit-down fall as described above.

Tai Otoshi
Step to uke’s left side to form three feet in a line, with your toes pointing the same direction as uke. Twist and drive down. Pull left hand to your belly. When you twist and drop, your hips go back into uke causing his weight to shift. At this point, move to align feet. Hips are similar to Uki Goshi on the wrong side. Maintain body contact during the drive down phase. It is important that uke’s body maintains contact with tori’s leg during the twist down phase. This will prevent uke from countering once on the ground. When entering on the ground, do not drop to knee, but rather bridge from hand to rear foot that uke is rotating around. Always have your feet pointing the same direction.

Kouchi Gari
As uke steps back with his left foot, use your advancing right step to brush his foot back a slight bit extra. Shuffle your feet together. Reap uke’s right foot with your left foot executing kouchi gari. Use a small action to reap as described in previous notes. You can add head control with your right hand as described in osoto otoshi.

Hiza Guruma
You must understand body motion in order to properly execute this throw. Your whole body moves in a step. Step to three feet on a line. Prop uke’s leg with your foot and perform cutting action with hand on the side of the prop. Bring your elbow and knee together on the throwing side for better results. Uke steps back with his left foot, so step forward with your right foot to the line and prop for hiza.

Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi
Executed using side stepping action. Step with first foot (body drop phase). Step with 2nd foot (body rise phase). Bring your feet together as if you were throwing kouchi gari (*very close*). First foot props ankle of uke’s first foot. Use your collar hand to exaggerate uke’s left stepping body fall and body rise. You can use your elbow in the ribs like hiza guruma. Remember foot-hand-foot-hand execution. This throw works best in a side-stepping setup. It is very shaky to execute from the front. If uke’s hip is not over his first foot, he has the opportunity to counter your throw with tsubame gaeshi.

Harai Tsurikomi Ashi
As uke steps back with his right foot, you step to three feet on a line with your left foot setting up on uke’s left side. Sweep uke’s right foot with your left foot. Sweep his foot behind the left foot.
-- or --
As uke steps forward with his left foot, use your right hand to reach over the top and cup his shoulder (like ushiro ate) or the back of his head. Use this to trap uke’s weight on his advanced left foot. Sweep his right leg as above.

Drop Seoi Nage
The execution of the throw here looks similar to kata guruma. Setup on uke’s right leg on the inside. Both feet are pointing away from uke; crease of your buttocks on inside of uke’s right thigh. Your hands should be in ippon seoi nage position, right arm under uke’s right arm. Drop to your right knee and allow uke to gently roll forward and over you. Your hip should be about uke’s right knee, with uke’s right foot approximately centered between your left foot and right knee. This allows us to effectively attack uke’s perpendicular line. Drop your outside leg backward like in a sprinter’s position.

Uki Goshi
Setup in front of uke, with your toes pointing the same direction as his, crease of buttocks on his left thigh. Your right foot is inside uke’s right foot. Shift your weight to your left foot to affect uke’s balance, then roll your weight back to your right foot, and then forward like an ocean wave. Step with your left foot to maintain blance. With your right foot inside, you have the opportunity to execute hane goshi.

Ogoshi
Your right hand goes over uke’s left shoulder to grip his back. Same setup in front as described above. Hold uke to you. Bend at the waist to draw uke up on your back. Pull with left hand to affect throw.

Harai Goshi
Your right hand goes over uke’s left shoulder to grip his back. Same setup in front as described above. Hold uke to you. Bend at the waist to draw uke up on your back. Use your right foot to sweep uke’s right foot back and left, similar to harai tsurikomi ashi.

Ashi Uchi Mata
Step across to uke’s left side, forming three feet in a line with your left foot. Reap uke’s left leg with your right foot. Reap and bring foot back down quickly – it is not necessary to execute a large lift with the leg action. Use your right grip to maintain position, while drawing your left hand across your body to affect rotation and cause the throw. Use your right hand to push uke’s weight into his right foot before attempting to reap his left leg.
-- or –
If you cannot pull with your left hand because of an error in setup, reap the left leg with your right leg as described above and wind uke’s head like aiki nage.