OK, I'll qualify what I meant. Judo used to have striking techniques but, as has been said, they are no longer taught - fair enough. However, if you do not know how to strike then you can learn how to clinch and smother strikes - isn't this effectively what we do in judo when "fighting" for grips?? Take this a stage further and try grip fighting and clinching against someone trying to hit you - this is not done in most judo classes. This is what I mean by judo not being taught with self defence in mind. If you want to cross-train and learn how to strike fine. However, if you just want to do judo to be effective in a self defence situation then you need to learn how to smother strikes and close the distance so that you can be effective with your throws and groundwork.
Kieron, there are a few throws that I've seen Judoka have trouble with when a guys wearing a T-shirt, for a start they're just not as sturdy and alot of the time you end up with a handful of ripped T-shirt Oops! And the Sode Tsuri throws become quite difficult because you don't have the same leverage.
Fair enough. I've also found that I've re-cycled quite a few judo techniques in MMA. Not usually throws as such- just that the positions used are similar and there are similar skills involved.
yup of course there are a few that need the strength and durability of the lapel, you can however always, as i experienced the other day, just grab a bit of flesh instead of the gi though, really puts you off countering too. K
while you are learning throws, try to understand just what principles are being used to down your opponent. For example, the simple ogoshi; you step in, drop your centre of gravity and use the arm round the back to keep them close. Then you lift and turn to take balance and throw them over your hip (lifting with legs, not back of course!) Beyond positioning them, the grip doesn't really do much. It is possible to throw them without gripping at all. Just step in, use the arm round the back (no gripping of belt of gi) and lift, turn as usual. Practice this and you'll get what I mean. Ippon seonage can also be adapted to reduce the grip. Step under their arm and just trap it with yours as you take them over the top. During randori practice, try unconventional grips, eg, one handed, cuffs, the wrist etc and have your partner stay relaxed so you can learn to feel how to manipulate balance and see how you get on. Then try having your opponet throw simple obvious punches and practice; 1. moving your body out of the way 2. developing the initial movements into the footwork you would use to throw 3. completing the movement with an adaption of traditional throwing techniques. I'll try and give a simple example using ogoshi again. 1. Opponent punches.(right hand) 2. step back 45 degrees to get off line and place your left hand on the inside of their wrist (not a block or strike just to use it as a guide) 3. now step forward with right leg and drive right arm between opponents left arm and torso 4. continue to step round (inside) and turn left hand to grab wrist of opponent (the arm they tried to punch you with) 5. drop weight as you step in and straighten at the 'apex' of the circle to drop them over your hip 6. when you've got the hang of that, you can use the elbow of your right hand to damage their arm as you drive through to reach round the back 7. and you can turn their left arm so the elbow joint is against your ribs so when you throw, you lock the arm, causing them more pain as you drop them 8. if you get it right, your knee should be somewhere close the their ribs as they lie at your feet, drop knee onto rib-cage, which will stop them breathing for a bit leaving you free to apply a controlling lock or break their nose, depending upon the situation. If you get all this, you should understand the principles of taking the traditional technique and adapting it to a more 'self-defence' type of application. You can then practice different throws from different set-ups ad infinitum.
Trouble with that set of steps is that you're backing off rather than closing down. If you back off and parry, your opponent will withdraw to a guard rather than standing there and letting you throw. If you want to be effective you have to make your first step a forwards move and trap the attacking hand with your own.
Thanks all. This helps. It's funny I was working with a cross training partner and thought about trying some of the Judo I'd been working on and then felt totally lost when there was no sleeve to control and lift/pull the elbow with. Now I'll be ready for the next time! - Matt
my bad, by 'step back 45..' i really mean step out, but it it hard to describe the step accurately, so 'back 45..' made most sense as I wrote it. it is all done with a continuous movement, and relies upon timing and fluid motion. it does work, but remember, I gave it as an example of how to develop an understanding of the principles, it is a sterile training exercise. No technique you practise will work the same in a real situation. All you can do is learn how to move your body, and thus increase your chances of 'getting lucky' (IMHO)
Thats how we do exactly the same techniques in Tai Jitsu, your training partner soon gets annoyed though
Is your focus judo for self defence, or judo for MMA? I think MMA skills are probably more useful than sport judo for self defence but isn't it the case that Yoshida has had to work hard at developing his judo game in order to compete in MMA? If you want to talk MMA - who is better Hidehiko Yoshida or Karo Parisyan? Yoshida MMA record is 4-2-1 vs Parisyan 13-3-0. Parisyan fights and now always trains no-gi.
As far as I was aware, he just had to incorporate striking, though I may be wrong. I know nothing about Parisyan but he does sound cool
Article about Parisyan - http://www.blackbeltmag.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=69 Check out his record, fight pics, etc on sherdog
Different weight classes I believe. If you are talking Judo, I'd say Yoshida. Karo is nationally ranked and all, but Yoshida's got the olympic gold medals and whatnot. MMA would be a little more difficult to say. Karo's had more time to integrate his judo skills in MMA than Yoshida. As for no gi self-defense uses, wrists, biceps, back of the neck, and underhooks, are a variety of different spots you can grip that could be used to setup some nice throws. Scroll down the forum and you might still be able to see Karo throwing Lytle with a nice harai goshi, using what looked like underhooks if I remember right. Personally, I would probably use the leg techniques more in a self-defense situation. Since i am not all too competent when it comes to my hip throws, I would try leg attacks (O-uchi gari, ko-uchi gari, any of the O-sotos.) Makikomis should also work well without the use of a gi. Key of course is kozushi. If you dont have that, you might as well start striking at that range.
