Every time you see a judo throw executed in top competition, something must have happened to set up the throw.
It took me a long time to realise that what was truly important to study wasn’t the throw itself, but the precursors that allowed the throw to happen.
Conversation
Examples of precursors: gripping up in a way that prevents opponent from blocking or attacking.
Setting up with another attack.
Breaking a grip (again so a block is not possible).
Forcing the opponent into an awkward stance.
Maybe this is generalisable; I’m not sure.
1
4
I suppose one obvious way this is generalisable is to always look at the context when you’re studying some management technique or business move?
But I feel this is obvious.
Whereas precursors are not, because judo novices focus on learning throws, not setups!
2
5
Actually I realise I need to explain this a bit more:
It’s really hard to throw a resisting opponent if they’re competent in judo.
If you watch carefully, the bulk of really big throws occur during a grip transition, a surprise attack, or when one opponent outgrips the other.
1
1
Outgripping here means that you have two hands on the other person, and they have only one or none on you.
If they don’t have the right grips on you, they can’t block. And they can’t throw.
You’re effectively shrinking their technique set and defences.
2
2
I wish I’d learnt this sooner. Knowledge of precursors, and that gripping situations can serve as precursors, seems to be the marker that separates the good judo players from the merely competent.
And it’s all there in every match; you just don’t know what you’re looking at.
1
4
Ok, examples. Here’s Toshihiko Koga. It’s often said that “his opponents could see ippon seoi coming, but couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
Whenever you hear something like that, you KNOW something interesting must be happening with the grips.
1
1
Koga’s whole thing is to post his left hand on your chest, break your right handed grip (meaning you just lost most of your attacks), and prevent your left hand from grabbing onto anything.
Once he puts you in that position, ippon seoinage is pretty unstoppable.
1
Example two: Neil Adams throwing a black belt like a child. (This is basically code for ‘the precursors here are probably ridiculous’).
Notice the opponent’s right hand. It’s rarely on Adams’s lapel. No lapel hand = no attacks, no defences.
1
2
Final example: Kosei Inoue throwing (now) US coach Shintaro Higashi like a child.
Again notice Shintaro’s right hand. Count the number of times it grabs hold of Inoue’s lapel in a useful way.
Replying to
The third video is actually more interesting because Shintaro does manage to grab hold of the lapel multiple times, sometimes for extended periods. But Inoue does something that nullifies the grip, and therefore the attacks.
I’m not good enough (yet) to know what it is.
2