From: taddiken@ms.uky.edu (scott taddiken)
Subject: Judo Esoterica
Summary: Judo kata can be fun.
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 16:27:55 GMT
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

One of the two fundamental principals of judo is "Maximum Efficiency,
Minimum Effort."  "That sounds exactly like my art!" I hear you exclaim.
Maybe.  The idea is that, given a choice of methods to toss a fellow,
you should _always_ pick the one which requires the least mental and
physical effort.

This idea is often related to the idea of ju, or yielding.  "Use his
energy against him," people say.  This is a fine idea, but fanatical
adherence to this idea is simply not judo.  Dare I say you will never
win a judo contest against reasonable opposition adhering only to the
principle of ju.  I present a case study, and an experiment for you to
try.

The first throw of the nage no kata (forms of throwing) is uki otoshi
(floating drop, I know that's not very descriptive).  This is the throw
where you catch a guy pushing on you, you sidestep, and you pull him
strongly past you, continuing him on his way.

In the kata as it is traditionally done, the thrower allows himself to
be pushed back.  He drops onto one knee, turned roughly 30 deg off line,
so that he can pull the opponent past.  He pulls, and the throwee takes
a dive.

Many seasoned competitors secretly snigger at this technique.  It doesn't
work, in the sense that it doesn't score in tournaments.  But they do it
anyway, to get their dan ranks, and perhaps say, "While it is not itself
a high scoring technique, it relates important principles.  Besides, it's
tradition."  

Humbug.

Geoff Gleeson, sometime coach of the British national team, visited the
archives of the Kodokan as a special student, and has verified to his
satisfaction that this is not the way the throw was done by Kano or his
early students, in performance of the kata.  Rather, they remained
standing through the entire movement, and there was one other crucial
subtlety: As the throwee pushed strongly, stepping with his right foot,
the thrower took a quick step forward with _his_ right foot, toward
throwee's left side.  Then he stepped back and around with his left foot,
turning hard with the hands, and throwing.  Invading his space at an off
angle in this way generates "whip".  Try it and see if you can't throw
opponents with this, provided that they are actually pushing, and
especially if they are at your weight or below.

I have taken to doing this throw on lower ranks at the moment that they
begin to push forcefully with the mistaken idea that it will help to
avoid being thrown.  It is a fabulous way to show off.  And, after all,
the motion _is_ very similar to certain entries into several footsweeps
and head-over-heels throws.

Kano felt that the three training methods of judo, in order of importance,
were 1) randori (free practice)  2) kata (2 man, set forms)
3) uchi-komi (repeated entering for the same throw).  There may well
be something to this kata stuff, but it's boring.  I suggest (gasp!)
removing all of the formality from it while practicing in the dojo.
Move around slowly and loosely, as if in some somnolent randori.  Throwee
picks three times to push strongly (or whatever he's supposed to do).
Thrower throws on the third.  In the throws where throwee is supposed to
do that silly overhead strike, instead have him take one grip and make
a huge grab at an over-the-back grip with the other hand.

I've said enough. :)
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Scott Taddiken, University of Kentucky

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