Judo seminar notes

This past week I got to attend probably the most fun and productive seminar I have ever been to.  One of the many treats was getting to work with Sensei Bob Rea on judo.  While we're waiting for the films to be processed and available on YouTube, here are some of my notes...

• Solo movement drills that he likened to the Tomiki walking kata - walking forward deashi sweeping until your little toes touch each other, skipping 2 tsugiashi forward then sweeping deashi, laterals, and laterals with following sweeps (like okuriashi)
• Sweep the footprint not the foot or ankle.  This also helps with timing b/c uke does not have a footprint until he starts to put his foot down.
• Osotogari - pull your sweeping leg in with your ipsilateral arm, make a circular motion to stick his other elbow in your belly instead of pulling in, sweep the direction his toes are pointing.
• Taiotoshi - This is a version that, if I understand it right, he practiced with or learned from Wim Ruska (pictured below). turning out wide on the line of uke's feet and popping under the inside of uke's near leg, like a small uchimata.
• Okuriashibarai - follow the foot instead of propelling it because you always make your self late by propelling.  same on kosotogari. Then after you follow uke to his peak, cut both his feet toward your standing little toe.
• Uchimata - (again, from Ruska I think) sister throw to okuriashibarai. Practice uchikomi with uke doing sumo dance. time the sweep on the footfall of the swept leg and pull the legs apart instead of lifting.
• Perhaps the most incredible and important advice he gave was not technical.  He says instructors often get bogged down teaching everyone else and helping everyone else and they lose track of their own development.  He told all the instructors in the room to be sure that they choose something that they suck at and put it in their "learning circle," and prioritize working on it.  I think for me, this might just be the uchimata that he showed.

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Patrick Parker
www.mokurendojo.com