Judo Class Notes

Wednesday 01/30/02
It was a small class last night, only about seven of us and four senseis. Senei Vince showed us some modified uchi mata [1], hane goshi [1], harai goshi [1], and we were updated on the new head-touch rule for uchi mata. The new rule for uchi mata [1] is you need to turn your head if your head nears the floor or you may be penalized hasoku make and expelled from the tournament.

Sensei Vince's technique for uchi mata [1] involves shooting your right leg into uke's right inner thigh. This form is easier for those who don't have enough flexability in their hip and legs to do the traditional uchi mata. By shooting to uke's right leg instead of uke's left, uke will come of the mat easier and with less effort. Tori needs to kick up much higher in the traditional (uke's left leg) uchi mata which can limit this throw to tori's who are flexible.

Later on, we went through some randori. I matched up against Benji. We were going through the movements when Benji launched a poorly formed sasei tsurikomi ashi. His pull was OK, but he pulled his fist up and into my lip which bloodied up quickly. I spent the rest of the night trying to stop the bleeding.

Monday 01/28/02
After warm-up, we played a little grip strength game. We divided the class into two sides. Each side had to pull the opposing side over the line (like judo tug-o-war). The trick to get both of your opponents feet across the line is that teams can gang up on one opponent by pulling with their teammate.

Later on, we worked on some finer points of newaza. When your opponent has his legs wrapped around your middle, grab his pants at the inner thigh and drive the knees down, slide your left hand under his right leg and grasp his belt forcing his leg up onto your shoulder. While pinning the left leg with your hand, pull your right leg up to his thigh with your foot under his thigh and your calf applying pressure downward insynch with your hand. Stretch your opponents groin by leaning forward raising his right leg; driving his left leg down with your right leg. This will free up your right hand to grasp his back collar. Now quickly jump over his left leg and apply the pin.

At the very end of class, we worked on what to expect at the San Jose Buddhist Judo Tournament (February 10). The combatant in blue is called out first, then the white combatant. Walk along the outside of the mat and bow to enter the mat, bow at the start line, and step across the line and assume the defensive posture. Senei Keith called out William and Benji to the map in a mock shiai. They both walk along the outside of the mat, bowed at the mat, walked to their line and bowed. When they stepped across the line and assume the defensive position, sensei said hajime. William and Benji tied for the match. Then sensei called out John and me. We followed the regulations and assumed the defensive position. At the end of the match, John had won by a koka.

Wednesday 01/23/02
I didn't go on this night.

Monday 01/21/02
We learned a little about the competition coming up [San Jose Buddhist Judo Tournament (February 10)]. We did uchikomi and kuzushi.

Wednesday 01/16/02

Monday 01/14/02

Wednesday 01/09/02
Another great night of judo. I am beat-all-to-hell, but it is worth the bruises/badges. I am trying to be more agressive on the attack and it is paying off.

Monday 01/07/02
Yeah! What a great night of practice. I was totally psyched to go to judo, I had plenty of rest and I couldn't wait to get tossed. Small group last night, but that led us to do more instruction on combinations. We practiced kouchi gari/ouchi gari combo, sasei tsurikomi ashi/osoto gari combo, ouchi gari/tai otoshi [1], and kouchi gari/tai otoshi tai otoshi [1]. Later I did randori practice with Sensei Bryce. I need to keep my hips quick and light to strike fast.

Wednesday 01/02/02
Oh how lazy I have been--not writing in my journal. I was out of practice since before 12/19/01. I came back tonight after staying up late and going to work early. I should have continued to do some exercises while not in judo. This was not a good night of practice for me. I was sucking wind after 15 minutes. I had to keep reminding myself of the time that I had taken off. That was the only way to make this torturous night bearable. Sensei Vince led the group in warm up followed by uchikomi.

Wednesday 12/19/01

Monday 12/17/01

Monday 11/19/01
Back to judo after illness. Since I was out, I started to work lightly on yoga to help my balance and flexability so my first night back wouldn't be too bad. I missed the Hokka clinic yesterday (11/18). I went to the dojo early-- streched for the first half hour of the young kids class and helped with some training during the last half hour. I was warmed up well for the start of the adult class. François was there and also a new guy (William) who was into BJJ for about a year (he has a friend named John) then he took a break for four years before coming to judo.

Last night we practiced some moving uchikomi and some timing moves like yoko otoshi [1, 2], hiza guruma [1], kouchi gari [1], and deashi harai [1]

10/31/01 through to 11/14/01
Have been sick. Unable to practice.

Monday 10/29/01
It has been a while since I have made an entry, but this doesn't mean I haven't learned anything.

Here is a trick from sensei Bryce to fight off a stiff-arm defense:
If you are being stiff-armed by your opponents right arm, grab his sleeve with your right hand under the elbow and pull it toward you to keep it tight to your chest, with your left arm place your fore arm into crease of his open elbow and drive it down into your left side while stepping towards his right side. As soon as your left hip is near his right hip, remove your left arm and grab his judogi or obi and try tai otoshi tai otoshi [1] or o uchi mata and drive his ass over. Keep this up to help break the stiff arm defense.

5/14/01 through to 10/24/01
It pays to make frequent backups of your HTML files. A lot of data was lost here.

Monday 5/14/01
This was my first night back after my knee injury. My knee is still a little sore and I took it easy at the request of sensei Ed. I practiced balanced movements (tai sabaki), foot sweeps, foot movements (tsugi ashi), falls (ukemi), and moving into position for throws (tsukuri).

I worked with Roddy on his tsukuri technique and he helped me with mine. Senei Bryce woked with me again on the moving seoi nage and stationary o soto gari. My knee was sore after practice, but not too bad.

Wednesday 5/9/01
Dennis brought his extra judogi jacket so I could do more than foot sweep practice. This night we started out by watching a video of an All-Japan champion's instructional tape (it was in Japanese so I couldn't understand much, but I watched and learned). Warm up consised of push ups, crunches, and different mock moves. We then went into jumping forward rolls which was fun and easy. Everyone decided that it was time for some mat work. I got to work with Roddy, but he had a bad rib and sat out. I then worked with Julienne. I asked Julienne to work with me by actually trying to pin me. What a great work out (I have a "raspberry" on my knee). Senei Bryce came over to watch and instruct me on what not to do. He said not to stretch out my arms or I may be put into an arm bar. Senei Bryce grabbed Tom (Mr. Stretch-O [he is very flexible]) to work on more techniques with me. Tom wrapped his legs around my middle which is a pin I guess (he is in control of the match at least). Senei Bryce said that if I stand up (all the way to my feet), the hold is considered broken. Or, When in the leg hold around my middle, I need to grab the pants at the knee and drive the knees down and out to break the hold. Sensei Bryce then took me aside to show me the basic defences and attacks on the mat. When I am on my back, I need to keep my knees up and place my feet on the hip of the attacker so I can control the attack. When I get a chance, I need to get back to my knees or feet.

Later, I worked with Carl. I thought I was ready to take a fall from seoi nage, so I asked Carl to throw me. I was fine on the first throw, but my legs crossed when I landed. On the second throw, I tried to land with my feet in the proper position, but I wound up landing on my leg sideways which streched my knee ligaments to the side. It was a dull pounding pain. Well, I was done for the night. I will be back for more later.

Monday 5/7/01
I worked with Sensi Bryce on making the transition from static (standing still) throwing to moving (kinetic) throws. We started with my favorite (ippon seoi nage [1, 2]). We worked like I was performing kata.

1. step back with the right foot, step back with the left
2. step back with the right and pivot the left foot counter clockwise around the right
3. release the right hand and move it into ippon seoi nage
4. move back into the throw position and stop

Wednesday 5/2/01
I was instructed by sensei Ed. We worked more on ukemi from a standing position along with foot sweep practice. Working on moving into position for ippon seoi nage, I trained with a partner (Margret) to slide my feet just in front of hers with my back straight. Then we worked on a new throw, o goshi [1]. A little later, we worked on the first two easy katame techniques. My partner and I learned hon kesa gatame [1] and kami shiho gatame [1]. Lastly, I partnered with an advanced student (Dennis) who was instructed to sweep my foot with de ashi harai [1] so I could practice ukemi.

Monday 4/30/01
I was instructed by sensei Keith to start with a basic grab and work up to my first throw. Yeah, Baby, Yeah! My first technique comes from the Gokyo no waza (Nage waza) group 1. It was the Seoi-nage. This is a more difficult technique than the ippon-seoi-nage for me. Tori's right wrist has to be strong and uke should be the same height to help tori learn. Getting in close and low to uke is tori's goal. The second throw is a variation of the first. It is called ippon-seoi-nage [1, 2]. This was easier on the wrist, but had more mechanics to master. When the right arm of tori goes under the right arm of uke, tori's arm at the elbow needs to pinch uke's tricep. If tori goes in to uke's right arm too high, uke can turn this into a choke.

Wednesday 4/25/01
My second night. There were a lot of new faces this night. The warm up was more rigorous than I was expecting. During warm up, I realised that it would be beneficial to learn to count to ten in Japanese.

Monday 4/23/01
My first day. Wow, this was great. I learned how to fall. Sensei Keith had me work with Carl (a black belt). Carl introduced me to ukemi. Most of my falls started on my butt. I did back falls, side falls, from my butt and then moved up to a kneeling position. Then I added a forward roll from kneeling. There are 8 positions to break someones balance (kuzushi): forward, backward, left right , left forward, right forward, left backward, and right backward.

Remember: bow in, bow on, bow off, bow out. Bow when entering the "dojo", bow when stepping onto the mat, bow when leaving the mat, bow when leaving the dojo. Also, bow to your training partner.

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