Developing your Judo #2

#2: Tachiwaza

   There were originally 40 throws in the Kodokan Gokyo and that's been updated to 67 in the past few years.  But, guess what... you don't need to know them all to be a

successful competitor.  You don't even need to know half, or even a quarter of them.

   New judoka who have been at it for only a few months think they need to know lots of techniques to be successful.  They're always in a hurry to learn more and more.  Now, there's nothing wrong with knowing lots of techniques, but if you water down your repertoire with too many throws, you're going to be too scatter-brained to even TRY a throw in a competition.  Before you know it, time is up and you haven't tried a single technique!

   Instead, try to focus on the throws which you seem to like, or come naturally to you.

Generally speaking, shorter judoka tend to better at the hand/shoulder techniques like seoinage and taiotoshi, and taller people have more success with the leg techniques like ostogari or uchimata.  That's not written in stone but whichever techniques

you like, focus on two or three of your favorites.  And then, learn all the different entries from various situations.

   For example, learn (AND practise) how to attack with seoinage moving backwards, forwards, sideways, or even as a counter technique.  If necessary, as a beginner, focus on even just one technique and become a master at it

Then no one can stop you!

By: Rainer Fischer (Canadian Olympian)