Hi

The first time I wrote something on this board I was whining about not getting any sparring in the Taijischool I went to at the time and the answer from Tim was that I should try Judo - lots of sparring - Well I can only say that Iīm sorry that I didnīt start right then.

Iīm only been doing it for 2 - 3 months but Iīm totally lovinīit - You get your cardiotraning along with the strengh-, and flexibilitypart as well AND loads of sparring, both standing and on the ground - and even if I get my behind whooped frequently itīs really fun.

Iīve got some difficulties however - apart the part of gasing out - I havenīt done any real cardiotraining the last two years so itīs really hard just to keep up with the others who are by the way 10 - 15 years younger than me and they are a couple of belts higher also, I was put in the advanced class īcouse we were too

few beginners to have a class of our own - anyway the school are doing good in competitions and all of that so they are focused at training in how to win tournaments but to me the training is more about defending my self so when we are doing stand - up and when I land on the mat I want to keep going and the answer is - Nono, we are doing Just standing - up now - and when we are on the ground - well, to me it isnīt over until I pinned my opponent ( or more likely heīs pinned me ) The thing of counting points are, to me, rather strange.

One other problem is that when the sparring starts I go totally blank in my mind, canīt think of any techniques at all for the first seconds and ítīs about then I discover Iīm in the air,hipthrow or something, now I donīt know many techniques to speak of but one might think that it should be easier not having too many to choose from but I guess itīs a beginnerthing.

Has anyone any good techniques how to get to the two-on-one, when someoneīs gotten a good grip on your lapelle and your gi on the other arm, or just how to avoid that grip.

The things Iīve seen on the net is getting the opponents arm of the gi ( not the lapelle - grip) either with one hand or two but if your opponents is strong itīs really hard to get it off Iīve discovered and it looks that they are using a whole lot of arm/shoulder - strength doing it.

When doing it with two hands the problem is that the other guy whoīs holding my lapelle is pulling me back and forth the whole time and trying to throw me or sweep me and making me loose my balance and in the end Iīm on the mat again so Iīve been thinking if the trick is that never allowing the opponent to get that grip.

Another question to anyone is if you think that Taiji would go well together with judo, both have throws, standing grappling, taiji got the kicks and strikes and judo has the groundgame

Regards
Tobias

i don't know about the specific situations you're getting in, but one good drill we do at the Wu is gi pummeling.

start from standard judo grips instead of wrestling over/under. then pummel in using your elbows and stance.

e.g. if he has a sleeve grip, back up to straighten his arm taking away his power, down elbow in and now you have underhook

or if he has a lapel grip, back up same away, come up under with an up elbow, now you have overhook

rotate from and to these three reference positions

1. double underhook (body lock)

2. overhook while grabbing opposite lapel (Tim's fave grip)

3. arm drag

all these positions will come abut while you are either trying to pummel in or repummeling to counter his pummeling in.

this is really hard to explain without showing it.

I suggest bugging Tim or Meynard for a clearer response.

good luck

JP

Thanks a bunch - really appreciate it

Iīm trying to get a clear picture of it but itīs kinda hard to see - When you say "Down elbow in"

Do you mean that I should thrust my elbow down towards the mat making the opponent lose his grip and then gripping his arm from underneath?

I found a clip on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXgcPkhdIhg

Is that similar to the armdrag you work on at shen wu?

Thanks again
Tobias

yeah exactly while straightening his arm, you can actually step in and reach around his waist for a hip throw (while switching your lapel hand to his arm), i think its harai ogoshi, not sure ask Tim. but i'm sure its a basic hip throw

this is how Tim teaches the throw. in tradtional judo they just teach you the throw from the right side and your opponent is just supposed to let you do it.

No one is going to let you throw them, especially when they can block you out with their sleeve grip.

Tim teaches to break the lapel grip with down elbow step in tight reach around, grab his lat,while switching your lapel grip to his arm breaking his posture, as he attempts to correct himself, step your feet in between his, load him like a backpack and dump.

that video is pretty close to the arm dragging. i don't know why they slow downed so much for the drag. the scramble at the end was fluid. they also were pretty far apart but that might be to show the movement better on camera.

strive for fluidity and sensitivity without losing structure, like in pushing hands motion, you've done this before, now your doing it with combat techniques, force and clothes.

another thing the video showed was no one moving their feet and they were only doing one attack (arm drag go behind).

as you get better pummel while moving your feet. starting with underhook leg forward you feel as you switch sides with your head to create space your body will naturally alternate feet in motion similar to the triangle footwork of wing chun/kali.

also with a gi play to the three grips, no gi add other attacks besides arm drag-go behind. duck unders, bodylock crush, leg pick.

but go smooth don't try to "win"

bad pummeling looks like bad push hands or chi sau and you don't want to be that guy.

It would be great to actually see the techniques
- hard to get it from text only - maybe on the virtual academy site

Why don't you just ask your instructor? He's there with and can see what you are and are not doing correctly.

Also, you've just started. I wouldn't be worried about trying to beat someone for a while longer.

Just work on your techniques and don't worry so much about the grips. I'm starting to see more and more white belts with really good gripping technique, but they couldn't do a throw to save their life.

http://oldmanjudo.blogspot.com/

Thanks Jason for the clip

Abdullah - Youīre right in the getting-the-technique-to work - thing but those techniques mentioned really sounded fun to know and theyīre to my understanding set - up techniques and if you donīt know them itīs really hard - to me anyway - to get anything to work

Okay,

Try this then. When a big guy grabs you w/a strong grip, pull him into you. This will create considerable tension. He knows you're there and you know he's there.

I like to turn my shoulders to the right as I pull my oppt's right arm across my chest w/my right arm, like an arm drag. But unlike an arm drag, I'm not trying to get around him.

Don't worry if you don't get your oppt's hand off of your lapel, b/c you've rendered his right arm useless. He has to change his grip if he wants to use that hand, which is the point. YOu should be at a 90 degree angle with no space. Make sure your other hand is pulling him in the whole time.

Then, release your grip on your oppts right sleeve w/your left hand and grab his belt, jacket, or come around his head. I usually come in w/a hip throw or footsweep. If my opponent moves his hips away, I like to counter w/kata guruma, double leg or a sacrifice throw.

When the big guys figure out what you're doing, attack to the other side as you're doing the above. That should stop them from taking a death grip.

Good luck.

Thank you very much, Abdullah
This is really good stuff

nice set up. good stuff.

gene mills has youtube videos of a series of attacks from the russian two on one like Abdullah is describing.

it's a wonderful choice as it is applicable both in and out of the gi.

i suggest sumi gaeshi.

consult my blog from a week or two back;
www.rivercitypc.blogspot.com

here we go

http://rivercitypc.blogspot.com/2008/04/sutemi-waza.html

gene mills

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iGtt08OZNVQ

and more good stuff