CLUB NEWs & ARTICLES

2011-04-30T11:03:00.047+10:00

Kuzushi the art of (Un-balancing)

One of the things that distinguishes a beginner from a more advanced student, is the ability to focus attention on your opponent's balance. It is one of the differences between learning a throw, and being able to effectively apply a throw. Many martial artists tell me that they know how to do basic J...udo throws like seoinage or osotogari for example. However, learning to get your body into the proper position to effectively apply your strength is only part of learning a Judo throw. The real trick to making Judo techniques work easily is to find a way to catch your opponent off-balance or to force your opponent off-balance.

Most people do a fine job of getting off-balance by themselves. One way to apply Judo throws is simply to catch the opponent at every opportunity that he or she gives you. It is just not possible to move without some degree of imbalance. It is certainly not easy for your opponent to attack you without a force and movement that makes him or her vulnerable to your counter attack. However learning to take advantage of your opponent's imbalance requires a finely tuned sense of timing. In order to be at the right place at the right time, you generally have to anticipate the opponent's movements, a skill that requires a great deal of experience.

Another way to apply kuzushi is to setup or force your opponent into a weak position. There are many ways of moving that will result in your opponent responding in a predictable way so that you can anticipate it and take advantage of it. It can be as simple as stepping forward and pushing on your opponent, which usually results in the opponent stepping back, bracing, and pushing back. This in turn gives you the opportunity to throw them forward in the direction of their push. The most common way to force your opponent off-balance is to use combination throws, where the first throw attempted puts the opponent into an unstable position so that a subsequent attack can be successful.

Kuzushi is very often thought of as simply pushing or pulling. At more advanced levels however it is much more than that. For example, kuzushi can also be achieved by breaking the opponent's rhythm, fake attacks, strikes, changes of body position or grip, kiai (a shout), or a sudden change in speed or tempo. A critical element in kuzushi is that it should disrupt more than the body. Kuzushi is very much a mental thing. Kuzushi should always disrupt the opponent's concentration, resulting in a momentary opportunity for an attack. This is one of the reasons confidence is such an important factor in Judo. A strong and positive mental attitude can often dominate a weaker state of mind, resulting in effective kuzushi.

Regardless of the physical size and strength of the opponent, kuzushi will always make a throw work more efficiently. Of course the same principle applies to any technique, including grappling techniques such as chokes and joint locks. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, made the principle of kuzushi one of the fundamental elements of Judo, distinguishing it from old schools of jujitsu. The principle of kuzushi is still considered to be one of his major contributions to the study of martial arts. Don't neglect it in your study of Judo.
Grips and the Utilization of Clothing

Critics say judo techniques rely too heavily on the gripping of the gi and are ineffective when an opponent has no garment to grab.

These critics are obviously evaluating the effectiveness of judo techniques from a mixed martial arts perspective, where a majority of the contestants fight bareback, wearing nothing more than board shorts and a pair of four ounce gloves.

In combat and on the street, however, an enemy combative or assailant will more than likely be fully clothed. And consider this: if you are ever attacked by someone wearing nothing, there is always Hadaka-jime (a rear naked choke) as seen in above picture, ha, ha.
Ude Garami-Bent Arm Lock

Ude garami, or bent arm lock, can be done many ways and from different positions in Kodokan Judo. The opponent's arm can be bent upwards towards the head or down towards the legs. It often uses considerable twisting action that can injure the shoulder as well as the primary target of the elbow joint.

To achieve the strongest position to apply the armbar you must bend the opponent's elbow and seize his/her wrist with your hand so that the thumb side or your hand is closest to your opponent's elbow.
You then reach under the opponent's elbow with your other arm and grab onto your own hand or wrist.

This is the armbar as seen above is used by a Judoka Masahiko Kimura to defeat Helio Gracie, who founded Gracie Jiujitsu. Due to respect now all the Brazilian Jiujitsu students now call this armbar the Kimura.

IJF OLYMPIC JUDO VS JAPANESE JUDO
lets get the ball rolling, by giving a personal perspective and opinion. It also relates for me to what is "true" or "traditional Judo". True or traditional Judo is what originated in Japan from Kano Shihan and demonstrates all his principles of Judo .

For myself only Japanese Judo can be traditional Judo (or true) Judo because it is the form that I aspire to as most pure and defined by the principles I find most attractive and noble. To the extent that Olympic Judo is able to emulate Japanese Judo and follow the traditional forms and principles, for me, defines its success.
Of course we call Olympic Judo .....Judo. What else can it be called? But the standard has to always remain defined by its Japanese origins. As time goes by non-Japanese progress in the art most collectively call Judo will change the nature of the landscape and the art. But until a universal code, philosophy and set of principles arises that is superior to those put in place by Kano Shihan for Judo, I will follow no other.

For myself, I would use Olympic Judo or competition Judo synonymously because that is how Judo is regarded in the west .....as a sport, entertainment, fitness training, self-defence or whatever. Of course this misses the richness and beauty of Kano Shihan's vision of a system of physical, social and emotional education for humanity. To improve the quality of each individual life, promote harmonious communities, provide rigor and purpose = happiness. Visions don't come much grander than that and it will take a long time until I subscribe to a form of Judo as rich Kano Shihan's model.

In Japan today, traditional Judo is taught nearly everywhere, Judo competitions are run by traditional Kodokan rules as they have for years. This means Kodokan Judo compliments 40% to 50% more techniques than the Olympic Judo rules.

Olympic Judo competition rules are to suit the spectator and not the Judokas, by taking useful techniques out of the competition not to complicate the viewers watching the event, does no justice to the traditional Judo philosophy, and that is the self defence and physical education. So Olympic Judo is just a false interpretation of the traditional Judo of the Japanese origin, very sad and misleading.

So in my opinion, those who are teaching or practicing Judo only to follow the Olympic or IJF competitions regulations in Australia, is not doing real Judo, and are doing a disservice to there members, students and Kano's Judo. As Koji Komuro sensei has stated to me of the mat, you are only competitor for a short time, but a martial artist for life. Now ask your self "what are you"?
Regards Sensei John.

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS

2009-04-20T14:57:00.323+10:00

There was over 50 competitors from SJA at our end of year comp and what a great display of Judo. well done to all the competitors. Japanese Consular representative, Chief Inspector, Kozo Shiomi spoke at the Seishinkan end of year break-up awards ceremony on the significance of judo to Japanese policing. Mr Shiomi said that he was very pleased to see authentic judo being taught and practised at Seishinkan Judo Academy. Mr Shiomi was presented with Honorary membership of SJA and will be training with SJA until he returns to Japan late in 2011.

Mr. Shiomi who was so impressed with SJA, that it has now brought our relationship even closer ,where Mr. Shiomi has formely invited the SJA sensei's to the Kyoto police agency to assist with their training in the near future.

SJA CLUB PHOTOS & VIDEOS

2009-04-20T12:52:00.095+10:00

SJA 2010 End of Year Celebration

GOOD FRIEND AND COACH SHIHAN ARTHUR MOORSHEAD

SJA FIRST DOJO AND SJA STUDENTS BELOW 2006

Sensei John Guljas in 1979 as an 8 year old Judoka-below

SEISHINKAN JUDO ACADEMY AUSTRALIA

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