Newaza practice can be grueling and difficult at times, leading to frustration and reliance on bad technique and pain-compliance type moves. As we are here to learn good form in a safe environment, please take a moment to watch this video by BJJ expert Keenan Cornelius.
Note: regarding pressure point/pain compliance moves and finger grabbing during training. It is one thing to want to emulate live/competition environmemts where opponents may try these types of moves, but causing your training partners to unnecessary pain just showcases your lack of technique and reliance on moves that you can't rely on. It is the gentle way, not the 'dirty tricks that don't work on people who are better than you' way.
Clearly judo newaza and bjj practice are different, so watch with a grain of salt, but the overall lesson is the same: the golden rule applies in the dojo, so do your best to be kind to your training partners!
Sensei Go Tsunoda is a master of kumi kata (grip fighting)
Kumi kata can difficult to learn, and is one of the base defining factors of an individual's style of judo, as it determines your style of kuzushi.
Watching the clip below allows us to catch a few pointers. Notice the following:
The move shown at the timestamp (8:40) is essentially an armdrag optimized for judo
An armdrag, familiar to bjj practicioners, wrestlers, and football players, is usually designed to let you get behind or past an opponent.
Sensei Tsunoda instead uses the motion to turn the opponent and set up his kuzushi for o uchi/ko uchi gari.
Steps
Key:
Tori - you Uke - person getting thrown TR - tori right TL - tori left UR - uke right (your left) UL - uke left (your right)
Both opponents start right foot forward (tai stance)
1. TL hand on UR sleeve, TR on UR collar - same side grip, both hands on the UR side. UR on TL collar, UL on TR sleeve.
2. Slowly/subtly load uke towards their right foot by pulling down uke's collar toward you with TR hand (imagine tryong to get to a bicep curl position), dropping your hips back slightly for power (pulling with body weight is more effective than arms alone)
3. In that instant, keep tight as you step towards uke w TL foot while at the same time opening/turning your body to the right (clockwise if looking from aboe), pulling uke w TR hand (bring your TR elbow out and up) down and away w TL hand to break the grip, off balancing uke to their front and exposing their back to you with full double control of their UL arm.
4. Lightly plant the TL (stepping foot) and face opponent, TR (now lead foot again) pointing toward uke and anticipating where uke will plant their feet. Your TR foot will be aiming between uke's foot as uke lines up perpendicular to your TR foot.
5. As your opponent turns to square up and shuffles their feet to balence,once more, use that moment to shuffle past and in between the uke's feet for the o uchi/ko uchi.
It's 2 kuzushi motions chained
The initial subtle pull can be considered its own kuzushi, turning you into a spring while pulling the uke slightly onto their right fot.
Coupling motions
One of the base kuzushi movementsassociated with foot sweeps is often called "turning the wheel/bus" here, where you imagine turning a circle, hqnds 180 degrees apart, staying parallel. This allows you to maximize the force going either clockwise or counterclockwise at any given moment. As you practice the movement, feeling the optimal planes for coupling your hands will allow for more comsistent grip breaking.
Don't let your right hand stop your o uchi/ko uchi entry
To finish the motion, if you don't allow your right arm to collapse/get out of the way, you will push uke away from you during entry and making your strp too shallow to complete the throw. Relax. Note: Keepingthe grip instead of letting go allows for seoi nage follow up combo.
