| Even a black belt judo man sometimes makes | | | | men. I will no longer practice with you.' And |
| the mistake of trying to apply a throw before | | | | he has refrained from practicing with me |
| breaking his opponent's posture. If the | | | | since. Soon afterward, I was initiated in the |
| opponent is also a black belt holder, he will | | | | mystery of the Kito-ryu jujitsu and received |
| react quickly to prevent the other man from | | | | all his books and manuscripts of the school." |
| applying a throw directly. Therefore the | | | | |
| problem of how to break your opponent's | | | | B. Take advantage of the waist and abdominal |
| posture is the first thing that must be | | | | region. |
| studied. | | | | |
| | | | To apply a throw successfully, you must break |
| A. Break your opponent's posture before | | | | your opponent's posture. To do this, you must |
| applying your throw: kuzushi (unbalancing | | | | take advantage of his long reaction time. |
| opponent). | | | | This is done by harmonizing your motion with |
| | | | his. You can develop this ability through |
| It was Dr. Jigoro Kano who discovered this | | | | long practice. You must harmonize your motion |
| principle. In reporting his discovery, he | | | | with his, making thorough use of the forces |
| said: 'Mr. Iikubo was over fifty years old at | | | | working on you and your opponent. |
| the time, but he was still strong, and I used | | | | |
| to work with him often. Although I practiced | | | | You can break his posture and apply your |
| my technique industriously, I could never vie | | | | throw with success. What is it that gives |
| with him. I think it was about 1885 that I | | | | your actions vitality or life? It is the |
| found, while practicing randori (free | | | | force of the waist and abdominal region, |
| practice) with him, that the techniques I | | | | technically called the correct centripetal |
| tried were extremely effective. Usually it | | | | pressure. |
| had been he who threw me. Now, instead of | | | | |
| being thrown, I was throwing him with | | | | C. Practice judo in a natural posture. |
| increasing regularity. I could do this | | | | |
| despite the fact that he was of the Kito-ryu | | | | 1. The natural posture is best for practicing |
| school and was especially adept at throwing | | | | judo. |
| techniques. | | | | |
| | | | It is clear that the natural posture is the |
| "The crux of my study was that a human body | | | | best position for practicing judo (in |
| would lose its balance if it was only pushed | | | | throwing techniques) because it is the most |
| backward or pulled forward. A carelessly | | | | convenient for a change in position and |
| standing man, however large and strong, leans | | | | direction. This is a standing position with |
| backward if pushed from the front and forward | | | | feet forming a 90 degree angle. |
| if pulled to the front; his posture is | | | | |
| broken. A strong opponent, however, may be | | | | 2. Grappling techniques require a different |
| able to resist your pushing and pulling. Even | | | | type of posture. |
| so, you can easily break his posture backward | | | | |
| if you push him backward when he pulls you | | | | In throwing, you apply techniques by taking a |
| forward, or pull him forward when he pushes | | | | standing posture. But grappling is done in a |
| you backward. It must be emphasized that the | | | | prone position, or at least with one knee |
| throw to be applied is effective only when | | | | placed on the mat. Free and easy motions are |
| the opponent has lost his balance. | | | | largely limited for you as well as for your |
| | | | opponent. So "gentleness" or "giving way" is |
| "I told Mr. Iikubo about this, explaining | | | | not so evident as it is in throwing. A lower |
| that the throw should be applied after one | | | | center of gravity and a large base mean |
| has broken the opponent's posture. Then he | | | | shackled motions. |
| said to me: 'This is right. I am afraid I | | | | |
| have nothing more to teach you. From now on, | | | | These are the three very important principles |
| you should continue your study with younger | | | | in the art and science of judo. |