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