Tech Dump

...24/09/14 Wednesday...

- quick catch up of cool techniques; dont want to forget them!

Ko Uchi Gari

- got shown a grip. Take a standard right handed grip; but with left hand, instead of standard sleeve, dig fingers into Uke's elbow, and grip as if holding a handhold on a train/bus. Seems to load left arm better.

Nameless Turnover( but smells like San Kaku)

- go for your bread and butter leg position; Uke face down on the ground; post pointless (ie not ippon/wazari/yuko) throw. If righthanded (?) left heel under Uke's right armpit, Right knee next to Uke's head.

(to pivot)

-Then, get your Uke's arm stable. on knee side, (right if doing ^ version) drive left arm through elbow gap, grab gi skirt, pull through, wrap and control (got the same twist as Kesa Gatame. Aids the turn.

Interesting

No one wants you fiddling with this arm; Drill; Resistant Uke; try to wedge arm into that chicken wing gap: Uke will turn shoulder/ whole body in reaction to deny access. If they commit fully- they break their own balance- you can forward breakfall in the other direction and get them over that way!

But you have to be a good salesman. I think its a good technique; worth looking into.

Massive Field's Guts Turnover.

-Uke, face down, post pointless throw. Tori; Uke to the right side. Pry Uke's left arm out with left knee (standard)

-fake a strangle. or something with left hand. get that elbow out of the way = kuzushi. 

- get your left hand through Ukes left chicken wing hole; and grip forearm. keep it forward; keep Ukes balance out.

-Right hand; Grab Uke's belt/ Gi skirt/ anything on right hip side. Bury the grip (it needs to be good). Explosive rotation under Uke; use imbalance and right grip to to turn; both will pivot Uke over Tori's body.

-awesome if you have a gut; does it work if you don't?

O Soto Gari

-guy showed me (explanation in Japanese, smile and nod and go back to hideous lack of understanding)

- Have to be parallel vertically.

(if you lean into the throw; ie your head in front of your hips/ feet; it wrecks the motion of the throw.)

- If you can get the shoulder bump (vertically) parralel; the sweeping leg lines itself up; and it all seems to fix itself.

BUY BEST JUDO! and ask Sato to sign it!!!!

..."yesterdays class"...

 O Soto Gari

-Can't gravity Surf O-Soto Gari on fast people. My Kuzushi game isnt working. Keep being smashed backward. How to fix? Speed? Tenderising secondary attacks?

O Goshi

- got first recognisable hip throw on player today.  Righ hand grip, left throw.  Running, momentum. Player was light (65 kgs > probably).

- Left Uke's left hand out; so he put it on the ground. No score. How to fix?

-either graba and stabilise (and therefore telegraph)

- or fake and go backwards (Sumi Gaeshi?, Tanae Otoshi? Ko Soto Gari?) just ideas.

Morning Gym

Just sadomasochism (no Q's)

...25th/09/14...

"Drunken Judo"

- Staggering around seems to work for Kumikata, but after i get into position, i lock up again. How to fix? clearly a MENTAL ISSUE!

Brutal Randoori - Stayed up for 40 minutes or so.

Guys imitating me, stoked my ego (but probs wasn't a compliment)

Complimented at end of class " (I) can't breathe; body is rubbish"

Newaza

- Cant do anything here; players are too methodical. They take their time. Indulgence? how do they drill comp newaza?

Sumi Gaeshi/ Tanae Otoshi (sort of collapsing backward throws)

- Drunken Judo ; easy to get the position

BUT MUST BE ORGANIC!

LEARN POSITIVE JUDO!

Oono's Turnover.  see Massive Field's Guts Turnover. on 24/09

-Tried it on Shibuya guy; he was wasted tired (me too)
- Got stuck in legs FIX LEGS IN GROUNDWORK!

...26th/09/14...

Morning

-nothing special

 Big Brazilian Guy. (looked him up; Rafael Buzacarini) Cut at maybe 120 > ? Strong; looks like a bouncer. "Hammered Judo" could feel his balance, but didn't get close to a throw. He smashed me in Newaza. 

Guy asked me what my ranking in Aus was, my school, my teacher. Massive ego boost.

Didn't actually throw at all this night. But felt judo at least. Better than 2 years ago.

Difficulty; Staying loose, but need tensed muscles to use Kuzushi? how to do without locking up? (mental freedom)

San Kaku 

-On a UK guy (much lighter than me though), got san kaku (mentioned on ...24/09/14 Wednesday...)

- left foot under armpit, right knee as pivot. Control Uke's left arm, bury into suit (i used belt). The hate it; resist against it. Use that force; Ukemi roll with their force, loads it pretty well.

...30th/09/14 Tues.... 

7am

Newaza drills

- When crossing out Tori's legs (in Uke position) waiting for Ref's sympathy, go high

- above Tori's knees.

- Because its frustrating; and tori might do something stupid. They rattle their hips in a way that might be useful/useable in a bridge/ other kind of counter.

My standard "bear trap" Keanu Reeves strangle (sacrifice Gyaku juji Jime) 

-doesn't work here? Think Uke has to be a bit reckless with their kneck, no one does that here. got the position but couldn't use. Get more commitment from Uke if can?

Night training

- Went left all night. (Sato's "the rule of Blue Gi, you don't get to use right handed attacks") Got smashed. Felt a few ko Uchi Garis, so with a bit of work i think it could happen, got a few Sumi Gaeshi's from right handed, left throw O Goshi - failure - Sumi Gaeshi. That was it. Completely Slaughtered after class.

Idea

For those guys that are immune to the overhand grip.

-Standard right handed grip.

- Use your left for the power, but grip yourself with the right arm. Pull into the nosebleed section. Go in, Grab Uke's left lapel with your right, and in so doing transfer the grip from yourself to them.

- If you can methodically work up a grip; can you also switch from own lapel to others lapel?

-worth a shot.

...1/10/14...

Gym

-nothing to report

Baiting

-left grip; Tried to bait De-Ashi - into foot sweeping counter. It doesnt work. They break your balance first, and its unanswerable. Can only do it if you can get Uke to commit, without losing own balance.

...2/10/14...

trying to bait for (Sukui Nage )

- feels good against smaller players, but implausible without grip? possible; can do funky things with shoulders. Left grip; leave left grip on lapel; shoot right as if to grip right arm (you'd tangle yourself if you actually did) break balance backward with shoulder.

Got smashed.

-also got 2nd O Goshi; right handed throw with left grip. Seems to work if washing machine context- smaller players. TIGHTEN!

Morning

nothing

IDEA (drunken judo idea)

Load a heavy readable O goshi (godzilla everyone-knows-its-gonna-eat-that-building-and-yet-why-are-we-all-paralyzed-in-fear?) Bullshit the hip spin in for position; Uke will step off. Slip back hand off lapel and onto overhand; crush Uke's grip in your body if you can.

Use your shoulder and overhand grip to break Uke backward. Stumble into Uke forwards, point of contact will be shoulder. Seems to work if you move as if wasted.

Ko Soto Gari

-if i chill out; loosen up as if totally hammered; i can sometimes land Ko Soto off the first grip in Randoori. After, Uke Knows, and doesn't let it happen again. STAY LOOSE; but find out how to use it with speed!

Tried it in the heavier divisions; Hammered style doesn't work so well. Sumi Gaeshi's dont work on Kondo (probably Tallest player in Tokai Judo) 

If Tori has power, must be quick enough to move within their throws. Hammered Judo could work; but not there yet

MUST GET FASTER!

Strength.

-i don't want to get too strong; my judo will turn to shit. I want TECHNIQUE.  (nuclear arms race)

 

 ...3/10/14...

Morning

Running training.

-ran along raised bricks- balance exercise.

-wrecked legs. 

Evening

Blocking O Soto Gari with Nenad's hip block. Working well. 

- how to shift into counter?

- wrecked legs.

-went to pachinko ( urinal game that measures volume of pee)

Drank 4.5 litres of water after training; peed out 1

MORE WATER!

LESS COFFEE!

NO CIGARETTES!

...4/10/14 ...

Wrecked

cramping. 

Stood on Yoga ball instead. Got Kudos Ego boost.

Gym.

Legs were fried. Upper body only.

...6/10/14...

2 hour training

got a single 2 minute Randoori, FRUSTRATING

...7th/10/14...

Morning Newaza Session

-Generally got smashed by all

-british player got out of my grip ( i had him; he was turtle-ing, i went for sankaku)

-by relaxing and slipping shoulder out. 

LEARN HOW TO DO: HAMMERED GROUNDWORK.

Evening.

Got no randoori until the end. Demoralising.

Stuck up my hand. Nobuyuki Sato told someone; who told someone else; to go with me. 

Drunken threw them once. They threw me maybe 4 times.

Trying to learn how to walk on hands. Making progress.

Drunken Stance doesn't work on bigger stronger players

FEET! USE EM!

...8th/10/14...

Gym.

-make it a goal to stand on a yoga ball; and throw and catch medicine ball against wall.

- difficult; but i think doable!

About to exceed 5x 3 chinups, ill go to 6.

Night

(the usual death and destruction?)

...9th/10/14... 

Morning

-Thought had running; actually had gym again.

-maybe i messed up the dates?

Night

-Hammered Judo. Vincent lambasted. attempted explanation; cannot move Japanese people without it.

-Sweeping ( Sumi Gaeshi?); getting limited success out of it; but progress!

-Move as if to Sumi Gaeshi- then change; to wobbly axis Harae Goshi. Loading weight foot must be stable!

 -Had conversation with Sato! Whoo!

...10/10/14...

Morning

-took off (needed it)

Afternoon

-Popped left knee attempting left Ko-Uchi- Gari with right Grip against Massive field. Didn't break his balance properly, didn't get the hands right, he threw me well. Ura nage; my leg stayed buried on his left heel.Cracked sideways, small noise.

Georgian guy. (Varlam Liparteliani)

-showed me an awesome strangle; Uke on all fours, Tori (from right of Uke) slip right hand through as if to hold Uke's left shoulder, from outside. Get left hook in. Turn over. With buried right hand, grip on own left sleeve, inside. Use as fulcrum for strangle. Cheap, easy, efficient. He's third in the 90kgs> I think now.

Hammered Judo

its working; my body isn't. Can get through grips, need to understand KUZUSHI!

saw a guy go for  (left) O Soto Gari; he didn't get the balance, so he went again, and bounced his leg off his opponent, like a jackhammer. Dont try pushing it through; shock it through!

Idea "The wrecking ball Ko Uchi Gari"

take a grip, get close enough to swing. Then; drop your body like it is paralyzed, your body should swing into positon because gravity + grip. without need to fit in with own effort. 

for straight after kumite, would work with O Uchi Gari? maybe O Soto gari too.

-NB i tried this; didnt really work as I thought it would; required some twisting. 

...14/10/14...

Gym ball

-three sets, Seiza, throw 3 Kg medicine ball against wall and catch, 50X

-3 sets; take 10 kg sack of sand, lift with one arm out at 90 degree angle; counter with balance, 4X

3x5 chinups

3x20 pushups

3x30 leg situps

2x 4.00min bridging

(chipped because i held my butt too high; so lower and actually do the exercise!)

Knee still feels rubbish.

...16/10/14...

3x20 pushups

1x 5 chinups (got weak)

3 x 50 medicine ball/ Yoga ball balance

3 x 30 leg situps.

Picked up 10kg's of sand and STOOD! Whoo!

2 x 4.00 min bridge

 Georgian Coach;   Jumped on top of yoga ball and balanced! cool!

Fell off yoga ball twisting around like a drunk.

-Twisted my knee a bit; landed on my right hip blade, my back. Hurts to walk. Want to learn how to stand on yoga ball while drunken swaying.

...20/10/14...

Could do Uchi Komi; Picked up heavy weight player with Seoi- felt ok.

Drank 4.5 litres of Beer the day B4, need to take ownership over own life. what decision?

went off to do my thing

3x50 wall/ yoga ball medicine ball catches

3x10 yoga ball / catch medicine ball from above ( from vertical)

stood a little

3 x 30 leg sit ups

3 x 20 pushups

3x 5 pushups

2 x 4.00 min bridges

maybe 10 seconds of standing on yoga ball with 10 kg. Metal.

(on hands) walked the longest and most stable ever tonight. OOSU!

Wanna Drill 2 ideas:

1. get a belt; do uchi komi on it.

-left seoi

-right seoi

-then; instead of spinning in; spinn out; into jackie chan drunk stance. 

(ie back away from opponent; head behind hips; maintain grip on Uke but facing opposite way; requires superhuman amounts of control over balance)

(how to use? think it could be good to confuse, and feel could lead into openings)

-Left drunk Jackie Chan stance

-Right Drunk Jackie Chan stance.

do each 10 times, in that order, so they can flow into each other. 

2. I think the word is Tai Tsubaki

Pick a line on the floor (tiled/planked floors are good)

walk across it by swapping 180 degree stances into flat jigotai. Ie (imagine the point is the direction of your face, the end edges are your feet.)

-\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\\/ alternate spinning in left and right.

like turning in for Seoi or any hip throw, but turning in to the side, not to opposite Uke.

See if you can get it fluid.

(get really dizzy)

but with drunk stance; if able to pull it off = confusing!

...21/10/14...

 

Did Uchi Komi for 2nd time since injury.

3 x 30 yoga ball medicine ball catches (wall)

3 x 10  vertical catches

3 x 20 Pushups

3 x 30 leg situps

2 x 4 min bridges

3 x 5 chinups

1 x 10 sec  10 kg yoga ball stand (Dropped it deliberately; if balance is dead over ball, it doesnt shake balance at all)

2 x 4 extend 10 kg bag over each arm

Ideas

belt; Uchikomi; get good at spinning in and out of seoi conventional stance to Jackie Chan drunken stance.

Tried deliberately unbalancing on yoga ball; while in Seiza. Its easier to regain balance by slapping ball; like sumo kuzushi

Grip Game- Throw own balance at opponent; and slap walk/ Sumo palm up their lapel to regain. might get a reaction?

Buy a hula hoop ! Nenad (good judo players can use hula hoops!) 

Walked pretty far on hands today; felt pretty good.

"The Slam Chamber" (picture sucks but imagine that each "0" is the same distance from "X", that distance being less than Toris extended arm span)

                                              0

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5 people (all Tori.) kneel in seiza; have a yoga ball in their hands (positioned as 0)

(Uke "the test subject" in  centre; standing (positioned as X)

Toris can use the yoga ball in their hands to unbalance Uke in any way they choose

goal is to get Uke to fall over.

Uke's (the test subjects)  goal is to retain balance without changing feet stance.

Attackers - positioned a bit closer than arms length away from the test subject. If one person extends their arms while holding the ball, the test subject should be able to dodge it without moving feet; by moving their hips.

Attackers have the choice of bumping the test subject; or throwing the ball at the subjects hips; only.  It requires cooperation; if everyone tries at once all it will do is crowd the centre and wedge Uke/the test subject back onto balance. Parralel opposite attakers need to cooperate; one pushes; the other recedes. In this way they can catch the test subject/ Uke's balance; or balk them into unbalancing themselves

Goal: teach Uke how to flick hips with speed and dexterity to avoid attacks; without also costing footing= unbalance. very useful for hip entrances if you can dodge attacks from moving from the hips only. Teaches Attackers not to spam attacks but time them wisely.

...23/10/14...

Sato (not Nobayuki, different Sato) went "Sugoi!" when i stood on the Yoga Ball. GANBATTE

Stood on Yoga ball for around 2.5 minutes; had to go back to kneeling 3 times; "push it to the limit" from scarface on my ipod YEAH!

3 x 50 yoga ball kneeling / medicine balls against the wall

do it from further away, its harder!

guy threw to me. Caught maybe 15/20. tried with one hand and fell.

3 x 20 pushups

2/3 x 5 chinups? rubbish upper body

3 x 30 leg situps

5 x 4 normal/drunk Seoi Nages

2 x 4min bridges

3 x 2 10 kg sand sack; stood on yoga ball, extend left/right hand out and maintain balance.

1 x floor tile footwork drill (work the drunken stumble)

walked for 8 metres on hands. face turned to a tomato.

Concept.  if can "sumo slap" balance back after deliberately breaking own balance forward in seiza on yoga ball; same should be possible for feet. Try on knees first; then try standing?)

...05/11/14...

got back into training today. FELT GOOD

3 rounds of randoori only felt like chucking. 

MANDATORY LUNCH CONDITION SESSIONS

"THE CORPSE WHIP"

-adaptation of "yoga ball shuffle"

-shut body down; shift balance; and whip force through hips, into shoulders, through hands, into Uke. 

- it works; but they bounce off.

- how to turn it into an advantage?

(the back handed compliment?)

Another idea

-Fake an Ippon Seoi-Nage, be deliberately sloppy with legs.

- When you turn in, Uke will smell; will step off sideways.

- Stick left foot (if right Seoi) behind Uke, and use for sacrifice foot sweep. (Tanae O Toshi; that sort of caper)   

Problem;

Hands are wound into Seoi. So must use shoulder to break balance!

Hard, but it worx!

threw 60(ish)Kgs player, after he tried to walk behind me. I was making a show of being unstable. stumbled to my left; deliberately crossed feet. He walked around me on that side (my left; his right)

- pulled left foot from own stance; loaded behind his right. threw him in De Ashi sacrifice. my back was turned so he didn't expect it.

Threw Varlam Liparteliani! AWESOME!!!!

Corpse whip

got right hand on lapel; threw balance into it. Rattled Uke as much as I could . Had advantage; lost lungs quickly.

The second we got into the crunch (his overhand grip) lost advantage; quickly thrown. 

-failed hip throw; loosely stumbled into position. Uke stepped off. Dropped behind into sacrifice foot sweep. Worked! WHOO

Need to work on the backhanded apology/ compliment.

(esentially the corpse whip but inverse, as Harai Goshi is to O Soto Gari; so is the backhanded apology to the corpse whip.)

Stood on yoga ball while judo students prodded it with their feet. Felt good!

...Thursday06/11/14...

Threw lightweight player by loading Seoi Nage, but twisted in opposite direction. Load an ordinary  right Seoi; but rotate left once got the position

- depends on how Uke reacts. If they try hip block with left hip blade; opens up to other side!

must be deliberately; sloppily loose!

got smashed in Ne Waza.

Drunken Judo is WORKING!!!!!!

Stood on Yoga ball and caught medicine balls tonight. Awesome! Students came from behind and prodded ball with feet. terrifying; but awesome for Jigotai. Gotta be loose, gotta let the force wave from beneath you, up and through and out head. If resist; It shatters balance like glass. Have to wave with it.

Trying to walk on hands. Not really progressing; Got 8 metres tonight (personal record 14)

...Friday 07/11/14...

-learning how to do (Yoko Gake?) as a sacrifice; it seems to work. Corpse whip; then step into Egyptian pose ("walk like an Egyptian" song, you know the one) , throw in a hip or two, then throw backwards

1 Trick Horse

-its the only throw i can do against Japanese players. They are short and stubby; I use my reach.

-It doesn't work on Kondo; hes got too much length

Actually learn some technique!

Idea The Crab Hammer (grip breaking idea)

standard right handed grip of both  Uke and Tori. I dont like it and want out.

Uke's left arm (on my lapel) is a problem

Shut all body muscle down GOTTA BE FLOPPY!

then- (if right handed) 

Push off with left arm (LOOSELY)

rotate hip in that movement  

and use right  forearm to break off Uke's left grip

you turn 90 degrees to the left, and hammer right forearm into grip.

Did it on a stronger player; it worx, but its dangerous. hammered elbow, risk of hyper-extension.

be careful to put pressure on grip and wrist; not elbow.

But its something that could develop?

...Saturday 08/11/14...

O Soto gari

you cant kuzushi; because you don't stand up straight.    Got shown how to stand properly; bend properly; have a straight back, and enter parallel. Your left foot (if a right O Soto Gari) should point paralell to Uke's feet. 

Outside running O Soto Gari is FILTHY; not sure why it works at all but its risky; POLISH!)

...Thursday 13/11/14...

Tried the Crab Hammer . NUH. YOU HAVE TO BE LOOSE!

Tried "The Drunken Bagel" on higher weight/skilled player. (accidentally punched him in the mouth. his tongue was bleeding.) Couldn't get it. He threw me on my head. I kinda deserved it.

It doesnt work if you try and pull the lapel out from the belt only. 

try taking the whole suit out from from the belt (Both sides)

Would take ages; but its an ambitious move!

Got a lot of Yoko Gake Sacrifices (Stop being a one trick horse!)

Lungs are cheap and shit. Work on it!

Saw Oono's turnover again. Varlam Liparteliani turned out of it; used back hand to prop; and drove tori back. 

Got a single O Goshi against a lighter Russian.  Not sure if it was because he presumed we had stopped; close to the wall. 

he threw me in an enormous, tidy Ura Nage.

Stood on Yoga ball - caught med balls 15 x 3

Seiza 50 x 3 catch med ball thrown against wall

15 x 3 overhead. as if shooting basketball

10 x 3 directly up 

IDEA

catch tennis balls while leaning backward 

trying to delevop "drunk" stance, but need the balance first. dunno if possible but want to try!

...14th/11/14...

Nothing special. Got smashed.

Drunken Bagel not working. but using lower lapel seems to load hand better for foot sweeps/ defending i think

...15/11/14....

THE MAN HIMSELF!

YASUHIRO YAMASHITAS O SOTO GARI

For right O Soto Gari

-your entrance foot (cf sweeping foot) should ideally be paralell to Uke's

-Bend Left (if right O Soto) knee so Tori's hip drops.

- Use right hand to get under chin; if directly under symmetrical line of Uke's chin, Ideal.

-Use left hand to break Uke sideways. Uke will block. You cannot enter without first pulling Uke sideways.

- Enter with head forward, but back straight.  Be on balls of feet.  (if you use heels, you tend to lose balance backward)

For sideways O Soto

- crook sweeping leg. don't point the toe. Have your foot flat; then get around Uke's knee. Once in position then point sweeping toe.

Was pretty COOL!

"the corpse whip"

no reason to use it just once; can be done from either foot, one after the other. "the corpse whip wave"

(Nenad's balance breaking approach is light and works, seems to work like a magnum six shooter. every shot he makes with it, all he has to do is slot another bullet into the chamber and he can keep going indefinetly.

My "corpse whip" is heavier; like a double barreled shotgun. You can whip off the right back foot, then off the left, but thats it, then you have to break the stock and reload. Heavier, more powerful, but needs to be timed right because if you miss you need to reload and it takes time!  )

1st. Corpse whip right; and in that motion you will recover your balance so that the left foot is behind. 

2nd then spring off it for another left handed corpse whip.

like this i could roll with relative ease into a right handed overhand grip on a 70kgs ish player.

working on the backhanded apology; its developing.

Broke Rafael Buzacarini's balance; without using arms. 

got into position for Ko Uchi Gari. 

didn't commit

he smashed me backwards in a counter

SELL YOUR THROWS!

...catch up of concentrated dump...

 was fighting Egyptian (ie "walk like an Egyptian" stance) against a lighter player. after; he gave me advice in English.

Yoko Gake; its a bit old hat.

Go for front sacrifice ( has a Ura Nage look about it; but with Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi feet.)

Idea

The Wrecking Ball Ko Uchi Gari

its not working from flat on; so try it from Egyptian!

go hip throws/ Yoko Gake, when forward and attempting hip throw, 

(Uchi Mata? probbos the ticket) 

drop hip as if shot. and corpse whip AFTER! with right hand. (right Ko Uchi Gari)

in theory, Uke will step off. Corpse whip is loose, invitation to step off.

Uke will put weight onto right foot, then swing into it and sweep. Worth a shot?

Stopped going for about a week. Felt really flat. I think i'm alright now.

Skipped the Wednesday

Turned up; left 15 minutes after. Did warm up but left after realising wasn't going to get partner for Uchi Komi. Feeling Mentally Soggy.

...Thurs...?

had a go (later) accidentally shouldered guy in face; so he hit me twice in my face with his lapel grip. Jersey punches are in; so legit.

...Fri...?

Threw first legit throw, on ex High school student; looked to be my weight. threw him in Yoko Gake Sacrifice; threw after in Ko Uchi Gari. Pretty Cool. 

Also; Nobuyuki Sato asked me how I was. Cool

 

...Saturday 29/11/2014... (i think)

If you have a left hand gripping Uke, gripping your lapel, load left forearm on Uke's grip and smear down.

seems to work if you get it with a rolling hip wave!

loosen up enough to get some movement, then use your forearm on his grip. anything higher than your or his elbow wont work.

If succesful, can use body/elbow to push inward after, get the obi/obi like grip.

or keep going and go for a right Yama Arashi or something

If loaded well, right arms and grips, Uke's and Tori's Chins should form a triangle. like so ( i think)

                           chin  -     -     -     -    -    -   -   chin

                              |                                            |

                                    r                                 p

                                       i                          i

                                          g                 r

                                             h       g

                                                 t

Make sure your chin is square with Uke's! loads arm better.

better for footsweeps.

Your chin is important; It prevents uke from slipping out of your grip.

if they give you issues; push back under Uke's chin. this will loosen them up a bit

when you get that position; your left hand is loaded. Pop under Uke's chin; pull sleeve grip, and go for a footsweep.

LEFT HAND GOES DIRECTLY FORWARD! dont unwrap the left like the stripping version of O Uchi Gari- push back only.

It seems to work better if you are taller; because you push from your loaded shoulder above Uke's

If underneath; easy to knot up in the grip.

...Monday 1/12/14...

not great; i got smashed.

caught 2 tennis balls behind head on yoga ball without changing position. I think i am progressing.

Got countered by lighter player (Japanese King Jeoffrey) because i broke his first attack; i flopped into it. It works; but don't over commit

otherwise the same old song and dance.

...Monday 19th/01/15...

Its been ages yeah?

had two 6 minute rounds.

-drunken hips/loose hands, can get opponent to gas! Happened once against a guy (But he may have been thrashed before)

Him "You. Grow up. You grow up" (you have grown up)

me "まだ   まだです。” (not yet, not yet)

gave advice; the same old issue. Can get overhand grip but do nothing with it. (use shoulder? head? always forget!)

got lighter (ish) wanna say 70kgs ish, got him backwards, failed sloppy Uchi Mata, he slips off, and went for left Seoi.

I went back into Tanae Otoshi/ Sumi Gaeshi (ish) throw. Kneed him in the back accidentally.

What i am doing is working; but it is also kinda dangerous! sand off those goddamn corners!

Newaza; Won one round. (opponent gassed; my hands nearly fell off)

lost the next in Ude Garami

Staled the last; we ran out of time.

I got lazy and stopped recording my trainings after that. which was a bit of a shame; but there is nothing I can do about it now. Ah well. Now to glean through this like a seagull looking for discarded food. If there's a morsel to be had; I want it.

Drunken Judo

I was quite drunk one night. I had finished my magical amount of beer; 4 litres. I don't know how or why but when I drink that amount of beer I seem to gain anywhere between a 5% and 600% increase in Judo ability the next day. Having finished my pre training preparation, I walked downstairs. I had half implied a promise before to the people drinking in the common room. I said I might continue the night with them, so I went down with the intention of saying goodnight. A friend of mine had a bottle of whiskey open. He had just broken up with his girlfriend of several years. I decided to aid him in his lamentations, so I commiserated with him and my ongoing contribution to his depleting whiskey supply. We ended and I went to bed at maybe 9am.

I woke up at maybe 1pm. I had intended the night before to go to training at 5.30, and wasn't really sure if it was such a good idea to go anymore. I had drank a lot more than was probably going to be helpful. My mind was a skid mark on a public toilet. But I had committed to entering this mental state; and I decided to try and use it if it were possible. I wanted the benefits of this mindset and was willing to suffer the repercussions if necessary. My body was mash potato, my mind was smog. I had spent hours in training trying to imitate how I move when in this state, I have struggled to apply it in Randoori. This training; I would not be imitating.

I stumbled onto the mat, and went through the training. It was probably the best Judo I had ever done in my life. It was a 600% day. It was also in a way very saddening. I couldn't conceive of a way that I could ever exceed that experience, I had come so far in such a short amount of time, and yet my time had run out. I had one more week left at Tokai to train. I knew it would be almost impossible to top that experience, and with only a week left to replicate it I decided I would call it my final training. I ended it there; on a high. So I left Tokai Judo as I entered it; unannounced and unprepared for the future.

I took it easy for the last week I had in Japan. I made a few embarrassed nods to the other Judoka as I passed them around university, but other than that I didn't see any evidence of Judo, or why I had come to that university. I played a lot of beer pong with my friends. Spent a lot of time buying mementos. I received my language certificate and flew home.

I went to training in my home club on the first night I arrived back. It was really weird to see everyone again. I also had some returning culture shock to work through. It was so strange to see people joking and laughing with one another during training. I realized that amongst the experiences I had brought back home from Japan, Stockholm syndrome was likely one of them. The class was divided amongst different skills, and each group were given various exercises to work through. For 5 months, all I had done was Randoori; with the occasional Uchi Komi interspersed in. I found it strange to adjust back into training with an objective different to dumping your opponent on the ground.

I got a throw on one of my training partners; but for the most part I couldn't feel my approach at all. My corpse whip felt blocky and rigid, my balance felt unstable. All of that weeks training; I felt like my Judo had left me. It was like those aliens in the children's movie 'Space Jam' had robbed me of my skill. The flow, the feeling of my balance leaving my feet, entering my hips, and flowing through my back and arms, into my hands and then into my opponent; that had completely gone. I was dejected; but I expected it. I don't know what the correlation for me is between alcohol, Judo technique, and progression in skill; but there definitely is one.

I used to train for about 3 months in Glasgow Uni, and felt a rapid increase in my ability. Once, in a different Scottish class; a heavyweight Dan grade player and I bowed each other on for Randoori, and without thinking or otherwise planning it I threw him fluidly in Yoko Wakare; but with the upper body set up of an Ippon Seoi Nage. I landed on top of him; I was just as surprised as he was. I had to do a slower and more formalized version of it some years later in Australia for my brown belt. I struggled to display the minimum requirements of that technique. It shouldn't be possible for me to throw someone using a technique that I fail to be capable of replicating later against a willing Uke. But it is true, I did it. Another convenient fact to note (correlation does not imply causation , but it does waggle its eyebrows furtively, to quote Randall Munroe http://xkcd.com/552/) is that near this club in Scotland, there was a bottle store that sold 6 pints of Guinness for 6 pounds; a deal I often took advantage of after training.

So I returned home, for the second time that I had done some Judo training overseas; and once again I felt that I had forgotten everything I had learned. This was one of the major motivations for me to write this blog; so I could use it as a black box to identify what exactly went wrong should my Judo crash into the ground again after my return. Predictably; it did, and so now I am picking through the smouldering remains. I tried standing on a yoga ball again; I had lost a lot of my fluidity in a short amount of time. I need to buy one for myself and practice it daily if I want to be able to move how I was once capable. Even if I can't, the mere act of trying will help me. I need goals, no matter how implausible or impractical, to gain any meaning in my life.

I lack the language or the skill to be able to express this in my own words; so I have re-appropriated anothers to do it. I apologize for my blatant plagiarism and yet I feel no guilt. I don't think I could write up what I want to say better than what has already been written before. My only qualm is taking these words and bastardizing them into something worse than how they were originally used.

I looked and looked at it; this "Drunken Judo", and knew as clearly as I know I am going to die, that I loved it more than anything I had ever seen or imagined on earth, or hoped for anywhere else. Thank god it was not that echo alone that I worshiped. You may jeer at me, and threaten to clear the court, but until I am gagged and half throttled, I will shout my poor truth. I insist the world know how much I loved my "Drunken Judo", this pale and polluted "Drunken Judo", but still mine.

.........

I waddled in for my last training. My body felt like you could pick it up in one hand and push it through a crack in the wall like play dough. We went through the warm up; and then the Randoori started. Islam Bozbayev caught my eye; so I went with him for one of the first rounds. He had an explosively fast Tai Otoshi. I had the flow of a drunk. I got the first throw on him in Sumi Gaeshi. I corpse whipped him a few times but he was fast and nimble, and didn't try to Jigotai off it. He rolled with the momentum of it fluidly and dumped me with precision and skill. He got the overhand grip on me and shot in for O Soto Gari. I wobbled with his force and with gravity; and used both to arrive at his hips. I picked him up and countered him in Ura Nage. It felt like it took an eternity. It was at least long enough for us to look at each others faces and acknowledge what it was that was happening. He would have thrown me at least 7 times in Tai Otoshi after that. He told me I moved like a snake.

I stood off to the side waiting for another opponent. Islam Bozbayev was drilling Uchi Komi with one of the Japanese players. He was diving into his opponent with an outstretched right hand; then pulling him back in a scorpion-from-Mortal-Kombat-kind-of-way, for his Tai Otoshi. He was drilling my technique. It was totally surreal. He had seen me use it maybe 10 or so times and nearly perfectly understood it from that alone. And then from there he had adapted it into an opening for his Tai Otoshi. I had never thought of using it in this way.

He had it nearly perfect; apart from the looseness. He was diving into Uke with force and power. I had tried that approach but found that I usually got countered when I did; because my opponent could feel and manipulate my balance in that movement. Alternately; if I shut my body completely down; then I could roll off my opponents force. I like to think of it as being the difference between trying to drive a nail into wood or into a plush toy. The plush toy will offer more resistance to being punctured by the nail, even though the wood is harder. "Even though" are the wrong words, "because" is better; yielding to the force can dampen it better than facing it directly and rigidly. I tried to explain this to him, the language barrier was difficult to overcome. He smelt my breath and asked "Drink?" I nodded.

I had a few more rounds with other players, Kazakhstani and Japanese. I went against one  Kazakhstani player, who was maybe in the 80kgs range; and threw him in Sumi Gaeshi without using my left hand. I had experimented with abandoning my grip on Japanese players when their grip breaking techniques were too strong to get through. This was the first real evidence I had that the concept was worth exploring. I unbalanced him with my outstretched right hand; which gripped his right sleeve. I used my right shoulder to push his torso backward; and in that movement I lifted my right foot into the back of his left knee. I hopped into him like this until he unbalanced and fell. I was capable of it only because I was taller than him and had advantages of reach. Still, it was incredibly rewarding to see some results from trying to do Judo without gripping in a conventional way.

I went against a Japanese player, maybe in the 80kg's. He smashed me; I didnt get anything on him at all. It was rather strange. It was approaches like his and physiques like his I had designed my Judo around. He was short, stocky, neckless, a walking Seoi Nage. I had tried to come up with a version of Judo that denied him the ability to rely on his low balance as an advantage. But on that day; when I expected to be at my best; I couldn't get near him.

The second last training I went to; I walked up to him and asked in clumsy Japanese something to the effect of " Would you like to do Randoori?" He kinda smirked, looked at his friends standing either side of him; and responded with "I would like". I made a mental note not to ask for Randoori like that again. I threw him at least 4 times, he did not throw me at all. I got conclusive proof that something I came up with that I named "the wrecking ball Ko Uchi Gari" works. During that round I threw him again by breaking his balance without first taking a grip on him. But the next training that I tried, armed with a hangover; I couldn't throw him at all. Alcohol helps me; but I don't yet understand how or why. A judo player should not be better at Judo after drinking; but for some reason I am. And a judo players difference between their "good days" and their "bad days" should not be so distant from one another as to mean the difference between completely dominating and being incapable of throwing at all; but it happens to me frequently. Its an incredibly unreliable performance enhancing drug.

In the last 30 minutes or so of my last training; I went for Newaza Randoori with Islam Bozbayev. It took about 4 minutes before he submitted me with Ude Hishigi Juji Gatame. I tried a variant of Gyaku Juji Jime on him; but gave up when I felt that I didn't have the grip loaded properly. In that moment when I relinquished my grip on his collar he exploded backward with my outstretched arm and submitted me. That round was completely grueling; I had 10 or so Kg's on him and used my advantages in reach and rotation; he was very skilled. There was one point when we disentangled ourselves from each other and and faced one another; ready to reengage. He smiled; there was blood running down his gums. I had tried to get him in a prior strangle which must have put pressure on his mouth. It was a weird experience; seeing someone that was happy despite, or maybe because of an injury. I have felt childishly proud of prior injuries and bragged about them to anyone who would listen in the dormitory. I considered it evidence that I wanted to learn. I realized we were of the same group. I tell you; Judoka are crazy sadomasochists, and more generally masochists. I told him it was the best round of Newaza I had done in Japan.

I had a Newaza round against another one of the Kazakhstani players. He looked to be in the 100kg range. We played paper-scissors-rock; I won. I asked him nervously what that meant, did I win the right to start as Tori to his turtle position; or was I Uke? He smirked; I turtled. He went for some kind of strangle; but left his left arm dangling around my chin. So I turned him over and submitted him in Osaekomi in 6 seconds or so. Then the training ended and we needed to warm up; so there was no more time for Newaza. He asked me my name and my age and told me his. He said to me "You. Strong".

The training ended; and so I went downstairs with the yoga ball to do my balance exercises. The Kazakhstani coach came up to me and watched me do my thing. Islam Bozbayev wanted to try standing on it; he was surprisingly good at it. It took me months to achieve what he managed to pull off in a few seconds. Another guy from the Kazakhstan team prodded it with his foot as I was standing; so I let his force flow through me and out of my head. I asked him to do it again; he either didn't understand me or didn't want to. Its weird that I went from being able to catch a tennis ball behind my head while bending backward at a 45 degree angle, to barely being able to catch a ball normally back in Australia; in the space of 2 weeks. Something happened. I don't know what.

.......

I have used some of my own techniques and been successful by doing so; but it will be a long time before I will get competent enough to be able to use them at will. I have tried using normal Judo as I was taught it and all it has brought me is frustration and failure. I tried my own approach and it got me compliments from national athletes. The problem is; I don't have control over my own idea. It needs a destructive amount of alcohol as a prerequisite before I can move properly. I don't just want to use it, I want to understand it and master it. I think if I can do so I could be the best Judoka in my state. The difficulty will be in exploring why it worked; why it failed; and replicating its successes without alcohol. I love it because I have felt it; I have used it; I have flowed with it, I consider it a work of art. I want to qualify that statement; before you may quote me out of context. I never said it was "good" art, but I would like to see if I could make it so. It is more than a way to throw your opponent. If I can use it to beat other players than that is a bonus I will of course accept. I believe that I can; but even if I am wrong that does not worry me all that much. I want to learn this "Drunken Judo". I will accept any successes or hardships that it might bring me.

Troubleshooting

I've been going back to Judo semi regularly. Also, as an experimental approach, I have been drinking a lot the night before I train to see how it changes what I do. The results are not particularly repeatable every time I do it; but for the past three sessions I have been to I have done better because of it. My first training I tried this; I only threw one guy, who was maybe 20kg's-ish lighter than me in a non scoring O Soto Gari, but it is still an improvement on what I would have done otherwise. I went against a 120kg-ish guy who smashed me in an explosive Ura Nage, after I tried a negligent O-Soto on him. He felt the lack of my right hand on my lapel and smashed me for it.

But the thing is; this time, I was hungover. I too felt the lack of my right hand on his lapel. After that; I kinda felt like I had an idea of his balance; how he was holding himself and where he was going to come for me. So I shut my body down completely and started flowing through him. He would load his grip with strength and force; and I would wash through him using dead unresistant body weight. From beyond the grave Obi Wan Kenobi whispered into my ear "Use the force Luke". I collapsed like a drunk into his legs and cupped his left foot in my right. I didn't throw him, but I got closer to his balance then I ever could have otherwise. Its probably one of my favorite rounds I have ever done in Japan. I didn't throw him; but I got a few foot sweeps in that were closer to him than he was comfortable with. From his facial expression he was rattled. One of the things I keep reading about drunken boxing on the internet is that if you can make it flow right the effect can be quite hypnotizing on your opponent. I'm starting to find that I can sometimes grip people mentally before I take a physical grip on them.

The night before one of my recent trainings, I sat in my room; watched some youtube clips of Jackie Chan; and drank 4 liters of beer, on my own. I pushed myself to the furthest limits of my emotional and physical endurance this semester. I had tried everything I could think of. I had only one last thing that I knew worked. As I got drunker and drunker I also got sentimental. I didn't remember writing it at the time; but I posted this up on a web forum for alcoholics. It wasn't really appreciated. I have censored out the obscenities, tidied up some punctuation; but for the sake of retrospective verisimilitude I have left the rest intact, regardless of how embarrassing it is.

I think I am in a relationship to alcohol. Tell me if I am a cunt if if what I say suggests otherwise. I separate with him and keep coming back. This suggests more about me than it does about him. And yet, he has given me the strength to get through a lot of the ordeals I have faced in my life.

At first I experimented with him; and he was sexy. It was cool, it was what teenagers did. But I felt I knew more about you. Your character, your personality, I heard nothing of that from my friends or family, but I felt I got to know you better as I met you more. You got me through some bitter times. But sometimes you can be a bit of a drag. You dragged me into some times that I didn't want or need. I felt you wanted things from me that I didn't want to give. And yet, what you wanted, what I wanted, was the same, oblivion. Because we both know this world is filthy and dangerous. If happiness is something that can be consumed than sign me the fuck up. Can you give me that? Will you give me that? You wanted that of me and I wanted that of you. Consume of me what you can and I will take from you what I can.

I wanted more from life. I wanted a life where I could overcome myself and become someone better. But I felt you weren't happy with that; you needed me as I was. I don't know. I don't think I know you as well as I should. But I wish you knew me as well as you should. I don't want you to want my weakness. I want you to want me as I am. Can you do that? Could you meet me in the street, as a stranger, and think, " yeah ok fuck yeah that's something I wanna get onto? Because I feel; as I know you now, I couldn't meet you on the street for the first time and feel that. I feel you are a bit of a demanding cunt. You need shit done your way and that's how its gotta be done.

I am considering breaking up with you; but I dunno if I can. We are heavily tied together. Please, for you and me, let us work our shit out. I love you. Do you love me?

..............................

I dragged myself through my classes; thinking how expensive the attendance marks were. I was watching my life evaporate before my eyes; but I needed to be in class so I could get funding from my university to pay for my welcome here. I had completely checked out of the classes mentally maybe a few weeks ago. I realized they were not helping me learn Japanese; they were tattooing phrases and grammar points onto the inside of my skull. I felt like I was in prison; peering around on the inner casing of my mind. Everyday I would see the same graffiti;  phrases such as "Yesterday, I slept as little as 3 hours" or "as a rule, you shouldn't wear jewelery" grooved into the bone. I mustn't complain. The teachers were very helpful and sincerely wanted to teach the language to me. But I feel at the same time I had to fight to keep them from taking my desire to learn. My alcoholism didn't really aid things all that much.

I went home; and logged into the internet; and found my love letter to alcohol written on a forum. I had completely forgotten about it. It wasn't a pleasant experience; seeing the slimy trail of my drunken mind smeared across the internet. I don't particularly want to lose my mind to it. It is not a glamorous way to lose what makes you human.

I was talking with an exchange student some months ago; about the tea ceremony. He was adamant that it can bring you feelings that people call Zen; where you abandon your mind and body to the ritual and have it release you of the burden of your self. I told him it creeped me out. I didn't like it when i saw it. I have heard that it is one of the highest cultural expressions of love in Japan and at the same time so mechanically memorized, so stiff and sad, that the one time I watched it I felt uncomfortable. I felt the drink itself was a tiny object on which the rest of the ceremony had crystallized around, and become so far removed from its original source that it no longer resembled a casual drink; that it was worshiped as a libation. I felt that the tea was too big of a deal to drink and enjoy without risk of offending someone.  It made me feel quite uncomfortable; like I had gatecrashed a funeral. That love and meticulous ceremony seemed to be aspects of the same ritual seemed to me that love and mechanical rehearsal are conflated concepts to those who practice it. He did not agree. I said to him "it is just a drink".

"It is just a drink". And yet, it gives me the ability to abandon my body and my mind to the flow, to the feel of the action when I do Judo. It gives me a release that I cannot easily obtain otherwise. When I sleep well and don't drink the night before, my mind locks up in doubt. Whenever I am in position for an attack, I freeze in indecision, and that moment is all it takes for my opponent to smash me. I was drinking with some friends some weeks ago; and I was trying to express my own opinion on the meaning of the word "martial art". It contains the word "art" for a reason. Your body is a medium for you to express your creativity. You can use as much artistic license as you want; it is your body and your style, no one can own it but you. Judo is the most expressive and creative thing that I do. And yet I feel I need a depressant to aid me to connect to my movements. Without it; often I feel that I am just going through the motions, I am just regurgitating a rote memorized speech that I don't want to give and no one wants to hear. And so, my critisism of the tea ceremony and my use of alcohol for judo is more or less the same.

If a depressant can increase my skill in Judo; then I must have some sort of mental condition that alcohol treats. I have spoken to friends casually about some of the things I am anxious about; they often get frustrated and vocally demand that I go and see a doctor. Mental health is not an easily broached subject. And yet if I view it the same as I would any other injury or malady; it seems to me to be an easy fix. I may potentially have some sort of health problem that gets in the way of my sport, in the way of my quality of life. If so, I can easily go to a physician; get treatment; and move on. If I have something; maybe it is just like any other sporting injury. Get it fixed and get back to training.

I would not call myself a mentally balanced person. And yet; I don't know and don't think I ever will know what "mental balance" means. I don't believe in human averages; they are vulgar and imaginary. I have never spent a day in my life being a normal person. It has taken me a long time to accept that I never will. It has taken me still longer, and will take more time; before I can become comfortable in who I am. When i was drunk i wrote;

I wanted a life where I could overcome myself and become someone better. 

.............................. 

So i drank a lot in preparation for Judo at the Kodokan. The Kodokan is the head judo dojo in Japan. I organized to meet some friends that I trained with in Australia, as they had been there before and could show me the ropes. I turned up with a bad taste in my mouth, wading through a mental fog. I knew I was in the best condition for me to do the kind of judo I am trying to develop. I went through some clerical peripheries with one of the judoka at the front desk. He got me to sign a contract disclaiming responsibility for certain damages. As I was reading it; I noticed the absence of a word which voided a whole clause of any meaning. I pointed this out to the attendant; I was instantly embarrassed for being a pedant. But I was also exited. I had drank with the intention of invoking this mindset; I wanted to be able to react quickly and decisively to stimuli that I noticed. The fact that I had done that for something that I saw on the contract, without being restrained by a niggling sense of doubt telling me to keep my mouth shut for fear of judgment, implied that I would also be capable of doing the same during the randoori class.

I walked onto the mat. It was amazing to be there; I had worked; saved; suffered; slogged through some bitter trials to be capable of training in that place.  I got talking to an old man. He explained to me the set up of the place; how the randoori training was run; and then he invited me to ask him Judo questions. He didn't look a day under 80. I was afraid I might break him. When he moved into me to demonstrate a technique, his technique was flawless. My fear was groundless; he had such command over his own body, I knew nothing would happen to him unless he intended it. He explained to me some techniques and threw me using them. It's hard to explain what it feels like being thrown by a 5"6 old man that is more skillful than you can even find a context to compare to. It feels like talking to an immortal being; humans were not supposed to be capable of exerting that kind of power. It is also sobering; seeing someone with that kind of skill and knowing that you can never hope to obtain anything close to that level of understanding.

I sat around afterwards and waited for the training to start. I found a guy from the UK who was visiting; we got talking. We went together and practiced some movements. I tried drilling O-Soto Gari on him but wasn't feeling it. For some reason, when I do a right O-Soto Gari, my right arm doesn't really do anything. I keep paying attention to it and trying to fix it but nothing has improved yet. My training partner noticed this and talked me through the movement. I tried adopting his advice, to fix my technique but it still felt so alien.

We sat around and waited for the training to formally start; but we realized that there was no formal start time; you can just show up and train with who you want and how you want. It's really cool; it seems to abandon the whole stuffy rigid approach of conventional martial arts training and goes for a more organic jam session kind of vibe. This was perfect for me; I had experimental ideas, I was in the mood for a 20 minute jazz solo odyssey. I asked the guy from the UK if he wanted to do some randoori with me; he agreed. I apologized to him before we started for the lunacy I was about to inflict on him. I told him I meant him no offense; but I had a weird style and wasn't using it against him as a joke. He looked at me sideways and said that it was alright.

We bowed each other on. I gripped his lapel and before he could rebut it I corpse whipped him. I rolled my force from my left foot, up my leg, through my hip, up the right side of my body, through my shoulder and head; and then projected the force out of my arm into his body.  It was interesting; it took him completely by surprise. His head vibrated like drum cymbals. By the time he had recovered his balance I had slumped into position on him for the throw he was teaching me how to do. I can't remember if I threw him in that throw or not. But I threw him at least 4 times. When we finished he said to me breathlessly "yeah your style is interesting." I replied "I have watched a lot of Jackie Chan movies"

My friends arrived; I had rounds with both of them. It was cool to see their techniques again; it was like listening to a friend's voice on the phone that you hadn't seen in a long time. One of them threw me in a respectable Seoi Nage in the motion of my corpse whip against him. I felt the force in which he blasted me onto the mat and knew I was feeling his judo "accent". No one I know "speaks" judo in quite the same way when they use that technique as him. I got a dirty sacrifice throw on him. I went against a few other Japanese players. One thing that I have discovered about my approach is that it robs my opponents of oxygen. Dealing with a sloppy weight thrashing against you like a dying fish requires different muscles that ordinary judo uses. I tried explaining to one of my Japanese partners after our round that I came up with my approach because I was training at Tokai and needed a way to counter my main physical problem; that my hips are too tall to be capable of doing judo like a Japanese person. He humored me and listened to my explanation.

The place was a lot more fun than I had anticipated. People were helpful, friendly and enthusiastic about Judo, and wanted to share what they knew to strangers. In Tokai it is much more militaristic; the passion is still there but the lighthearted freedom is not. Afterwards I went out with my friends to eat at a restaurant. We got talking about Judo. I was feeling hungover enough to want to talk about my ideas about drunken boxing and judo. I got some criticisms; some critiques that I needed to hear. I developed what I do in a language vaccum; people would watch me train and would laugh at how unorthodox and unconventional it looked; but I never received any dialogue beyond a few complements when I managed to throw someone using it. One of my friends; the gravamen of his disagreement with me was that it was fine for me to seek release if my actions affected only myself; but Judo training requires partners. If i sought release by drinking, I could do that on my own; but not when my actions could adversely affect the health of others. If i was trying to relinquish control in my mind, then I would also lose control over my body, and therefore control over my partners safety. It was a good point and not one I had considered before.

In my defense; for about 2 years I quit alcohol completely. I think it was also during this time that I was quite determined to learn Tai Otoshi. I went crazy pursuing that throw; and the more I trained in it the worse I got.  I couldn't release myself to the flow of the movement; I was always doing it through clenched teeth. I couldn't relax or feel natural while doing it. Another of my Australian friends; he commented that every time he trained with me in that time; he was quite afraid that I would injure him. Tai Otoshi is a quite dangerous throw if you apply it incompetently. You can end up hyper extending your partners knee. I tried to do that throw the same way I tried to do everything at that time; through clenched teeth, tense and uptight. The other day; during our randoori session at the Kodokan, I threw my friend using a drunken interpretation of that throw. He commented on the fact that it felt quite stable and safe compared to how I used to do it . I know I am much kinder to myself in my own mind when i drink. I may also be more supportive to my training partners when I can relax in my body. However, a feeling that I have that relies on alcohol is not something that I want to impose on others to feel comfortable about.

After a quick search on Wikipedia, I found a quote from Jigaro Kano.

A main feature of the art is the application of the principles of non-resistance and taking advantage of the opponent's loss of equilibrium; hence the name jūjutsu (literally soft or gentle art), or judo (doctrine of softness or gentleness) [as a name for]...the principle of the Maximum Efficiency in Use of Mind and Body. On this principle the whole fabric of the art and science of judo is constructed.

I had a thorough search in my own mind; looking for strengths I could use against my opponents. I found only weaknesses. I got injured at training one day because i loaded a left handed Ko Uchi Gari against a heavier opponent; who smashed me backwards in Ura Nage. My body went; my knee didn't. Since then; I have been trying to be as loose and fluid in my movements as I can. This prevents me from being injured because i don't put stress on my joints when I am forcefully thrown. In time; I learned how to use passive relaxation as a weapon. I defended myself from a Tomoe Nage that my Australian friend tried to throw me in, by shutting my body down so completely that he had nowhere on my body that he could use as a pivot to rotate me. I landed on him as if I had ipponned him; and I did it because I did literally nothing.

I have found a way to brandish alcoholism, my main mental weakness as a weapon against my opponents. Perhaps it is not maximally efficient in the way that Kano might have thought appropriate; but in my situation it was easier and more efficient than drilling Uchi Komi to the same amount that all the other students had. I took what I understood the principles of Judo to be and I adapted them so I could use them to throw others. After 4 months of training; I took an idea and developed it into something that I could throw judo students with; judo students that had trained their entire lives to develop the skills they used to throw me. I wrote when drunk that I wanted to overcome myself and become someone better. But i have found an even better approach using the philosophy of Judo; use your own weaknesses as an advantage to amplify your ability. You cannot do this without first being weak.

I drank a lot the night before in preparation for a training the next day. I turned up for training; there was an unusually buzzed vibe about the place. It turned out the National Judo team from Kazakhstan had come to train at Tokai for a few weeks. I had ideas, and I had the best Judo athletes from Kazakhstan to try them against. A lot of the Kazakhstani players struggled to get training partners; as the Japanese players avoided them at times. I bowed on a guy who looked to be close to my weight. He smashed me in an epic Ura Nage and a lot of other throws; he had the Russian Sambo kind of accent to his Judo. So I corpse whipped him, stumbled around with him, through him, around him. I taxed him heavily of his oxygen. From memory I threw him once or twice by using sacrifice throws. He complemented me on my style as we finished.

I bowed on another Kazakhstani player. He looked unenthusiastic about going against a scrawny looking kyu grade. His coaches said something to him in either Kazach or Russian, I couldn't tell. He reluctantly agreed to do the round with me; if he didn't he probably wouldn't get a round with a Japanese player. I got the first throw against him; in Sumi Gaeshi. He threw me a lot. I got him a few more times too. He came up to me and tried a three throw combo; from memory it was Sasae Tsukuri Komi Ashi, to O Goshi, to O Soto Gari. Every time I drink I watch this one fight scene from my favorite Jackie Chan movie. He's drinking, in a happy drunk mood, fighting the James Bond one-at-a-time henchmen; and naming the techniques he is using as he uses them. One technique he uses he calls "Drunken maid flirting with the master". As the henchman goes to punch him; he twists and contorts his body in such a way that his opponents fists hit nothing but air. I surfed my opponents attacks by incorporating that technique into my vocabulary, and came out of it the other end without being thrown. He let out a long grunt of frustration to himself and his coaches. I had earned his frustration.

Yesterday; I went into training without drinking. I was quite anxious; I doubted that I could replicate the same results as I did in the last training without being hungover. But I did my best, and I did well. I did some Uchi Komi with Islam Bozbayev. He said to me "You are passionate" after seeing me drill my O Soto. Maybe it was the only truthful complement he could give me after seeing that disaster. Because he was kind to me, I decided to ask him for the first round of randoori. He threw me maybe 5 or 6 times, he used a lightning fast Tai Otoshi. I got a single Sumi Gaeshi on him. This puts the amount of Olympic judoka i have thrown up to two.

Afterwards; one of the Kazakhstani coaches came up to me and asked my name; my nationality; how long I had been in Japan. He asked me if I was a professional. I said no. He said in a thick accent, pointing to where all the Kazakhstani players were sitting "These are professional". It was really cool, it was also kind of surreal. I think I have something in what i have discovered here. I want to develop it further. But i also need my mind to think. I think in time i will learn how to do what I do without being hungover. I will need to study hard in order to achieve it.