Some Inner Secrets of Combination Techniques (Renraku Waza)

 

In The Art of War, Sun Tzu says, “All warfare is based on deception.”

A combination technique is the result of responding to a response.

A combination works when two things happen.

A.      The uke responds in accord with the perceived intention of tori’s first move.

B.       Tori’s second move works in accord with the next throw’s kuzushi application / timing.

                Each in its turn:

        A.      I’ve seen many judoka in practice and randori make the first move so unconvincingly that there would really never be a response to it. That first move should put fear into uke, such that uke feels it is essential to resist by either getting away or forcing against. The first move should be done with evil intentions. Most often, uke’s response to tori’s attack can be a reflex; something that uke doesn’t plan to do. Or, uke might have a planned response to something uke knows tori does, maybe a counter, and tori responds to that. For now, let’s just deal with the first example.

 B.      When uke responds to your attack, you have to use application / timing. That sounds fancy, but it isn’t. Uke is going to respond in such a way that you are going to do your combination’s second attack in the direction uke is moving to thwart the force you initially applied.

        However, here is the critical part.  You must wait until that moment happens. It is the waiting that is critical. If tori doesn’t let uke respond, then there is no opportunity presented by uke. In learning and practicing a renraku waza, we often do the follow-up technique before uke creates the chance. That’s possibly because we know what’s next, so we just rush into it. We try to get to part two before part one is complete, and it isn’t complete until uke responds.

        Consider competition legend* Isao Okano's seoi-nage to his ko-uchi gari. Okano does a monster seoi-nage attack. Uke has to recover. So, uke attempts to regain balance by leaning back and using a defensive posture.  It is in this millisecond moment that Okano lunges for his ko-uchi. If you’d like to see it in devastating action, go here:

https://youtu.be/HyAuyU-fLJU

              Perhaps you’ll do well to think of a combination not as One - Two, but rather as One…and Two, needing a millisecond beat between the attack and the follow-up. During that millisecond, uke is responding defensively. Look at it this way; you are attacking a defensive response that is made against your primary intention. That could be a defensive posture, the moving of a body part, a hip check, or even a try at a counter.

The good news is that if your primary attack is strong enough, uke will automatically give you the response, and it will happen in an instant.

It is also often necessary for tori to change attack position and angle to comply with the newly presented kuzushi opportunity. Looking at a common primary attack, ko-uchi-gari, with uke stepping back to avoid the throw, we see the angle of vulnerability change. First, it was to uke’s rear corner. Once uke steps back, the angle of kuzushi changes to either uke’s direct front or rear. Now, to what throws is uke vulnerable? Hane goshi is one. What does tori have to adjust to make them work? This same scenario and the questions of adjustment are true in all renraku situations, not just ko-uchi.

Another example: The combinations of harai goshi to o-soto-gari and its counterpart, o-soto-gari to harai are examples of when a major adjustment takes place on tori’s part. In both cases, tori needs to adjust to uke’s resistance to the primary attack by making a major change of support foot position. In each of the throws, tori’s support foot’s toes have to point in the direction of the throws. Not only do the toes change direction, the foot position on the mat moves. This goes in harmony with a major turning of the torso.

Almost any throw can be looked at with renraku waza in mind, be it before as a set-up or after in response to a defense. There are possibly considerations to make with your favorite throw(s).

Here might be a fun endeavor. Fill in the blanks. No fair using the ones already in the blog. If you can, think of two.

THROW	RENRAKU #1	RENRAKU #2
Harai Goshi	O-Soto Gari	(Hint: Mine is in Nage no Kata)

All too easily, we can come up with combinations that really don’t have both throws in them that we perform well. Going back to Okano, he was lethal with both seoinage and ko uchi gari as singular attacks. Having a combination technique that works with your favorite throw is great. You will succeed if you have that one, as either a set-up or a follow-up, be a strong throw in itself.

Ideas for Success

·         Initially, make this a cooperative endeavor with your sensei. That might mean the choosing of the techniques through polishing them, to sensei keeping an eye on you in randori. You don’t want to be working on your renraku waza, have your sensei ask you what you’re doing, and you say. ”Just something I read about in a blog.”

·         Do 10 minimum nage komi with it at every practice. Sometimes, you can find the time to do that right before or just after regular class. One of the best ways to practice a throw is to actually do it in a drill fashion. Obviously. Finding the opportunity is challenging; but do just ten each time and after a year you’ll be getting good at it. You will likely be able to fit ten in somewhere.

·         Try it in every randori session, and with any level of partner, and with every partner. Don’t do it and then get into working on it and interrupting randori. Just do it. Consider doing a couple of tries with each partner.

·         The best way to “fail” at this is to have too good a first effort and actually throw with it.

·         Don’t wait for the perfect chance to do it. Just do it.

                Having a good renraku waza adds another dimension to making your judo work.

*   Just so you appreciate the source,  Okano entered the 1964 Summer Olympics while studying at Chuo University 's law school, and won the gold medal in the middleweight division. He won another gold medal at the World Judo Championships in 1965, becoming the champion of his division at only 21 years of age. He also won the open-weight class division of the All-Japan Judo Championships in 1967 and 1969, and placed second in 1968. He competed at only 80 kg (176 lb.).