Pre-Kuzushi

When four-time Olympian Jason Morris was visiting his friend two-time Olympian Rene Capo at my dojo, Rene and I were watching him randori. Rene said to me, “Here comes his tomoe nage.” Yep. A few steps later, up and over went uke. I inquired, and Rene said, “He always makes those first steps like that.” 

Jason’s big throws, a tai-otoshi and a move he calls his “Sticker” ( an ankle wrapping, foot lifting ko soto gake kind of thing) are moves he does that are his methods, unique to him. They aren’t easy to instantly copy. Jason showed these on a previous visit a couple of years before, and on this one, was kind enough to again give us a mini-clinic on them. The first time, folks really sweated to get the moves right, and a few weeks later, most abandoned them. So, this time, I asked Jason if he would not only show what he did, but also the “when”. He liked that idea. I think some folks actually got some of that input. 

Earlier, in my competition days, my money throw was seoi-otoshi. I did it with a step across the front that was followed by the other leg then corkscrewing across into tai form, while the arms did a morote seoi nage top. The leg part started similar to o-guruma. When I visited other dojos, I’d get asked sometimes to teach that. By the end of an hour, most students were getting it. I never saw it performed in randori or shiai. Many years later, when asked by one of my students how I used to do the throw, I showed him how I did it. As I watched him try it unsuccessfully in randori over a couple of sessions, I realized the problem. I’d never shown him, or the students of years before, when I did it, how I set it up. Worse, I didn’t know myself!

But when I’d done it to win matches, I didn’t have a conscious idea, and I couldn’t have told you my pre-kuzushi set-up. I was an unconscious competent of the non-useful variety.  I was not a conscious competent. Nor, did I know enough about such things to be able to become aware of this situation, so I couldn’t take my unconscious skill, dissect it and use that information to improve my other throws. That was then, and now I can hope to pass this on to you, for all your tachi waza.

·         Experiment with walking styles

·         Uchi komi for a purpose you know

·         Randori with intent

             Walking Styles

The answer isn’t anything like, “I do it when uke steps forward with the right foot.” That’s because the question is, “How, and with what rhythm did you get to that point, just before uke stepped?” Let’s look at some examples we might be familiar with, or can imagine, almost feel.

You make a circular tai sabaki step with one foot, as if to walk around uke, uke responds by stepping in a sideways scissors step, and you do okuri ashi barai. Or, you walk backwards with two tsugiashi steps, uke follows with somewhat similar steps, and on the second step, you perform tai otoshi. Or,uke steps back with the sleeve side foot and you don’t follow, but do a non-compliant step and rather than follow, you step forward but more to the side than the line on which your regular step would have gone; uke next steps awkwardly to a right sided recovery and you do a quick step around for harai goshi as uke’s right foot comes down. 

 Now, how about your throws? Let’s use a throw with which you have a modicum of success, and let’s make it one you feel suits you, and you want to make it more effective. You first have to know where you want uke to take the critical last step. Now, experiment with how to get uke there in a flowing manner. You have arrived at the throw’s sweet spot. If you get it right off the bat, good for you; but expect to struggle with this for some time. 

Uchikomi

When I first accidentally found the walking pattern that pulled the trigger on my seoi otoshi, I didn’t have to worry about the kuzushi and tsukuri. I’d done hundreds and hundreds of step-ins all summer long. The throw now had the speed and the form. Once the set-up dance had done its treachery, the seoi showed up. I believe that is a major reason uchikomi is valuable. It makes it possible for your reflexes to fire off the throw into a functional form when the right opportunity says hello. 

No matter what the uchikomi situation is in your dojo, there often is time to show up early and get an uke and do a hundred uchikomi.   Uchikomi can be done with a judo partner anywhere, since there is no throwing. 

There are uchikomi apparatus you can purchase for doing solo uchikomi. Super legend Isao Okano used to use a tree for an uke, and it is said he wore the bark off one side. 

Randori

This is perfect to work on in randori. That’s one of the things randori is for, the learning of the dance that goes with your attack. Don’t get mechanical. It will help make your judo work. You don’t have to throw at each possible chance. You want to go for a feeling, not an ippon. Don’t waste randori by making it a contest. It is practice time, and you will be rewarded if you use it conscientiously. Kano Shihan referred to randori as “randori practice”. It was a learning time. There are plenty of times when you randori with judoka of lesser skill. This is a very good opportunity to practice pre-kuzushi. 

         Use the Internet. Watch the judoka who are good at the throw you are working on and see if you can find each one’s pre-kuzushi. Then, see if it works for you. Don’t try to copy their exact throw, but learn how their set-ups and walking styles might help you.  Note that these are not necessarily what they show when they demonstrate how they do their favorite wazas. Yasahiro Yamashita is a great example of this. Watch him do a clinic on o-soto-gari, and then watch him use it in shiai. 

Search for the “when” in your throws, not the “what”. This will help make your judo work.