Tomoe-nage - O-soto-gari

Tomoe-nage - O-soto-gari

Having made a few strong attempts at the stomach throw you will often find that if you lift your right foot up as if you were going to make another attempt your opponent will brace strongly back. When this happens, slide your right foot over the opponent's right thigh step in close with your left leg and throw the man back with o-soto-gari. The roles can be reversed, ie, attack with o-soto-gari until you get your man braced strongly forward then suddenly throw yourself underneath him for the stomach throw.

This concludes the renraku-waza section. There are many more examples of combination attacks and a judoman can easily work out variation of his own.

The beginner should experiment to see what other throws he can use with his favourite techniques. They should as much as possible flow into each other. If the beginner finds out that he has to make a violent readjustment of position with lots of foot movements in between, then it is a good indication that it is not a natural combination technique. The techniques should blend into each other with a minimum of movement in between.

Tai-otoshi

Tai-otoshi - Tai-otoshi

This is not exactly a combination attack in that one does not move from this to a different throw. However, I am including it to give some idea of what can be done with just one throw. Having made an unsuccessful attack with tai-otoshi, you will often find the opponent stepping over your right leg. As he steps over, swivel round a bit to your left moving your foot in closer to your right foot then shoot out your right leg again in order to trip your partner. This in effect is exactly the same throw but from an adjusted position. If your opponent should again slip his right leg over your right leg, adjust the position and attack again and so on until you get him. With all these adjustments of leg position, keep the turning action of the arms constant. It is essential to keep your opponent bent forward. With the continued attacks your partner should be moving in a circle around you. A further example of continued attacks with one throw is when the opponent does not step over your right leg but just braces back. In this case one changes the attack by coming in at a different level. Having made the attack with tai-otoshi and met resistance suddenly, drop as low as possible. The sudden switch in the level of attack will often catch the opponent napping. In free practice experiment with your favourite throws and see if you can get some success with a sudden change in level.

O-soto-gari - Ko-soto-gari

Having attacked with o-soto-gari, your opponent will either brace strongly forward in which case you must retreat or he will attempt to counter with the same throw by turning slightly. As your opponent will often try for the counter ko-soto-gari makes an excellent counter to a counter. Attack with o-soto-gari and as your man starts to swing round place your right foot on the ground swing round with your left leg and sweep the opponent's left leg. With this counter do not change direction. As your first throw fails, keep moving in the same direction - that is to say to the opponent's right back corner - and as you sweep his supporting left leg try to drop his body in the same direction.


De-ashi-barai - O-soto-gari

If your timing is wrong with the ankle sweep, either your partner's leg will dangle in the air or it will be rooted on the mat. In either case do not wait or try to force the throw, move your sweeping right leg across for o-soto-gari and throw the man down. If you should stumble your opponent with de-ashi-barai so that he ends up on one knee, still carry through with o-soto-gari but lift the man up so as to get some impetus in the throw.


Harai-goshi - O-uchi-gari

Having attacked unsuccessfully with harai-goshi you will often find that your partner, in expectation of another attack, will be braced back with his legs spread wide. Make as if to try harai-goshi, turning slightly and pulling forward, then, as you feel your partner stiffening and pulling back, suddenly change the direction by pushing to the opponent's left back corner and hooking his leg away in o-uchi-gari. This counter can also be used for o-goshi and its variations.


Ko-uchi-gari - Seoi-nage - Ko-uchi-gari

Ko-uchi-gari was mentioned briefly with o-uchi-gari earlier. The reaction to ko-uchi-gari is to take the leg out of the way and back. As your opponent takes his right leg back place your hooking right leg on the mat close to the opponent and swing through for the shoulder throw. If this fails it may be because your man is bracing back against the forward pulling action of the shoulder throw in which case try for the ko-uchi-gari again. Ko-uchi-gari is a rear throw and the seoi-nage is a forward throw. The idea of this sequence is to use the opponent's reaction of defence so as to move from one throw to the other.

Deference and counter to Tomoe-nage

Defence and counter to Tomoe-nage

There is no satisfactory counter-throw for a stomach throw. To defend against it, firstly do not let the attacker put his foot in your stomach. As he sinks to the mat, sweep aside his rising foot with your left hand so that his foot shoots out past the side of your body. If he has managed to place his foot in position do not let him pull you forward, sink immediately to the mat keeping your head and shoulder braced back. If the attacker should manage to get you actually in the air, try to make a cartwheel and twist so as to land on your feet or on one side.


Renraku-Waza (Combination Throwing Techniques)

Attack strongly with o-uchi-gari. As this is a rear throw your partner will bend forward taking his weight off the foot you are trying to hook away. This leg will probably rise in the air. Should this happen abruptly, change direction of your attack by hopping in close to the opponent with your left leg and turning round as you do so. Having turned round, your right leg sweeps up into the opponent's thigh as in uchi-mata and throws him forward.

It is essential to time your change from the first throw to the second as your opponent reacts to your first attack. This means that the first throw must be attempted with the full intention of throwing your man. If you do not convince your partner that the throw is dangerous he will not bother to avoid it. This goes for any combination attack. Should you miss with the


second attack because your partner pulls back strongly against it, try the o-uchi-gari again. Providing your balance is good it is possible to alternate from one throw to the other until you get your man over.

Deference and counter to Uchi-mata

Defence and counter to Uchi-mata

Once again defend by snatching your right arm and shoulder back making him loose his grip. Also do not stand with your legs too far apart or with your body bent forward. If the attacker has managed to get his right leg between yours do not let him lift your left leg up, instead try to reach forward and sweep away his supporting left leg. Another counter is to get completely out of the way of the throw. As the thrower begins to turn for the throw bring your left leg in and behind your right leg as quickly as possible. If the attacker is putting a lot of power into the attack he should go sailing past and throw himself. However, to make sure, as his




leg goes whistling past, turn his upper body with your arms and stretch your left leg across to block his left leg. This is the same action for tai-otoshi.


Counter and defence to Seoi-nage

Defence for this throw is the same as for the hip throws. Snatch your right arm and shoulder back. In the counter throw where the attacker is already in position for the throw let go with your left hand and encircle the opponents waist. As you stop the movement give slightly in at the waist. Then thrust the hips out strongly lifting the attacker up in the air. To make sure that your opponent doesn't come down on his feet again, continue the push forward with your hips until his legs are out almost straight. Then, pivot round to your left and drop him to the mat. It will sometimes be necessary to drop a little to the mat to finish off the throw. Take care not to use too much force in practising.


Defence and counter to Tai-otoshi

The thrower will try very strongly to break your balance to your right front corner. Do not let him do this and be prepared to snatch your right arm free from his sleeve grip. Stand upright with your right shoulder well back. There is a counter for tai-otoshi but it is extremely difficult to do against even an average tai-otoshi exponent. Be content to break the attacker's left hand grip and push him down face forward into the mat with your left knee. Once he has fallen forward, move in quickly for a groundwork technique.

Defence and counter to De-ashi-barai

Care in moving around is necessary to stop De-ashi-barai. Do not keep your feet too close together or make large steps forward. Do not skip about the mat on your toes. Instead move about with fairly small steps, always being ready to transfer your weight from the forward foot to the rear foot and vice-versa. There is one very spectacular counter for this throw which is extremely difficult to do. This involves taking your foot out of the way of the attacker's incoming sweeping leg, inserting it behind it and doing exactly the same sweep back on him using the impetus of his own attack. An easier counter is to keep your weight off your front (right) leg. Let your partner sweep your right leg a little and then, using this, move in for o-soto-gari.


Defence and counter to O-goshi

The thrower in this and other throws depends upon breaking your balance to the right front corner. It is his left hand pulling on your right sleeve which achieves this. To successfully stop these forward hip throws snatch your right arm and should back with a considerable jerk causing him to lose his grip. To counter this throw and its variations sweep away his supporting left leg once the attacker is in position with an action something like ko-soto-gari. This is not a very 'clean' counter, but if it is done with a lot of gusto it should be possible to scoop the attacker's legs right off the ground. As the attacker will be hanging on with his right arm round your waist or neck it will be necessary to drop to the mat as you sweep the legs. If your stand up as you sweep, the attacker will simply hang on to you. Take care when dropping to the mat, not to injure yourself or your partner. There are several counters to o-goshi but I think the beginner will find this the easiest to learn.


Defence and counter to Harai-goshi

Defence is the same as for the first hip throw. To counter, let the attacker get in position for the throw with his right leg across your thighs but do not let him break your balance forward
- keep upright! As soon as you have stopped the impetus of his throw, step with your left leg deep in between his two legs. Balancing on this lift up your right thigh under the opponent's right thigh so that he is lifted completely off the ground. Pivoting on the ball of your left foot swing round to your left and unload the attacker off your thigh on to the mat. This can often be a very heavy counter.

Quake II Servers ++

The simplest way to avoid an attack with this throw is to keep your leg back and out of trouble. However, this will leave you open for another throw so I think, in this case, the best defence is to try the counter-throw. The counter for ko-soto-gari is uchi-mata. When your opponent moves to your side and attempts to hook your right leg make a half turn to your left and balancing on your left leg lift your partner up and over with right uchi-mata.


Defence and counter to O-soto-gari

If you look at the plates showing this throw, you will see that both the thrower and his partner are in the same position. The only difference is that, if the thrower is doing the throw properly and breaking his partner's balance, the partner will be bent over backwards. To block this throw step back with your right foot and lean forward with the upper body so that the thrower will not be able to break your balance to the rear or reach your right leg. For the counter let the attacker come nearly in for the throw, taking care that he doesn't break your balance to the rear, step round and back with your left leg. As you do this keep him pinned tight to your body with your arms and do exactly the same throw (o-soto-gari) back on him.