| For most people involved in judo, from beginners | | | | throws are uchimata, seoi-nage, harai-goshi, |
| to seasoned veterans, the throwing skills are the | | | | tomoe-nageand tai-otoshi. They are seen in |
| most interesting and exciting part of the sport. | | | | almost all weight categories as are leg grabs, foot |
| Whenever there is a major competition, the | | | | sweeps and pick-ups and stand out as being the |
| spectators, who are usually almost all judo players | | | | most effective techniques, even if only because |
| themselves of varying degrees of ability, are | | | | they are the most difficult throws to prevent. |
| there to see the throws. To the outsider judo | | | | There is also a group of throws which are worthy |
| can seem a strange and confusing sport; the rules | | | | of study called take-downs, including techniques |
| are difficult to grasp and the scoring system | | | | such as hikkomi-gaeshi, obi-toh-gaeshiand |
| seems almost incomprehensible. In fact most of | | | | sumi-gaeshi, which have evolved for dealing with |
| the aspects of judo competition which are difficult | | | | extremely defensive opponents. While unlikely to |
| to understand come from attempts to orient | | | | score ippon because their throwing action is |
| what was originally a very personal confrontation | | | | inherently less dynamic than the classical throws |
| into a spectator sport. | | | | of the go-kyo, these are nevertheless skilful |
| The basic, definitive concept in judo is that of | | | | techniques for taking the fight to the ground. |
| ippon, or a decisive victory over an opponent. | | | | According to the original Japanese concept of judo |
| This notion is inherited from the martial arts origin | | | | the ideal ippon was a single technique which, when |
| of the sport where the conflict was a matter of | | | | performed in contest, represented the release of |
| life or death for those involved. At the heart of | | | | a lifetime's training. Traditionally the Japanese most |
| that concept is an aesthetic notion of what | | | | admired the single direct attack made in a spirit of |
| constitutes a good, decisive throw, and the good | | | | complete self-abandonment in which nothing was |
| throw is what all judo players set out to achieve | | | | held back. The thrill of the sport for the spectator |
| every time they step on the mat. All judo | | | | was in seeing the risk accepted and taken in an |
| matches begin standing up and the fighters have | | | | all-or-nothing spirit. Combination judo, or |
| to try to throw each other; if they do not they | | | | counter-attacks, were felt for a long time to be |
| are penalized for non-combativity or passivity. If | | | | somehow less pure, but old attitudes are changing. |
| they go to the ground in the course of their | | | | Now, for many Japanese, just as in the West, the |
| struggles they carry on fighting there. But it is not | | | | result is the most important thing and, at the end |
| acceptable to just drag an opponent to the floor | | | | of the day, any kind of ippon is preferable to a |
| and finish him in groundwork. There are many | | | | referee's decision. |
| throws in judo and different ones tend to suit | | | | An analogy is often made between the ippon |
| different physiques. | | | | throw and the knock-out punch in boxing. It is a |
| The basic throwing techniques are grouped in five | | | | valid analogy, the difference being that in judo no |
| series of eight techniques called the go-kyo. | | | | violence is done to the opponent. Consider the |
| These forty techniques by no means provide an | | | | difference between a combination which ends in |
| exhaustive catalogue, however, and the Kodokan | | | | an ippon throw and the boxer knocked out by a |
| officially recognizes seventeen otherthrows, the | | | | cluster of five or six punches to the head. In judo |
| shimmeiso-no-waza, some of which are major | | | | only the final technique is decisive, in boxing each |
| techniques often seen in modern competition. The | | | | and every punch does damage. Throwing an |
| go-kyo is still at the heart of judo, though, and | | | | opponent for ippon is a form of self expression |
| the technical basis for all of the throwing | | | | which is both athletic and artistic, but because the |
| techniques is to be found there. | | | | opponent knows how to fall there is no damage |
| As a general comment, it is important to | | | | or violence involved. It only becomes an easy |
| distinguish between major techniques and trick | | | | task after years of hard work. Indeed, even for |
| techniques. A major technique will work time and | | | | experts contest remains arduous, because |
| again, even when an opponent has seen it, or | | | | however good they become someone equally or |
| even been thrown by it previously. Trick | | | | almost as skilled is always waiting to confront |
| techniques on the other hand tend to work | | | | them. |
| because of a surprise factor, although with effort | | | | The difference between combat sports and other |
| and perseverance a trick can some-times be | | | | disciplines, such as gymnastics, where athletes |
| turned into a major technique. The techniques of | | | | compete for points against an objective standard |
| the go-kyo are potentially all major techniques. | | | | as well as against each other is that in judo the |
| Any analysis of the major scoring techniques in | | | | fighter is only as good as his opponent allows him |
| modern competition shows that certain basic | | | | to be. |
| throws are successful time and time again. These | | | | |