| SHISEI, SHIZENTAIAHD JIGOTAI | | | | grip. The left-handed player takes uke's right lapel |
| Shisei, or posture, is a very important aspect of | | | | in his left hand and the left sleeve in his right hand. |
| all judo training. The basic posture is called | | | | If one player grips left-handed and the other grips |
| shizentai, or natural posture. The back is kept | | | | right-handed the situation is called kenka-yotsu, |
| straight and the head up, with the eyes looking | | | | which means opposing grips. If both players are |
| straight ahead. The feet should be shoulder-width | | | | right-handed or both are left-handed they take |
| apart with the weight spread evenly on the balls | | | | the same grips on the judo uniform and the |
| of the feet, not flat-footed, or up on the toes, | | | | gripping situation is called ai-yotsu. |
| but with just enough space under the heel to slide | | | | Normally in Japan players adjust their stances |
| a piece of paper, allowing for rapid movement in | | | | quite considerably and a player who grips |
| any direction. | | | | left-handed will stand left side on,vice versa if |
| If tori steps forwards about 12in (30cm) on his | | | | they grip the judo gi right-handed. European |
| right foot, he is said to be in right natural posture | | | | players are often more inclined to remain in a |
| or migi-shizental; if he steps forwards on his left | | | | square-on posture. It is difficult but not impossible |
| foot, he is in left natural posture or hidari-shizentai. | | | | to throw left and right and it is a good idea to |
| This is the recommended posture for skill training, | | | | practice switching sides as soon as possible. This |
| randoriand contest. | | | | does not necessarily mean changing grips. If a |
| The other basic posture is called jigotaior | | | | right-handed player who specializes in harai-goshi |
| defensive posture and involves bending the knees | | | | from a basic sleeve-lapel grip can be taught to do |
| and sinking the hips to prevent yourself from | | | | left seoi-nage without changing the right-hand lapel |
| being thrown by the opponent. Other more | | | | grip he has aformidable combination at his disposal. |
| extreme defensive postures not actually taught | | | | Quite often the problem is that it takes such a |
| as a part of Kodokan judo occur quite often in | | | | long time to develop one good movement or |
| contest situations, with both players gripping the | | | | major throw that by the time players realize the |
| judo gi and bending 90 degrees from the waist, | | | | very real need for a 'big gun' on the other side it |
| to keep their hips as far away from their | | | | is too late. This, and other left-right switches such |
| opponent as possible. | | | | as sode-tsuri-komi-goshi on the other side (to the |
| UKEMI-WAZA | | | | left in the case of a right-handed player) should be |
| Ukemi-waza are the breakfalling techniques of | | | | encouraged from the beginning in a player's |
| judo and are another of Jigoro Kano's innovations | | | | development. |
| for improving the safety of the activity. It is | | | | The grip of the judo gi is a players basic |
| important for everyone to learn to fall correctly | | | | foundation, whether left or right, will determine |
| and safely, in the first place to avoid injury and in | | | | which techniques he can use effectively. |
| the second place to allow them to move | | | | Experimentation with grips on the opponents |
| confidently without stiffening up because of the | | | | uniform can prove very fruitful, and on occasion |
| fear of falling and being hurt. Skill in falling | | | | altering the grip can totally transform a technique. |
| automatically improves the individual's ability to | | | | Apart from the basic grip, others that have |
| relax and move fluidly and leads to improved | | | | proved to be effective include the sleeve and high |
| throwing skills. The three main breakfalls are the | | | | collar grip, which is often favored by taller players |
| forward rolling breakfall, the side breakfall and the | | | | as it offers good head control for forward throws |
| back breakfall. Once these breakfalls are correctly | | | | such as harai-goshi and uchimata. Gripping the belt |
| learned on both right and left sides, uke can be | | | | is a favorite ploy of east European fighters, many |
| thrown with most techniques without fear of | | | | of whom come from sombo wrestling, and allows |
| injury. Other breakfalls include the front breakfall, | | | | great force to be generated for hip throws and |
| the somersault breakfall, the handstand breakfall | | | | sacrifice techniques. It also means the contest |
| and the single arm cut-away. Practicing the whole | | | | becomes more of a wrestling match because it |
| range of breakfalls leads to increased spatial | | | | allows much closer contact than the traditional |
| awareness and eventually all fear of being thrown | | | | Japanese grip and posture where the opponent is |
| disappears. | | | | generally at arm's length. Another grip common in |
| KUMIKATA | | | | European judo is the double-lapel grip, which allows |
| Kumikata, or gripping skills, are a vital part of judo | | | | fighters to switch from left to right but sacrifices |
| and often mean the difference between the | | | | control of the sleeves. The double-sleeve grip is |
| success or failure of a technique. The basic grip in | | | | also seen occasionally, as it allows j players to |
| judo and the one usually taught to beginners in | | | | attack with sode-tsuri-komi-goshi on both sides. It |
| the first months of training is the sleeve-lapel grip. | | | | was a much more popular grip in the years when |
| A right-handed player usually takes a grip on his | | | | there were no weight categories and was often |
| partner's left lapel with his right hand and grips the | | | | used by smaller men against larger opponents. |
| right sleeve with his left hand. This is the orthodox | | | | |