After one partner was thrown during a judo randori, the fight often happens to continue on the floor where both try to control the other one and attempt to force him to submission. Of course, this element of Judo, known as newaza, can also be trained separately. According to the rules in competitive judo, the submission or the control of the partner with a grappling technique for 20 seconds is awarded an ippon and is therefore of equal worth as a successful throw. Since punching, kicking, and scratching are prohibited, submission can only be accomplished with joint locks or choke holds. The defeated judoka signals his submission by softly clapping on the partner’s judo gi or the floor.
For outsiders, newaza might only look like a strange tangle of limbs, which can make it difficult to grasp the sense of what is happening. This is related to the fact that even a small movement of the hands or a minor shift of the body weight often makes a huge difference in the success of a technique. To maintain control over your partner you constantly have to search for the right grips and be aware of his movements. In general, techniques can be applied from above but also while laying on the ground. Should you be in the lower position there are three possibilities. You could either try to move in a sitting or standing position but this will be difficult since the opponent will use this rather unstable moment. Secondly, it is also possible to turn on the belly while pulling the arms under the body and moving the head to the floor. In this position, you are relatively well protected, but at the same time, there are few options to apply your own techniques. The third option from a lying position is applying guard techniques, that offer protection but also leave space to attack yourself. A very basic guard can be achieved by simply closing the legs around the opponent’s waist.
If you start in the upper position the first goal is getting past the partner’s legs and controlling his hips. Then, you can attempt to apply a grappling technique or joint locks. The following images show a basic grappling techniques and one joint lock targeting the arm.
Furthermore, it should be noted that judo grappling is very intense, even though one fight only lasts a few minutes. It requires a lot of strength and stamina to control the partner, pull him in the right direction, and finally execute the technique. That is why those physical qualities can sometimes be decisive in newaza especially when both partners have the same technical knowledge. Thus, you should always implement some strength exercises in your training routine if you want to make progress in judo. In the fitness section of 4children, you will find some ideas on how to structure said strength training.
