The goal of a judo match is breaking the balance of your partner and throwing him on the tatami. A variety of techniques known as nage-waza serve to achieve said goal. The 67 throwing techniques in judo are based on numerous mechanisms, such as lifting the partner with the hips or sweeping his feet away, which will later be explained in detail. However, we will firstly take a closer look at the rules of judo to be able to grasp the situation in which these techniques are applied. After both partners bow, to show their mutual respect, the command “Hajime!” officially starts the fight. For the moment the main objective is getting a good and safe grip on the opponent’s jacket since this is the foundation for every throwing technique. As previously mentioned the judoka now attempts to throw uke, which is Japanese for the person who “receives” the technique. If the throw was performed clean and with full control it will be rewarded with an ippon point, that ends the fight immediately. During the whole fight, it is forbidden to use punches, kicks, or even to touch the partner’s face. In certain situations, for instance, in case of a disadvantageously performed throw, the fight can continue on the floor. This element of judo, also known as newaza, focuses on controlling the uke on the floor with several grappling techniques and forcing him to submit with the help of choke holds or joint locks. The submission of uke or controlling him for more than 20 seconds will also be awarded an ipon. Should you feel keen on having a closer look at newaza I would suggest you to read the article about grappling techniques.
Before getting started with the throwing techniques of judo it should be noted that those are a highly complex matter and that it consequently takes years if not a lifetime to master them. Many small grips with your hands, the positioning of your feet, the correct rhythm, and much more contribute to a properly performed judo throw. At first, it will probably be quite challenging to focus on all those aspects at once. That’s why it usually proves helpful to simply slow the movement down and pick one aspect to focus on. Below you will find a brief explanation of two throws that are usually easy to learn for beginners.
O-goshi (full hip throw)
The throwing mechanism of o-goshi consists of lifting uke with your hips and pulling him across your back until he will finally hit the floor. You start facing your partner and break his balance by pulling him closer with one hand. Then you spin around and grab his waist with the other arm. Now you slightly squat and push your hips back while pulling with one arm.
Deashibarai (advanced foot sweep)
The advanced foot sweep requires you to move your straight leg from the outside to the inside to sweep uke’s leg away. In the meanwhile, your foot remains under tension and your hands pull in the same direction as the foot sweeps. This throw might sound simple but it is in fact quite demanding to learn the right timing for this technique which is crucial to make it work.
While training those techniques you always have to be sure that your training partner already knows how to fall properly and to make certain that he doesn’t feel uncomfortable at any time. The best way to practice judo throws is by training with different partners, at various speeds, and with different intensities. If those techniques have awoken your interest, you should enroll in a local judo school to learn all the small details that are crucial for a successful throw and that can hardly be explained through an article.
