Wednesday, September 30, 2009

New IJF Rules Explained

These are the new IJF Rules that are getting looked at this year. With some explanations. Here it is from their IJF website:

REFEREEING


Decision of the IJF Executive Committee in Rotterdam from 21/08/09

Introduction
The IJF’s wish is to defend fundamental judo values.
Within this scope IJF particularly devotes itself to preserve and develop education, physic and mental trumps of Judo.
« Judo is a physic and mental education system ».

From the other side, IJF would not like to change Refereeing rules during Olympic qualification period. For this reason it will proceed in this sphere with necessary experimentations and their testing before the first January 2010.
The experimentations will be tested during World Junior Championships 22/25 October 2009 in Paris.

Refereeing rules
Leg Grips.

All direct attacks with one or two hands or with one or two arms below the belt are not allowed.
PUNISHMENTS: First attack: - Shido
Second attack: - Hansokumake

Grips below the belt are authorized only after a sequence of techniques if it’s real and sincere.
Grips below the belt are authorized in counterattack.
These counterattacks are allowed only within a sequence (continuity) of techniques started by the opponent. The principles of Go No Sen and Sen No Sen.

For better understanding of the new rules, while giving a punishment referees will explain it by an appropriate gesture.

Refereeing system
The contests will be refereed by only one referee without 2 referees at the corners.
The “Care” system with 2 cameras filming the contest at 2 different angles will be set up to help the one unique referee.
Control and supervision of the “Care” system will be done by the IJF Refereeing commission

Golden Score
Regarding Golden Score part of contest of maximum 2 minutes, the entire marking of refereeing table resulting 4 minutes of initial contest, will be conserved during this period except the contest duration.
At the end of Golden Score and if no advantage was marked, the referee will take a decision for the period of initial contest and its Golden Score part.


Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Commitment Issues

I stopped by the Budokan on Tuesday night for a good workout. Since this was the last workout for people going to the US Open, no technique was shown, and basically it was a full session of randori after warm ups. Everyone brought up their game, and it was a lot of fun to randori knowing that it was the last workout before going to the US Open for those that are going.

I was tired, beat, and yet I keep on going. It's not the training commitment I'm talking about, it's committing to a throw. I'd go in for an attack, yet not follow through. I think I need to practice on the follow through.

What I probably need is just some open mat time and continuous repetition of the throwing motion. I need to attack more, and I end up just stalling all the time. Practice some more uchikomis, then throws on a crash pad, and then some more throws.


Spider Guard or Daddy Long Legs

I stopped by Seattle Jujutsu on Monday night for a workout. It was pretty good. Worked on a lot of newaza that night. I've been mainly working on guard passes.

In randori got into spider guard or daddy long legs. It was interesting. Its different, I'm protecting my arms and learning to post and pass guard. Not bad.

The technique of the night is a rollover using your shin to cut at a 45 and do a rollover. Hmmn, it's hard to explain in words. I'll see if I can pull up a youtube somewhere.

Not much to say, except that it's a good workout.



Thursday, September 17, 2009

New IJF Rules...

Just learned from the Jiu-Jitsu Sensei Blog about the new IJF rules. Jumped into the Judoforum and saw this informative youtube clip that pretty much explains it.

Again. I really don't know what to think of this, mainly because I do tend to use leg, ankle picks as well as the drop kata-guruma. Mainly because I'm a bit shorter and stouter. Again rules have been changing. Used to have a safety zone, then no safety zone, a dynamic edge, 5 second opposite grip rule, no pistol grips, koka/no kokoa, chui, etc... It's just a longer series of rules that just gotta get familiar with. I'm sure Olympic Judo is starting to stray from the old Kodokan Judo. If you look at Mifune's "The Canon of Judo" there's a lot of techniques that are left out in today's curriculum, and is mostly carried out in other sports such as sambo, kosen judo and the differing jiujutsu variants.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Homemade Cookin!

This week has been mostly a wash, mainly because I've been gorging myself with homemade food. My mom is in town and has been feeding me lumpia and other delicious home cooking. The crockpot has been simmering with curry chicken, giniling, adobo, spare ribs, menudo among other things.

Seriously. I'm gaining weight as I type this. She has also brought in some moon cakes. Nevertheless my freezer is stocked full of lumpia and I could survive off this for awhile. I'm sure FEMA would designate my refrigerator as an emergency resupply point with the amount of food ready to go could literally feed a small army. Or me healthily for the next month or so.

As for working out, I missed my Monday Night Workout because I ate a whole plate of lumpia and brought enough to share. There is no way I can workout with that much food in my belly. Regardless it was a lot of food, and it's a rare delicious treat at that.

Tuesday Night, I rolled into Budokan to workout. There were about a dozen people. Warmups were really good. This was the first time that I actually felt that I could do cartwheels. I cartwheeled across the mat in continous motion, that finally got dizzy at the end of my cartwheel thing. I know 8 or so years of judo (on and off) and finally, been able to do a cartwheel. Most of the other attempts at cartwheel, were just that attempts at flopping your legs over your body while standing on your hands, which mainly resulted in your butt sticking in the air and with your legs doing a clockwork motion.

The technique of the night was mainly gripping. With a quick exercise in grip fighting. The rest of the night was just spent in standing randori. Lots and lots of standing randori. I would fight for 2-3 rounds, take a round break, 2-3 rounds, take a round break... and so on and on.

So a lot of people are gearing up for the US Open, which is a "C" level elite tournament that's going to be held in San Jose in a couple of weeks. And so the emphasis on the night is Randori. Also on the mat was Matt Walker, who is the #2 Ranked +100kg athlete after the Olympian McCormick. Matt is headed to Brazil with coach Bert Mackey for an international competition in a few weeks. So he is getting geared up and ready.

Most everyone going to the competition is on the peak cycle, with next week most likely going to be on a taper, and take it easy right before the US Open.

So being one of a few bigger guys in the dojo that night. But tonight it was basically Matt, Jake, Kurt and myself. So we took turns randori with Matt. I ended up randori with him basically 4-5 times.

Here are the lessons learned.

1. Vary your patterns. Matt caught me in a good foot sweep (deashi barai) that was timed perfectly. I tend to be repetitive in my patterns of attack.

2. Move the body. Matt weighs close to 250lbs. I have to actually use good judo to move him, apply kuzushi and then throw.

3. When fighting a relatively bigger opponent, use your lower center of gravity (in this case my smaller size and speed) to execute techniques.

4. Stiff Arm. In a Stiff Arm competition, one with the longer reach wins. Don't get caught in this trap.

It was actually great to randori with the #2 guy in the country. I'm learning quite a bit on what to do and not to do. And with someone that is stronger and bigger, I now have to actually rely more on technique and strategy to beat them.

Things to work on.

1. Expanding my different footsweep techniques. Applying footsweeps from different angles.

2. To go with the flow. If I'm pushed, I pull; I'm pulled, I push. Fighting strength vs. strength which works on weaker and less technical opponents does not work all the time.

3. Commitment. I have to just commit to a technique. Once I have a grip, commit and throw. This just means that I must commit without fear of getting thrown.

4. Repetition of simple techniques. I just simply need to keep on practicing so that my footsweeps, throws are all second nature.


Friday, September 11, 2009

A nose is a nose...

Remember, when I said, I only seem to bleed when wearing a white gi? It also happens when wearing a blue gi too.

During randori, my nose bled when it hit the back of someone's skull. It was only a nosebleed. Anyways, I had to sit out for the rest of the night because it kept on bleeding. I tried to get back in for one round, but it started bleeding again.

No biggy. I actually prefer nosebleeds or cauliflower ear as it doesn't affect future training. Nosebleeds will stop, cauliflower ears can be drained and taped. It's not a worse injury like a knee, ankle, or shoulder injury. Basically momentary discomfort.

People are getting ready to fight at the US Open in the Budokan, so randori has been stepping up a notch. Also, some explanations on the new rules that were implemented. A big emphasis on continual attack. Always attack, attack, attack.

Other than that I don't remember much really...

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Sambo Seminar Saturday

Went to a great Sambo Seminar given by Serge Gerlach and Aaron Fields. Throwing dummies courtesy of Ben and Vince.

What can I say, it was an action packed 4 hours. I can't remember much, but it was a great workout with lots of hands on experience. There were about a dozen or so attendees.

Let me recap best I can.

I. Warm Ups

II. Discussion of History of Sambo

III. Discussion of Philosophy of Sambo
1. Basically a scientific methodical approach to grappling based on body mechanics.
2. "There is no dogma..."
3. No Ranks on Sambo, everyone is equal.

IV. Demonstration of Techniques/Breakdown/Application/Q&A of Technique:

1. Kuzushi or Offbalancing techniques. (I tend to use japanese terms because of my judo background, however offbalancing tehcniques are the same no matter what the art)
a. Diagonal Points of Offbalance
b. Practical Application of Offbalance to the left and right corner.
2. Ouchi/Kouchi/Kosoto Gari (Inside Trip and variations)
3. Drop Inner Leg Pick
4. Drop Kata Guruma (Drop Fireman's Carry)
5. Joint Locks
a. Breakdown of Bio-Mechanics of Joints
b. Stabilize the next proximal joint of the joint you wish to lock.
c. Apply the lock.
d. The key things in joint-locks is the stabilization of the proximal joint, for example:
i. Armlocks - Elbow is stress point, stabilize the shoulder joint.
ii. Kneebars - Knee is stress point, stabilize the hip joint.
iii. Ankles - Ankle is stress point, stabilize the knee.
iv. Wristlocks - Wrists is stress point, stabilize the elbow.
e. Juji-Gatame (Straight Armlock Demo and Practice)
f. Leglock Exersice Warmups
g. Knee-Bars (Straight Kneebars)
i. Ankle Lock Warmups (aka 2 minutes in heaven)
j. Ankle Locks

V. Recap.
- The "Basics" Philosophy.
You have to do the Basics well. And most of the time, you'll only really use basic techniques. The majority of techniques used by elite athletes are basic. Why?
i. Basic Techniques are simple to execute.
ii. Basic Techniques have a higher probability of success.
The only difference between a beginner and an elite level athlete is not the techniques but the execution of the techniques after many hours of practice.
There is no "Magic" technique. The only way to get better is simply hard work and sweat.

VI. Q & A.

VII. A well deserved beer all around.

Overall, there was ample opportunity to actually work on the technique and ask for clarification. The people in the seminar were really cool, and it was a great opportunity to talk to other grapplers.

A great way to spend a Saturday!