A Note for Akari Judo Students re: Nage no Kata: I've Been Doing it Wrong
Umm... It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong? Well, I think Nage no Kata will give me plenty of chances to demonstrate my bigness.
So... quick note here for anyone who has learned Nage no Kata from me: I have been teaching (and executing) both the 3-push and head bash attacks wrong, for the most part.
For the 3-push, the main culprit, as I mentioned in my discussion of the variations in the 3-push attack, is that I only recently put together the fact that there are actually supposed to be any differences in this attack. So when I taught it before, all 6 of my 3-pushes were the same - and it was just on Tori to choose a different attack. This was wrong. Oh, and in addition to the differences that I mentioned, Uke isn't really supposed to nail the heel/toe foot spacing. I think he tries, but Tori's actions screw him up, such that the trailing foot is sometimes further back.
For the head bash, my second step has been too big on all but the Yoko Guruma attack... Uke is supposed to strike with his feet almost at heel/toe, rather than at the end of a giant stride. The first step is still big, but the second step is usually smaller. This, of course, means that you must set up closer to Tori than you are used to (provided that you are used to doing it the way I do it). I've known about the differences in this attack, but I didn't realize that my foot spacing had been wrong. I think this adjustment will make the first 3 muuuch easier.
I realized this as I went through my source materials to research these posts... Looking at the pictures, better understanding Uke's adjustments and mindset... yeah... I've been doing it wrong. Whoops.
So here's what I need from you, Akari Judoka: Help me. I will forget. I will go back to the way I have trained it for the last 20 years. Keep an eye on me, and call me out when I do it my old, wrong way. Then we can all get better!
Thanks!
Labels:
3-Push,
Head Bash,
Nage No Kata,
Ukemi,
Whoops
3 comments:
IMO, for kyu levels the idea is to simply get an introduction to n-n-k, not to have a polished kata. That comes later when one gets to dan grades.
N-n-k has changed so much over the years that even I get confused on certain details, but in case of doubt I always go back to the classical forms that I was taught back in the 70's.
The Otaki/Draeger book is the more modern way of performing kata and there are certain changes in it that I still do not get.
Lets remember that the main purpose of kata is to learn judo, not to learn a cookie-cutter set of movements. That being said, you has been teaching the kata that works for you and there is nothing wrong with that, because each student must later develop the kata that works for them.
I agree totally about not needing to learn from a cookie-cutter, but I think that the "mistakes" I have been making have kept the Kata from working as well for me as it could have been...
The important thing here is that you have seen the problem and know how to correct it.
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