The Judo Crusader has some wonderful friends in the judo, bjj, submission and wrestling communities. And one friend was so kind to pass on this video to The Judo Crusader. As an appropriate example to what The Judo Crusader was speaking about last week.

So here is Division 1 Wrestler Chris Fleeger of Purdue, wrestling against another Division 1 Wrestler from Nebraska – and he takes him down with a beautiful Osoto Gari.

Judo works!

And for the person that doubted in the Osoto Gari – Eat your heart out! :-)  Just kidding.
Hey, The Judo Crusader is here to share and to expose the grappling world to the depth and breadth of the sport of judo while at the same time exposing judo’s weaknesses and providing solutions that compliment those weaknesses.

Up, Up, and Awaaaaaayyyyyyyyy

When it comes to uchikomi, The Judo Crusader understands what they are and why people do them, but it doesn’t seem like people really understand why they do them.

Uchikomi are great as a warm up and they are great to practice parcutial movement, but that is EXACTLY what you are training – PARTIAL MOVEMENTS.  No uchikomi are bad as building blocks for ones judo development but after that, there really is no reason to spend much time doing uchikomi.  The Judo Crusader has traveled all over the world and he I can only recall doing a huge amount of uchikomi in Brazil. And that is because I was there for a 2 week period and they did speed uchikomi after every practice. But they did it as more of a conditioining drill not as a development of skill. They did it to train yourself to enter in even when tired.

Remember what it is that you are *actually* training. Sometimes your training can in effect, be counterproductive if it is not inline with your desired result. If you want to run fast – run fast. If you want to become a better basketball player – play basketball. If you want to become a better thrower – throw.  If you want to win judo matches – play judo. 

For some of you who didn’t catch the last two sentences……..  You DON’T HAVE TO THROW in order to win. I figured this out.

And, a foot sweep requires a lot less energy than ippon seoinage