Fighting for grips or gripfighting has to be one of the most important skill sets that a competitive judoka will ever learn. It supercedes throwing and technique nowadays because without being a good gripper, you’ll never get any of your techniques off.

Everytime the Judo Crusader get asked the question, “How do I get my grip?” He has a problem answering. The reason, because the question is so broad that there is no way to answer it in 30 seconds or even 30 days. The process of becoming a better gripper is one of the few skills that you have to be taught systematically and that you have to “learn”w within an environment via the immersion method.

The great thing about gripping is that once you got it – you got it. The hard thing about it is that NOBODY will teach it to you. There are a few people but more often than not people really shy away from giving away the secrets of judo. And believe me – gripping is one of judo’s best kept secrets.

Take care,

The Judo Crusader