Shintaro Higashi
Bio
Shintaro Higashi is a Judo Red and White Belt under his father Nobuyoshi Higashi. Shintaro competed often on the IJF circuit and is a 2x USA Judo Senior National Champion and placed 5th in the U.S. Open. Since wrapping up his competitive career, Shintaro has found himself running two martial arts academies and an absolute STELLAR YouTube channel! On top of his Judo experience, Shintaro is also experienced in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and was even an All-State wrestler.
Shintaro has a knack for teaching Judo. His YouTube channel posts a steady stream of content ranging from beginner to advanced concepts. On top of his YouTube presence, Shintaro has recently released multiple instructionals with JudoFanatics.com. These top-tier instructionals cover a wide range of topics including Judo Basics, Judo Leg Grabs, and Combination Concepts!
Instruction
Flashy techniques are great and everything, but how often do they work? Rock solid foundations have been winning championships since the beginning of competition. Judo Basics looks to give you the game plan for a well-rounded approach that is perfect for both beginners looking to start, and Veterans looking for a fresh take on the basics. Take a look at a quick breakdown from Judo Basics!
Shintaro’s first instructional is dedicated to laying the foundation for you to build a COMPLETE game upon. Judo Basics is a 4-part instructional that covers grip fighting, footwork, and attack sequences that set you up for success throughout your Judo career. Perfect for beginners as well as athlete’s looking to refine their basic approach to Judo!
Take your game to the next level by reinforcing your fundamentals! Click Learn More!
In the demonstration above where Shintaro describes the finer details of hand positioning in a Right vs Left situation. He explains that if/when you face opposition that is more technical than you staying in a neutral gripping position is a bad idea. Instead, Shintaro looks to give you the advantage grip-wise.
From an inside grip Shintaro is able to create a structural barrier with his forearm and high lapel grip. This creates a situation where if your opponent looks to create space, they have to do so with a weaker part of their body. By offsetting this one advantage you can be in a stronger position to defend your opponent's attacks while at the same time maximizing your ability to launch your own!
Judo Basics is loaded with small details like this that can make a huge impact on your overall game! Lay a solid foundation to build upon with Shintaro Higashi and this 4-part master class on Judo Basics!
Now let’s take a look at a controversial topic...LEG GRABS! Leg grabbing techniques were banned by the International Judo Federation in 2013. While many speculate as to the actual reason why, one thing was crystal clear Leg Grabbing techniques were TOO effective! Take a look at a quick demo from Basic Judo Leg Grabs by Shintaro Higashi!
Tha Kata Guruma is one of the techniques that were most affected when leg grabs were deemed illegal. While a legal variation is still used at a high level, many feel Kata Guruma’s true power is unlocked by grabbing the leg when executing the technique. Shintaro’s variation is perfect for rulesets where leg grabs are permitted, like in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The Yoko Kata Guruma variation is a version that involves grabbing the leg and sitting on your hip. This variation is perfect if you are facing off with a larger opponent. With proper timing and set up Yoko Kata Guruma doesn’t require you to lift your partner to finish. Instead Shintaro shows you how to latch onto the arm and use it to force your opponent to the mat as you sit through to your hip.
To fully finish the technique and ensure you are on top, Shintaro keeps the arm and gets to his feet. By centering his weight on top of his partner he pins them to the ground and is able to circle their head and get chest to chest with them.
Basic Judo Leg Grabs by Shintaro Higashi focuses on flat-out effective techniques. If you are looking to kick it old school with leg grabbing techniques Shintaro has the game plan for you. This is a great resource for ANY athlete looking to combine their traditional Judo approach with tried and true leg grabs to take their opponent down!
Attacking with combinations is a surefire way to find success on the mat. Shintaro’s latest instructional is dedicated to crafty combos that will trick your opponent and increase your ippon efficiency. Take a look at this quick demo from Mastering Combination Concepts where Shintaro uses Ouchi Gari to create hard to stop combinations!
The Ouchi Gari is a great technique that lends itself perfectly for combinations, especially against larger opposition. As you can see from the demo, Shintaro’s uke is much larger. The Ouchi Gari is a great way to attack your opponent’s supporting legs. Once you start to offset their balance more opportunities for attack will open up.
If you have an opponent that is using a lot of movement and it is hard to find their legs to attack, Shintaro recommends creating some push/pull to force your opponent to plant their feet. Shintaro demonstrates this with his very first combo where he pushes into his partner and attacks with Ouchi and immediately transitions into Osoto Gari. These creative combinations will increase your success on the mat greatly, because you force your opponent to react in a way that you can be PREPARED for.
Mastering Combination Concepts is packed with more great combinations just like this. Shintaro teaches you how to get the position advantage and continuously attack your opponent. Give yourself the upper hand by being two attacks ahead of the opposition!
