Improve Your Throwing With This Easy Drill from Travis Stevens
One of the best ways to supplement your judo training is to incorporate judo drills that allow you to safely create scenarios where you have to think creatively and put your knowledge to the test in a way that is less focused on scoring or winning.
In the drill below, Olympic Silver Medalist Travis Stevens creates a scenario where both the tori and the uke are effectively working on their specific games in a way that is mutually beneficial.
The goal of the drill is to improve the tori's confidence and skill in throwing their opponents. It's purpose is to bridge the disconnect that exists between where the tori believes they need to be as opposed to where they really need to be to score. Check out the drill video below and then we will break it down.
The Tori's Job
The Tori's job in this drill is to secure what they feel is their best grip, unchecked by the Uke. Once they have that grip, they will then work to attempt to throw their uke utilizing the grip that they've chosen. They will be primarily offense driven in this drill and focused only on maintaining the strong grip and putting it to good use.
The Uke's Job
Conversely, the uke will allow the tori to secure their 'best grip' and then provide a grip in feedback to that grip. Whatever is available to them they will secure. If the tori does a poor job eliminating their options, then the uke will take the best grip available to them.
And now for 60-90 seconds the tori will attempt to throw the uke, while the uke defends the throw with the grip that they have. By choosing a grip and attempting to use it throughout the drill and squeeze all of the potential offense he/she can from it frees them up to not worry about being counter thrown. And for the uke it's an important time to work on their defenses.
For more from Travis Stevens, check out Mastering Seoi Nage the most intense study of the position ever completed. You can get it at here or at the BUY NOW link below.
