Sagi Muki Wins 2019 Judo Worlds!
We would like to start this blog by sending a HUGE congratulations to Sagi Muki on winning the 2019 Judo World Championship!
Sagi displayed great use of strategy and beautiful technique to secure victory with an impressive array of throws.
To begin we’ll start with a throw Sagi is well known for, and a throw he covers in great detail in his Judo Fanatics tutorial ‘Power Judo’, which is Sode Tsurikomi Goshi (Sleeve Lifting and Pulling Hip Throw).
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The fundamentals for Sode Tsurikomi Goshi are a variation of Tsurikomi Goshi, the difference being that instead of taking an orthodox lapel and sleeve grip as in Tsurikomi Goshi both grips are taken on the sleeves in Sode Tsurikomi Goshi.
As Sode Tsurikomi Goshi means Sleeve Lifting and Pulling Hip Throw its not a surprise that the kuzushi (breaking balance) for this throw comes from pulling upwards so that our opponents balance is broken to the front and their center of gravity is lifted.
As with many throws its the kuzushi that allows us the entry into the technique and for Sode Tsurikomi Goshi we can take the direct route of lifting our opponents sleeve or the indirect route of pressuring downwards on our opponents sleeve and using their reaction to provide momentum for the sleeve lift.
Sagi Muki is a master of using misdirection for his Sode Tsurikomi Goshi, which is a forward throw, by pairing it with Osoto Gari, a backwards throw, and by doing so threatens his opponents in both directions. Using this method Sagi Muki can use his opponents defensive reactions in either direction to set up either throw!
This use of Osoto Gari is the first throw we can see Sagi scoring Ippon with in Round 2 of the 2019 World Championship in Tokyo. Sagi’s opponent senses a forward throw and as they defensively begin to move their weight backwards Sagi has already hooked the leg for Osoto Gari and then reaps through for a full throw.
In Round 3 we see a great exchange of movement and Sagi employing a kind of Kouchi Makikomi (Inside Leg trip) to score Waza-ari. The interesting thing about this Kouchi from Sagi is that as he’d controlled his opponents movement so well and has such fluid ability to change direction his contact with his opponents legs was minimal, and a great example of the Judo maxim of using ones opponents energy against themselves.
After scoring waza-ari with the Kouchi Sagi’s opponent is feeling the pressure to close the gap in points and must come forward into Sagi. Sagi capitalises on this forward pressure from his opponent and deploys a beautiful forward hip throw to decisively win the match by Ippon!
Moving forward to the Semi-Final we can see again Sagi threatening with his powerful forward throws and using his opponents defensive reaction to throw for Osto Gari and move through to the finals, which he secures in similar fashion!
Fortunately for us at Judo Fanatics 2019 World Champion Sagi Muki gives a detailed breakdown of many of these techniques in his series ‘Power Judo’.
‘Power Judo’ begins with a really solid and detailed description of the key to Judo, which is kumi kata, or grip fighting. Without the grip, we can’t break our opponents balance, and we can’t throw them.
From here Sagi Muki then goes on to detail how a technical understanding of Judo can level up our standing game and we can start to apply throws like Sode Tsurikomi Goshi in combination with Osoto Gari to maximum effect.
Whether your goal is wanting to score Ippon in Judo or move from a well honed standing game to dominant groundwork in BJJ Sagi Muki’s ‘Power Judo’ has got you covered! Check out ‘Power Judo’ by Sagi Muki here!