And this is what it comes down to isn't it? You prefer to load uchi mata off the hip, my uchi mata is mostly leg. You can find plenty of examples of both in competition videos, whether they be westerners or Japanese doing them. All I'm trying to address is this misconception that uchi mata is only correct if loaded on the hip and that the leg has little to do with it.
When it's officially listed as an ashi waza, but certain instructors and practitioners say it has to be loaded on the hip, I call that a misconception. Unless they know more than Kano?
Nope not convinced. Now, if there was some ninjitsu training occurring I may be willing to make the trek.
Osoto-otoshi and osoto-gari are listed as foot techniques (ashi-waza) too but the point of contact in both is the thigh. I think you misunderstood me. It's not certain instructors saying uchi-mata is loaded on the hip. It's every instructor I've met. I'm going to feel like a douche for name dropping now but that includes Sophie Cox (2x Olympian), her coach Brian Moore, David Groom (one of the lads in the video Mitch posted), Karina Bryant (2012 Olympic bronze medallist) and Neil Adams (do I really need to explain who he is?). You mentioned Inoue. Here is a blog post that analyses his uchi-mata, showing how he loads the uke's weight on his hip: thedifficultway.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/slicing-traditional-throw-in-half.html?m=1. I chuckle inside when people nuthug the founder of an art. It's the MAP equivalent of Godwin's Law. Happens all the time in TKD. "Oh, but General Choi didn't teach it that way!" Maybe the founder didn't teach it a certain way, but people today will execute techniques better than the founder. They have a far greater understanding of biomechanics and sports training that allows them to be faster, stronger and more efficient. Nevermind the years of competition that allows them to analyse what does or doesn't work. Students should always surpass the teacher.
This is turning into an interesting back and forth. That blog that dissects Inoue's uchi mata shows him performing it almost completely different to the way I've seen him do it in countless competition videos. Loading it on the hip is great for static nage komi and uchi komi, but in randori and shiai, the leg wins out. I've seen him load onto the hip on occasions when he is really pulling an opponent forward onto him and muscling it, but most of the time it's all about the leg. Look at his most famous throw against Gill for the gold in Sydney, that is clearly not loaded on the hip. I'm not going to call you a douche for name dropping, but you're assuming I've never trained/competed against anyone competent. I've had no less than 5 ex-Olympians as coaches (and a hell of a lot of international A class competitors as training partners), and have been shown uchi mata by Shinohara some years ago as well. They all showed uchi mata as two variations - one loaded on the hip and another with no loading, just kuzushi and leg sweep. Neither was considered right or wrong. Hell, I remember Kashiwazaki showing us uchi mata as a leg throw on the opposite leg. I'm sure as hell not going to tell him he's wrong. You make a large (and very erroneous) assumption that I'm nuthugging Kano, merely because I'm pointing out that he founded the art and classified the throws within. I'm pretty sure he knew what he was doing. Now you can tell me that because you prefer to load it off the hip and you've been taught to by other instructors, that I'm completely wrong. I guess all those competition wins with a non hip loaded uchi mata didn't mean anything then. And maybe we should stop saying that Inoue won a gold with an uchi mata because he didn't load on the hip. All I'm saying is that it's a misconception that it has to be loaded on the hip - you haven't provided a compelling argument otherwise.
I watched that clip several times and I'd say at most it's mid-thigh. While that isn't the hip, it's certainly closer to it than the ankle as YKW would have you believe with that weighted stick exercise he posted. My point is, I guess, resistance should be drilled in kuzushi rather than the actual leg lift. If you haven't pulled them off balance enough, no amount of leg lift will help.
I've seen a similar tool used in a lot of Okinawan karate hojo undo practice. Isn't the principle of the training tool not just to develop the leg but the bodys' ability to create the drive and force with the whole body in the process? I've trained with a few hojo undo tools, but not quite that one or in that way, so I admit I could be totally wrong. I never thought about that possibility before. Also, "nuthug"? Well that's a new one for my vocabulary I lol'd far more than I should have, thanks for that
In Chinese wrestling, both methods are used. This is from the hip. Your upper leg will touch your opponent's groin area. Your opponent will be thrown "over" your head. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnnE4_vKOrc"]lChang leg lift demo- YouTube[/ame] http://imageshack.us/a/img831/4315/linleglift.jpg This is from the leg. Your leg will lift 45 degree on your opponent's upper leg. Your opponent will be thrown "next" to your body. http://imageshack.us/a/img832/7585/changleglifting.jpg I believe this one also uses the leg since his opponent is thrown "next" to his body. http://imageshack.us/a/img194/3427/leglift.jpg The leg strength can also be used in this "leg block" throw (Ashi Guruma). http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3762/johnleglift.jpg This is the Chinese method to "enhance" your "leg lift" skill. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs7nJ9Pcv_4"]leg lift training - YouTube[/ame]
