Hi guys, hope everyone is okay. Anyway so I started Judo around 5 weeks ago but unfortunately I've only been able to get to 1 (Monday) class a week out of 2 (Monday and Thursday [Haven't been able to get to Thursday lessons, bar the first one, due to university commitments]). So I've only done 4 lessons, 90 minutes each and tonight, since I pulled my hamstring this weekend, I wasn't able to go tonight. But the problem is, I feel quite happy that I haven't gone. I really like Judo and I WANT to carry on with it. The problem is ,whilst I feel comfortable and actually enjoy when we do the groundwork, I hate it when it comes to randori because I just don't feel my throws are improving at all. The blues and browns that I 'roll' (sorry I can't remember the Japanese) with say that I 'work hard' and I know that I can get my escapes/bridges/chokes in on them to a decent level when I 'roll' with them. The problem is my throws. I just can't seem to get the hang of them!! I've only learned 2 of them too (which I have mentioned previously [Tai Otoshi and Ippon Seoi nage]) and, to be honest, I haven't tried any of the helpful tips from my previous thread from Prizewriter and others but Uni is really keeping me busy at the moment. The problem is, despite my hamstring, I feel guilty that I might have been able attend tonight but talked myself out of it. I like the fact I am doing this martial art and the fact I am enjoying the break falls and the groundwork, but the throws are really getting to me. I am beginning to feel embarrassed that I can't do these throws. I know I haven't been training long but I feel my throws should be getting better but I really feel nervous when we try in 'practice' and randori because my instructors keep explaining the throws to me but I can't seem to grasp them and since I keep having to do randori with the higher belts, I'm worried that they are just thinking that I'm a poor training partner (although I'm trying my best to resist them in randori) which makes me even more anxious! The instructors have been great and the higher grades have given me loads of tips but the more it goes on, the more I feel really embarrassed. So I guess my question is; Is this normal? Do many people feel this way? Or am I just wasting my instructor's and classmate's time and should I just do something else? I really want to do it and I wouldn't say I was a shy person but I feel really anxious when people are looking at me and Judo seems to be so difficult! I love the warm up and groundwork, its just the throws I cannot seem to grasp. I know I haven't been attending very long but I just feel I am not progressing at all.
If you could execute a clean tai otoshi after four lessons, let alone hit it in randori, you would be the greatest Judo prodigy I've ever heard of.
It took future World and Olympic champions more than 5 weeks to get a throw working in randori. If it was easy, why would we spend our entire lives working on it? If by 'trying my best to resist them' you mean you're stiff arming them and generally being super defensive - stop it. It's annoying and pointless. I honestly don't see the point in standing randori for beginners in their first 3 months. Maybe suggest to your training partners next time you do randori that they let you just practice attacking (i.e. they wont attack or counter you) to let you practice throws in a semi-compliant fluid format. You can suggest splitting the time in half or going throw for throw. I've been doing it for years and I still can't get tai otoshi to work for me in randori. Should I be embarrassed? Am I wasting my instructor's time?
Thoughts like that already? After attending four classes? So far I think I managed to throw someone three times (where the other really tried to resist and wouldn't let me play). I'm doing Judo for not an entire year yet. (Well, so far I haven't gone to my Judo-class this year at all, but that's another story). If Judo were easy, it would be called soccer (Yeah, I got that from a T-Shirt, I know ) You expect to able to do way too much. Chances are, you're still making mistakes when working on the throws without resistance. With mild resistance it gets even worse; Randori - again: worse. Totally normal. If it were so easy and you could throw people around after four classes... Where's the fun in that? ^^
I still feel my throws are so so after a few years. My coach says I am pretty good. 1 we are own worst critic. 2. It takes time and practice. A lot of it. Hang in there. If you work.hard it will come
It takes 6 months to develop a dependable throw. I have heard someone who had spent 2 years to develop one throw. 4 week (1 month) is far from enough.
To be honest, I don't know much about Judo, only from what I have learned at the Dojo I go to so I wouldn't know about the World and Olympic champions but thank you for that... Nope, I didn't mean that at all. My instructor told us to act in a way that it would help our partner feel what it was like to throw another person, if that helps you understand. And they would act the same way in return on a throw we tried on them. Well I guess that's understandable since I feel out of my depth in standing randori but apart of our practice kind of is practice on each other for 10 throws each and then again for the partner. Maybe you don't do that? Yeah, it's bloody hard!!! Well I guess not, if you have been doing it for years and can't do it! Thank you, they are quite good for the most part and tell me to get my attacks in but I just feel I'm not throwing correctly when I do. Cheers mate.
Yeah, I found it hard to go in the first place but I find it that my instructors seem to always be looking at me so I feel really embarrassed. See, I haven't managed to throw anyone but I'm quite good with my groundwork, love the strangling and chokes!! Well I'm glad to hear it isn't only me then! Yeah but that's the thing! I'm good at FOOTBALL ( ) and rugby and cricket so when it comes to Judo, it's just strange not naturally falling into it! Yeah, I know I expect too much but it's because I'm used to being naturally good at things, even when I did boxing I 'thought' I was good at it! Yeah I know that, I'm not expecting to be able to throw people, but I don't feel as if I am improving at all!
Honestly, I feel this is probably the best thing I've heard so far. 1. Yeah I guess this is right, even my instructors just tell me not to worry about it for now when I moan. 2. I guess this is pretty much it! It's all I need! Cheers mate, thanks!
Well that's certainly good to hear! But I just find it hard because I'm trying the same throws over and over again infront of my instructor and I feel as though they're getting annoyed (although they're always patient). 4 weeks is definitely far from enough, although the point was that I didn't feel as if I was improving in anyway
One suggestion from me - do your homework. - Draw 4 points on the ground. - Mark it L1, R1, L2, R2 - L1 is your left foot starting position. R1 is your right foot starting position. L2 is your left foot ending position. R2 is your right foot ending position. - Move your feet from L1, R1 to L2, R2, and then move from L2, R2 back to L1, R1. - Repeat this footwork 500 times daily at home. For different throws, those 4 points should be drawn differently on the ground.
Spar with the black belts. Emulate them in their manner and posture. If they're half decent they will let you throw them for every two or three times they throw you. Emulate their relaxed posture.
I had given similar suggestions to someone in another forum. I just cut and paste it here. I don't train Judo. But I have wrestled with many Judo guys before. The following suggestions may not be able to help you at this moment, but it may point you into the right direction. It's suggestion only. There is no need to get into arguments such as "This is not Judo", or "Judo guys don't do this". It's just "how to develop your jacket wrestling in general". Since there are no such thing as "sleeve grip" and "lapel grip" in non-jacket wrestling, some suggestions may not apply. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 suggestions here. 1. fill in your mission knowledge in each and every categories. The Judo stand up throws techniques usually can be divided into: - hand techniques, - foot techniques, - leg techniques. IMO, the stand up throwing technique can be divided into more detail such as "4 sides and 2 doors": 1st side - your right leg attack the outside of your opponent's left leg. 2nd side - your right leg attack the inside of your opponent's left leg. 3rd side - your right leg attack the inside of your opponent's right leg. 4th side - your right leg attack the outside of your opponent's right leg. front door - your back touch your opponent's chest. back door - your chest touch your opponent's back. To develop at least 1 techniques from these 6 categories can be a good starting point. 2. Develop "grip fight" skill. Also, to spend a good amount of time to develop your "grip fight" skill is very important. If your opponent can't get a good grip on you, he can't throw you. You should try to achieve the following: - You have 2 grips on your opponent but your opponent only has 1 grip on you. - You have 1 grip on your opponent but your opponent has no grip on you. In case your opponent has 2 grips on you, you should try as hard as you can to break his grip 1 after another. Try not to get into a "dead lock" situation that you have 2 grips on your opponent, your opponent also has 2 grips on you. You wait for him to do something, he also waits for you to do something. 3. Make your opponent to feel uncomfortable for his grips. In case your opponent has monster grips and you have hard time to break it, you should at least don't let him to feel comfortable on his grips. - use your arm to lift up his lapel grip arm. - drop your elbow over his lapel grip arm. - use your hand to pin down his lapel grip arm on your chest. - apply pressure on the elbow joint of his lapel grip arm. - rotate your head to the other side of his lapel grip arm. - twist his sleeve grip arm. - ...
My advice would be relax, don't worry as much about the destination at this early stage but enjoy the training (journey). Listen to your instructor and group, they'll help and understand you. It will all come together given time and your knowledge base will expand. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, try to recognise where you have some weaknesses and ask your instructor if he has any advice. Try and 'master' one throw at a time. Do it in the air using some visualisation in your own time. This will help with your muscle memory and smoothing out/ refine your technique and movements. It should help you to familiarise them and make them natural and second nature. Also keep in mind that everyone has techniques they favour over others, so it will take a little time to discover those that you feel best with. Give yourself 6 months at least to gauge your progress, a month is too soon. But not having the experience you are naturally anxious. It shows you care, hang on to that. Best of luck.
I think I had been doing judo more than 6 months before I threw someone, and the guy I threw had only had a couple of classes. Judo is very technical. Getting a second session in during the week would help you big time if you could. Try and find another session at another club that suits your schedule.
Judo is challenging, especially the tachi-waza. It took me a year and a half to me able to throw someone in randori reliably. Here's a secret: the people who are white belts with you are improving at the same rate you are, which means while your throws are getting better, so is their defence. When you're an Orange or Green belt, then you'll have white belts and yellow belts to throw. All of a sudden those throws that you though you'd never pull off start happening, because you're better than the other guy. However, there will always be guys junior to you who are super talented and will be able to fight above their belt level. If you get rag-dolled by a strong white belt, don't sweat it.
