The Proper Placement

When one utilizes a technique in randori, it is important to visualize where the technique will go. By this I mean: each various throw has a proper direction. Let’s imagine the Uke is at the center of a clock. One throw will send him to his seven o:clock another will send him straight back to his twelve o:clock. If you are attempting to move Uke to improper position, the throw will seem unnecessarily difficult. With practice we find that the energy of Uke can often dictate which throw you will use. With more practice you can decide where you want Uke to go depending on the situation and environment. Perhaps there are people at one position so you want to throw Uke to a different place. Perhaps there are other attackers and you wish to throw Uke at them.

As you learn a new technique, it is helpful to find the easiest path for your energy and practice using that path with the throw. As you become more proficient with that throw you might alter the path to your advantage. But, find the proper path first, or it will make the learning process much more difficult!

If you would like to explore this, come on in to River of Life dojo and join us for a session or so.