Unbalancing

[Dubster]

Hi All,

I am struggling with unbalancing people (kuzushi) at my judo class - anyone got any suggestions how I can practice unbalancing/ borrowing force when I don't have a training partner?

Thanks

D

[Chris McKinley]

There really isn't a truly good substitute for working with an actual partner if you're trying to improve your ability to find and take an opponent's center of balance. The best thing you can do solo is to work on finding your own and making it as solid and stable in all your movements as you can. Remember, connecting to an opponent's center is always a two-way communication, so you have to be able to prevent him from taking yours as well.

[Bhassler]

I have a friend who practices by rolling a giant uprooted tree stump up and down the alley behind his house. It definitely improved his shuai (throwing), whether through following the stump rolling over it's uneven surface or just through sheer brute strength I couldn't definitely say.

[johnwang]

practice unbalancing/ borrowing force when I don't have a training partner?

If you have cane bundle, you can dig a hole on the ground and put your cane bundle into it. Every time that you push or pull that cane bundle, it will bounce back and you can borrow that force and take the reverse action. The problem is it's very hard and expensive to buy or find cane bundle in US. I had hand carried some cane bundle from Taiwan many years ago.

[JusticeZero]

Examine the directions of force in the technique, then practice with making sure that you can make those lines of force happen with a sound structure. Twist a post if applicable. I don't know what specific techniques you're working to give more specific thoughts.

[johnrieber]

if you're struggling, do standing post work. if you feel like you're struggling, it's probably because your own root isn't strong enough for you to feel centered while you're engaging an opponent.

then go out and find a tree that's young enough to be springy. a deciduous sapling with not too many branches is good for practicing limb control (touch branches with your hands) and base control (get your shin or knee up to the trunk). but a young pine or cedar works fine, too, and gives you more flexible points to practice your give-and-take on.

take the technique you want to practice and play it with the tree in a light centered way, without a lot of breaking force. you don't want to break the tree. you want to feel it. when you issue force, be whiplike about it.

low, concentrate on the place where your feet/shin/knees and the tree's lower trunk connect to develop your active root. high, concentrate on feeling how the tree's branches move under your hands (or elbows or shoulder).

move in and out of the technique you're trying to develop at different but constant speeds--and react to what the tree does back to you.

you can move in and out slowly or fast, and most trees will still kick your ass as thoroughly as a human opponent could. even though they're only standing on one leg.



just my two cents.

SERIOUS EDIT: if you're issuing and withdrawing at speed, be very mindful of protecting your eyes.

[bailewen]

Fuck post work for balance.

Train "golden rooster stands on one leg" with your eyes shut.

Count breath cycles. See if you can get to 10 without either opening your eyes, putting your foot down or spreading your arms out to the sides.

Golden rooster is da bomb.

Oh yeah, and also this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17497713@N ... 170400582/

John Wang has a better version but basically the difference is just try to reach that rear leg up as high as possible but for "kuzushi" . . . .golden rooster with the eyes closed is where it's at.

[Daniel]

Good post, John R.

Dubster, my simple advice would be for you to do 1) huge amounts of weight-shifts out of Taiji. No-arm gongbu, static bow-step weight-shifts. Be mindful of keeping the connections in your knees. Building the knees is one of the most important things for IMA and the rest of your life. Weight-shifts are the preparatory work that opens up your tissue, your legs, and release channels to allow you to drop weight. This is then taken deeper in standing-practices.

2) Do the same while feeling your feet. This can be done in two stages. First is just feeling the weight shift in them. Next is doing that, but putting your mind in your feet to, feeling them, making them alive. After you have done these for a long time you start doing the same with the soles of your feet instead.

If you don´t have fairly stable IMA experience already, then I would primarily give you the advice above. That´s the root for all the rest.



D.

Sarcasm. Oh yeah, like that´ll work.

[johnrieber]

heh.

i hate to break it to you, man...but if you're training golden rooster with your eyes shut, counting breath cycles, you're standing post. standing like a stake. whatever.

standing post ain''t necessarily all about a horse stance.

ain't all about balance, either.

***

pardon my attitude. seriously, i''ve been awake about eight hours too long.

peace, out--

[Dubster]

Thanks for all the comments and ideas - have lots to work. Its not one technique its the general principle. A new green belt has just joined the class and he is about 20-30lbs heavier than me and quite strong and I am struggling to make any of my throws work cleanly (i.e. they still work but I am just muscling him).


Omar, thanks, will definitely work on the golden rooster and the one leg horizontal (again with eyes closed?).

Mr Wang, have you got a picture of the cane bundle as I have the space to make a throwing post and can perhaps substitute for the canes.

John, I have a young oak and ash in my practice area that I will play with too.

Daniel - thanks, from my Taiji days I know the drills you you are talking about - will also add them.

Best

D

[Daniel]

Best of luck, Dubster. And remember that the first trap to avoid is to work on your opponent´s playing field. You should always work on yours. Never counter them in their strong areas. This is a very deep training-principle which cover many different techniques.

Maybe you already know this, but from your comment on the green belt I felt it might be useful advice to add.



D.

Sarcasm. Oh yeah, like that´ll work.

[David Boxen]

For balance and strength, why not do single leg squats and single leg dead-lifts?

[Jake]

Train "golden rooster stands on one leg" with your eyes shut.

Count breath cycles. See if you can get to 10 without either opening your eyes, putting your foot down or spreading your arms out to the sides.

LOL! I always fuck with people at parties with that one

Back in the day I had a teacher that would make me practice in a pitch black room. He said that one practice like that was worth ten when one could see.

Maybe that's why I still like to practice outside at night in the dark...

That or the fact that I hate it when people I don't know watch me

[Pat]

try starting with drum turning? here is the exercise, you can figure out the application pretty easy.



when you grab someone and start to turn them (sleeve and collar grip), shake and turn them like they owe you money. and the most important part- DO IT FAST!

John Wang is doing this exercise here, that 55 gallon drum is full of water at his house- it is heavy!

[Pat]

and here is the great Fedor man-handling someone with a throw like this to start with. try it, let us know!



ps- sorry I forgot the link! here it is.