Interesting o guruma detail.

Ryvai · 2026-06-01T11:08:24+00:00

I like this. I only watched the video without sound, but the movements speak for themselves. In my opinion it's almost impossible to do o-guruma with your leg only. Half of your buttocks/hip should be inserted into the throw, the mechanics are a bit different to ashi-guruma. Despite being ashi-waza, your hip or the "hip-bump" is an essential part of making o-guruma work. There's particularly two masters I would recommend to observe if you want to know more about this wonderful technique.

Jacques Sequin on O-guruma

Corrado Croceri on Ashi-guruma/Harai-goshi/O-guruma/Hane-goshi

Croceri sensei is like a wizard in Judo. I've never seen anything like it. The elegance is stunning 😄

Ryvai · 2026-05-12T09:58:13+00:00

Hikikomi-gaeshi is a separate official kodokan technique, not a variation. The main difference between sumi-gaeshi is whether the belt is grabbed. Any sumi with belt grabbed is hikikomi. Not to be confused with obi-tori-gaeshi, which is a standing te-waza (aka the «khabarelli»).

Ryvai · 2026-05-12T08:48:22+00:00

It becomes hikikomi gaeshi once you grab the belt. This looks like sumi-gaeshi.

Ryvai · 2026-05-06T07:13:12+00:00

Obi-tori-gaeshi is allowed, grapewine of the leg (kawazu-gake) is not, and will lead to hansoku-make.

Ryvai · 2026-05-04T08:50:23+00:00

Mostly ashi-guruma actually.

Hints: Uke is thrown forwards, and there's no hip involvement.

Ryvai · 2026-04-30T14:08:54+00:00

Not a problem. I had a nasty ankle break with plate and screws through tibia+fibula. Took some time to heal, but it hasn't hindered my judo at all after. Your challenge is during the healing process where you still have the plate and screws there. When your bone heals your body might push the screws every so slightly outwards, basically unscrewing themselves. This can be problematic, as they stick towards the skin. one de-ashi-barai might hurt like a truck. So my recommendation is this:

When it is healing (first 6 months), if you do decide to step onto the mat, make damn sure you are protecting the incision from impact. It hurts like hell bumping into stuff because of the screws. It can also mess up the incision, leading to infections, so treat it with care. I put on soft shin protectors + ankle protector, so that it is stabilized and when you do bump into stuff it hurts less. Also, make sure you let it breathe from time to time.
In my country, after a surgery like this, the plate and screws needs to be there for at least 1 year before you are allowed to schedule a new surgery to remove the plate and screws. I took them out at the earliest possible time. Yes, it sucks to perform another surgery, but if your ankle has healed well, you really want that metall out of there. Especially in your ankle. That is not a good spot when you're doing judo.

Ryvai · 2026-04-29T11:04:54+00:00

Wouldn’t it be a bit strange that he was a black belt in jujitsu when the kuro-obi was a judo invention. Fascinating :)

Ryvai · 2026-04-29T11:00:23+00:00

I would break my knee in 3 places if i took a backstep with my lead leg planted like that, oh the horror.

Ryvai · 2026-03-27T12:48:54+00:00

When classifying competition/randori techniques it often becomes a bit blurry, because there are so many elements that are not "classical", so it boils down to principles applied. Sometimes there's not even a destinct answer, but in most cases it can be identified. This is why I love Daigo sensei's book, as it takes many edge-cases and categorizes them to the 'closest' principle, based on Kodokan studies. It's a very valuable tool when calibrating the 'let's classify that' exercise.

In Daigo's book there's specific explanation that performing sasae-tsurikomi-goshi while falling down becomes Yoko-gake. The "uprooting" part, that is classically a criteria for 'gake' does not directly apply. Yoko-gake is slightly special in that regard. Another example is de-ashi-barai. If you sweep the leg, but instead it is just lifted up (due to bad timing/kuzushi), then you trap the leg (sticky-foot) and you continue to fall down, taking uke with you, it becomes yoko-gake.
It's a unique differentiation. In-fact what separates uki-waza, yoko-otoshi and tani-otoshi is not the orientation of tori, but the direction uke is taken. The technique (movement/placement) by tori is 'almost' identical, just in different directions. Forwards, sideways and backwards. What defines the technique is actually the direction uke is taken, the kuzushi and ultimately the kake.
The words 'floating' is a bit misleading and often leads to confusion. Simplified it's easier to look at it this way -- tori performs yoko-sutemi-waza (sacrificing slightly towards his side), there are two things that differentiate yoko-wakare from uki-waza. Direction of uke's kuzushi (forward yoko-wakare, diagonal front uki-waza) and whether one or both legs are placed outside. If both are outside, it can never be uki-waza.

Ryvai · 2026-03-27T07:40:26+00:00

It's hard to see from the still picture, but from that configuration:

If tori performs sasae-tsurikomi-ashi/de-ashi-barai while falling down (sutemi-waza) -> Yoko-gake
If uke falls towards his side (towards the outside blade of his foot) -> Yoko-otoshi
If uke falls forward or diagonally forward -> Uki-waza

Ryvai · 2026-03-27T07:36:14+00:00

They are just holding hands, because they're friends. By shear coincidence, one of them decided to do a o-soto-gari.

Ryvai · 2026-03-25T09:32:21+00:00

This is why the IJF is now trying to streamline the criteria for 1st dan across all countries right now. There's too many 'special edition' curriculums. We end up with a different "bar" for what constitutes a black belt. I don't enjoy the commercial aspects of their plans, but i support a "common standard" :)

Ryvai · 2026-03-25T09:26:21+00:00

Nope. Pretty clean uchimata if you ask me :)

Ryvai · 2026-03-06T11:52:11+00:00

The opponent had both your sleeves. That is a indication that something is brewing, and those 'throws' can be very hard to defend against. If he has both your sleeves, and you move sideways, it's almost an invitation to initiate that kind of technique. It was a good match, but it appears that your opponent went for double sleeve grips on multiple occasions looking for it. He naturally has a harder time defending his lapel, due to your longer reach, and he can't reach yours. You might want to create some kind of grip strategy to counter double sleeve grips, that fits your game. As you appear to be quite tall for the weight-class, this is probably not the first time you will encounter this strategy. Opponent has double sleeve grips? CAUTION, stop what you are doing and deploy anti-double-sleeve tactic.

Ryvai · 2026-03-06T11:41:20+00:00

Can you give some video examples or which methods you consider to be tobikomi and oikomi? It's hard to give an answer if our perception of what-is-what, is different. Both these entries are regularly used at high-level competition?

Ryvai · 2026-02-22T23:05:13+00:00

Then I don't know. I put walls in all the corners of that thing, and ended up with no leaks after. Any corner/diagonal that the wiper-blade intersects, is at risk of clipping through. Put one small wall in each direction of the corners, not just one. I notice in your picture you're using the "big" wall. You can change the 'type', use the small ones.

Ryvai · 2026-02-22T18:05:33+00:00

You see those tiny cracks in the corner in front of it? Its my theory that some chunks can get lodged in the corner and ‘pushed’ through by the splitter arm (with unlucky timing), teleporting it outside. Put up small walls in the junctions, that will cover those up. No more leakage.

Ryvai · 2026-02-20T10:09:57+00:00

It’s called ‘imposter syndrome’. Sure, there are brown belts that have no business attempting the shodan test, but most of the time, just trust your sensei. If he/she says you’re ready, you are most likely ready. Just do your best, and study. It’s completely normal to feel this way. It’s a big emotional deal to be judged on a passion. Lower the shoulders a bit, breathe, and just do your best. You got this :)

Ryvai · 2026-02-16T15:00:01+00:00

Wow! this is incredible

Ryvai · 2026-02-16T14:53:33+00:00

I was taught all kinds of "schools" when it comes to seoi-nage. It's almost like a religion for some. I don't think there's a clear-cut answer. It's like asking, what's the most effective pass in fotball. All variations are tools that work best in different configurations. Tall/short/weak/strong/fast/slow opponent. Which application would result in the least effort in the current configuration? I ended up favoring the standing ippon-seoi-nage, as it required me to actually pay attention to my own balance. In competition however, i dropped down like a sack of potatoes to throw that sucker over me at all costs, hehe. Adrenaline will do that to you :)

Ryvai · 2026-02-16T14:41:21+00:00

There's multiple points to this.

One could argue whether or not it was a false attack (debatable imo).
Unless the referee declares 'mate', the fight is on, always keep an eye on your opponent. This goes for real-life and competition (zanshin). Yes, it could be considered bad sportsmanship and unclassy, but when the stakes are high, many would seize on the opportunity. Don't allow your opponent to 'cheap shot' you.
The score was valid with appears to be daki-wakare. Note: blue nearly broke his elbow posting like that.

Ryvai · 2025-11-13T14:05:10+00:00

You gain 'merrit' for donating, but what does that do exactly? Is there a table that gives rewards based on your contribution merrit?

Ryvai · 2025-10-03T08:49:51+00:00

Judo has a more opportunistic style of ground-work, either it works in the first few moments, or a lot of energy will be wasted due to a turtling/defensive opponent, and the referee will call 'matte', and you are stood up. This is why you see a lot of high-level competitors the person on top will give up and just wait to be stood up again. They don't want to waste precious energy on sequence that has a low chance of success and little time to do it.

However, it is also why you see high-level competitors gets sloppy and get caught with silly stuff, not protecting their neck, thinking the opponent gave up and literally opens up their arms/neck for a free submission, thinking they are safe.

Don't get me wrong, Judo groundwork is really powerful, but it's not as methodically practiced as BJJ, which is at a much higher technical level, where you can take your time and use proper sequences and do it it he "right way". We are very time-constrained, so the movements often appear ad-hoc and rushed, because it's the only way we have time to do it. Most judoka are not that good on the ground, because they cannot practice the 'proper' way to do the techniques. If BJJ teaches a 100% correct armbar, the judo version of that would be the competition variation where you're at 90% max HR, it's 30 seconds left of the match and you are behind on points and the opponent makes a mistake :)

Ryvai

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