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Combos!

Commonly known as renraku-waza, the combination of different techniques is used to train from the orange belt in how to throw an opponent by combining 2 techniques.

Other types exists such as:

  • renzoku-waza: combination of the same technique, essentially doing the same technique twice
  • gaeshi-waza: counter to the technique of an opponent

Example of combinations

Simple example

We have some combinations of techniques which are pretty commonly trained at dojos:

  1. Ko-uchi-gari ➡️ O-uchi-gari
  2. O-goshi ➡️ Tai-otoshi
  3. O-soto-gari ➡️ O-uchi-gari

We can then look at other techniques as well.

What I did for my 2nd kyu (or blue belt)

For the blue belt, I focused on combinations that could work in randori as well as something that made sense. We refined it with the help of my friends Kuba and Miguel to make it better.

  1. Ko-uchi-gari ➡️ Ippon-seoi-nage (video)
  2. O-soto-gari ➡️ O-uchi-gari (video)
  3. Hiza-guruma ➡️ Harai-goshi (video)
  4. Ko-uchi-gari ➡️ Tai-otoshi

What I strive for next time

Continutation and structure are paramount in my opinion to do good judo. As such, my idea for my next exam would be to do it as a full continuation of throws, that is: each throw is chaining to the next until the last one.

I believe this is going to be quite cool:

  1. Hiza-guruma ➡️ Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi
  2. Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi ➡️ O-uchi-gari
  3. O-uchi-gari ➡️ Ko-uchi-gari
  4. Ko-uchi-gari ➡️ Ippon-seoi-nage
  5. Ippon-seoi-nage ➡️ Ko-uchi-makikomi

Ideas of structure for your exams

Generally, the sensei for the grading won't like too many repetitions (if you always do a technique leading to ippon-seoi-nage, they'll question whether you know other throws).

A good thing to do is to focus on your tokui-waza (favourite technique) and work on other techniques as well. It's better to think about what you effectively use in randori (free practice, sparring) or in shiai (competition).

Another aspect that senseis like is the mix of different techniques: ashi-waza, koshi-waza, te-waza and sutemi-waza.

Sacrifice throws, exams and progress

It might be better to minimise the sacrifice throws for the exams as you tend to have to also get up with your uke. It's alright, but better to keep it as a last technique potentially.

Additionally, it's usually better to focus on forward throws if you are beginning judo. Sutemi-waza can be a crutch that is too easy to focus on when you start and is detrimental to technique developpment.

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