Fundamental #9: Heaven & Earth Block with O-uchi-gari (Major Inside Reap)
Fundamental #9: Heaven & Earth Block with O-uchi-gari (Major Inside Reap)
- Both fighter’s step into fighting stance.
- Uke: Back Leg Round Kicks with Right Leg
- Tori: Heaven and Earth block to stop and trap the kick.
Note: The Clockwise motion means you’ll stop the kick with your biceps and not your ribs.
- Uke: Grabs Tori for support with their left-hand.
- Tori: Ridge-hand Uke’s hand away (RH)
- Tori: Slide up Uke’s arm and deliver a Palm-Heel strike (RH) to the chin.
- Tori: Grasp the Uke.
- Tori: Step into a crane stance and slide your lead leg between Uke’s while rotating your hips, and reaping Uke’s leg backwards while you press forwards.
- Tori: Drop knee to groin if you wish to enter range-three.
Warning: Uke must be skilled with backwards break-fall.
Warning: Grasp Uke’s garments and control their fall backwards. Controlling Uke’s fall is Tori’s responsibility.
Purpose of Technique Fundamental #9
In series eight the student is introduced to a more difficult judo throw. Footwork is definitely important to be able to land this throw. This series helps develop that footwork.
All trained fighters today know how to throw a round kick weather it is off the front or back leg. This is counter is the bread and butter of the second and third range of fighting. Kicks above the waist take too much time to develop. Kicking techniques should mainly focus on the lower body or legs. It is good to be able to kick high because it increases your power when you kick low, and there are fighters who are fast enough to deliver that technique. In my twenties I could easily kick to the head, but when I began sparring outside my school. I was knocked off my feet every time I threw a high kick. Yes… they swept the leg. I tested this kick on an unskilled friend and the first thing he did after my snap kick. His instinctive was to grab my leg which left me on one leg with my balance compromised. Kicks must come back faster than they go out.
When you see the opponent prepare for the kick, be ready to grab when their hips begin to move. Trap the kicking leg with your left-hand. To regain their balance the opponent will try to tie-off to you by grabbing you with one of their hands. Ridge-hand their grasp (RH) away and drive a palm-heel along their arm into their chin (RH) with the same hand. Raise the trapped leg as high as you can, and step behind the opponent’s support leg and push them backwards (RH). Guide the opponent’s head towards the tatami.