randori attitude...

Judo Randori

Randori (free practice) is a great way to further develop your Judo skills. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about how to perform proper randori. Randori is not shiai or contest. Randori is still a learning environment or laboratory of sort. Emphasis should never be placed on winning and losing in randori practice. A proper judoka should never keep count of victories or defeats inside the dojo. How many times you tapped out your partner or vice versa should be the furthest thing from your mind.

What should be on the mind of the judoka is how technically accurate was your application of principles of Judo. A throw can be broken down into three major parts. Kuzushi (off balancing), makes up 75% of the throw. Tsukuri (fitting in), makes up 20% of the throw. Kake (execution or completion), is the remaining 5%.

These principles are difficult to truly grasp with a static, willing partner. In randori, the partners are in motion and are both making effort to apply those principles to the other while at the same time defending attacks.

Other principles that will be greater learned and used during randori will be kumikata (gripping), tai sabaki (body movement), timing, momentum, acceleration/deceleration, proper breathing, and space awareness.

Approaching randori with an attitude of “learning environment”, a Judoka must also keep in mind the safety of themselves and their partners. If a technique is being performed in a manner that is unsafe, it should be abandoned. If resistance to a technique causes risk to you or your partner, it should also be abandoned. If you are risking injury, chances are the technique is being incorrectly performed.

Remember, the focus should be on quality execution of technique rather than the defeat of an opponent. Powering through an attempted technique is the mistake of an unlearned student. Taking the path of least resistance is the path to mastering the technique.

Our constant goal in martial arts training is perfect practice. Perfect practice makes perfect performance. Randori is definitely a form of practice in Judo. Strive for perfect randori.

Keep in mind the two principles of Judo, 1—maximum efficiency and 2—mutual benefit. This means that not only should you be striving for perfect execution of your own technique, you should allow your partner to improve from their practice as well. This means that you should let your partner execute techniques from time to time. Even if you have a great defense for the technique, you don’t have to apply it every time.

Talk to your instructor and partners after randori practice. Ask them what you need to improve on and continue to grow as a quality Judoka.

-Sensei Larry Keith-