Basic Tachi Waza Tactics: Posture

This summer I've been cross-training BJJ and I've really enjoyed it! What I appreciate most is that basic deficiencies in ne waza, such as the ones that I tend to demonstrate, are consistently punished by white and purple belts the same. Obviously the method by which one player deals with their opponent's mistake varies among individuals, but you learn very quickly where not to put your arm. The sport as a whole seems easier to grasp at its earlier stages than Judo, since certain positions appear more frequently and persist longer than, say, the split second before your opponent shifts all of his weight to his leading foot. Once upon a time, ne waza was taught to young judoka before tachi waza in part because of this learning curve. Mats also sucked once upon a time, so it depends on which anecdote best fits the narrative.

credit to http://www.multiply.com

Infrequent use of timing-based techniques in shiai like de ashi barai points not to the lack of utility of such techniques, but the difficulty of their mastery. Part of the reason why I think we see so many attempts at "drop" seoi-nage is because the position of tori's body is easy to understand- low. The problem with waza whose body placement is easy to understand is that judoka become complacent with simply placing themselves in such positions and expecting the throw to work, without considering the proper application of kuzushi or the finishing action of the throw (kake). How many times have you seen somebody attempt a tomoe-nage against someone standing still with good posture? I've seen too many to count, and more than half of the botched techniques were done by me!

Anyway, if you're not familiar with italicized Japanese terms above that's fine. Their meaning is not the point of the article, nor is it something that I have the intellect to articulate properly at my current level. Regardless, in my experience of teaching, as well as through watching my BJJ friends struggle immensely with tachi waza (standing technique), I have come to realize that it is absolutely impossible to understand standing Judo technique without first being taught the basics of movement and posture. While not comprehensive, here is the first of a series of articles that can help new players avoid being thrown due to lack of fundamentals, as opposed to their opponents working to create an opportunity for the skillful application of waza.

I. Poor Posture 

credit http://www.themat.com

I've seen it so many times from people transitioning from other grappling arts and it is a fairly difficult habit to break. Judo culture tends to type cast wrestlers with this habit, when it reality there is no sane stand-up system that teaches poor posture to its students. I'm no nuclear astro biomechanical engineer, but a little birdie once told me that a stable posture is one in which a person's center of gravity (i.e. crotch), falls in the middle of their base of support which, in the context of standing, is the space of any limb touching the ground. Notice that I say "stable," not "proper."

One of the reasons this concept can be difficult to teach beginners with a bit of background in grappling is that they believe "proper posture" means standing up straight, which it does not. The question "If I stand up like that, won't I be vulnerable to a double leg?" is asked so much because the concern is justified. Not all stable postures are created equal, as can be seen in the difference between the effectiveness of a hand stand and a basic right-handed stance in a fight. If it is not clear one is much more likely to fall over with the same amount of force, due to varying degrees of "conditional stability." As martial artists ultimately interested in the application of ju or "yielding/gentleness," the positions most favorable are those which allow for quick adjustment to any force applied to us, as well as not providing an easy means through which our opponent can take us off balance. In other words, a posture which is not easily be broken, but allows for the freedom of movement to readjust the center of gravity if it has or will be shifted.

Head Position
Due to the curious way that humans evolved, we have big heads. As one of the three points farthest away from the center of gravity, the other two points being the feet, as well as the only one unaffected by friction, the head potentially has the greatest effect on balance. Luckily, its vertebral range of motion is limited to a few degrees in every direction except the forward. That said, a head looking down at the floor provides a combined mass, including the cervical curve, of about 15 pounds which is more than enough to drastically increase the effectiveness of any throw requiring a forward pull or, more simply, the effectiveness of somebody pulling an opponent straight down in an attempt to engage in ne waza. To be short, the general rule is "keep your head up."

Besides increasing the opponent's ability to complete a throw, keeping a low head is also a great way to allow the other person to advance their grips. Without the head with a hard pull downward there is a clear path to grabbing the belt which provides the impetus for a multitude of high percentage techniques, especially sumi gaeshi and its variations. This is the case on the ground too, where allowing easy access to the back and neck can result in threatening chokes like a guillotine/mae hadaka jime, or Okano's variation on okuri eri jime, seen below.

Spinal Curvature
If I haven't beaten this point to death, being bent over isn't necessarily "bad." In the extreme cases where there is a 90 degree angle between the legs and the torso however, it is "bad Judo." What that means is that it is an overly defensive posture, with no intent to attack. What's most frustrating to me is to see two people take that exact same pose- at that point, there is no longer any reason to continue the fight standing because neither person is in any danger of being thrown. So assuming that this situation does not involve two wussies and instead involves two active participants, each person ideally wants to be bending from their waist, not their spine. One, making this a habit in both life and Judo is a long-term set up for scoliosis. Two, most, if not all, forward throws like morote seoi nage (which happens to be one of the only two throws I consistently do well) benefit from the extra space provided by a curved back. It's also no coincidence that it is difficult to keep the head up if the spine is curved. Therefore, in standing you must always "Keep your back straight!"

Conclusion
Which one of these guys is "winning?"

Thanks for stopping by! You're alright.
-Ben