“Judo InsideOut , a Cultural reconciliation” by Geof Gleeson

In 1983 “Judo Inside Out” was published, the book the creation of English Judo-ka and Psychologist Geof Gleeson. It is one of the marital texts of the modern era that offers insight and wisdom for the instructor. Not a Judo-ka, not an issue the book can be restated to whatever art you practice and it retains all of it’s value [Note: this does take work!]

I’ve been through the book many times and each time it offers great value. For an example from the chapter ‘Some Differences between Skill and Technique’, page 21.

1. An efficient fighter always assumes he is the weaker in skills (not the weaker in determination to win). It may not be true, but in this way he will not underestimate his opponent.

2. Accepting an inferior – but temporary – relationship makes the necessity of correct analysis more pressing and essential to get right.

3. Being weaker than the opposition is a common relationship often found in any fighter’s career, yet seldom discussed. For some strange reason it is always suggested that the fighter should assume he is the better in any championship there is only one winner, the rest are losers, so there must be a lot more ‘weaker-relationships’ than ‘stronger-relationships’.

Because by definition skill is the adaptation to an ever changing set of circumstances, it is impossible to describe any specific skill in general terms…..

It’s chapters include:

Chapter 1 Some Differences between Skill and Technique

Chapter 2 Countering Skills

Chapter 3 Let’s Start Again

Chapter 4 The Psychology of Competition – or How to Make the Most out of Very Little

Chapter 5 A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Chapter 6 A Summing Up

I would suggest if you can find a copy it will be worth your effort.

Some of the Gang

Don, Mike, Victor and Rabiah

Bushi No Te Isshinryu Technical Studies - Kicking techniques

Note; most of the following kicks work to a wide range of targets of opportunity. Nor are the set up techniques described, nor angles of entry, etc.

 

Isshinryu basics

1. Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ball of foot
2. Rear Front Snap Kick (side) ball of foot
3. Front Front Thrust Kick (front) heel thrust knee high
4. Rear Front Snap Kick (front) ripping toe kick
5. Rear Front Thrust Kick (on the floor on your back) - heel
6. Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees front – blade of foot
7. Side Snap Kick knee height to side – blade of foot
8. Side Snap Kick knee height 45 degrees rear – blade of foot
9. Side Thrust Kick (on the floor on your side) – heel
10. Bottom foot hooks behind leg and Top foot Side Thrust Kick to the knee (on the floor on your side)
11. Cross Kick (stomp) – heel
12. Cross Kick (stomp) - instep
13. Crescent Kick Inner (front) – shin
14. Crescent Kick Inner (front) - instep
15. Knee Strike to front
16. Knee Strike to front cat chambered first
17. Rear Kick with heel (foot vertical) to groin
18. Jump Knee Strike then Opposite Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
19. Double Jump Front Kick – ball of the foot
20. Step to Side Squat Kick (roundhouse kick 45 degrees off the floor) – ball of the foot
21. Roundhouse Kick (old style) ball of the foot
22. Roundhouse Kick (new style) ball of the foot
23. Back corner side kick with one foot followed by a rear kick with the other foot
24. Back corner side kick with one foot followed by rear kick with the same foot

Isshinryu advanced

 

25. stepping – on top of opponents foot / stomping
26. stepping – hooking behind on the interior line of defense
27. stepping – hooking behind on the exterior line of defense
28. stepping – stepping on the opponents instep
29. stepping – hurried stomping on the opponents instep
30. stepping – sweep
31. stepping – inner knee check/thrust
32. Front Kick – striking behind the calf on a returning heel
33. Front Kick – shin kick to the inner thigh
34. Front Kick – instep kick with the ball of the foot
35. Front Kick – striking with the inside ball as the foot retracts
36. Naifanchi – inner foot slice to inside of leg
37. Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – inside to outside
38. Naifanchi – cross foot slice to front of leg – outside to inside
39. Naifanchi – outside ball of foot reverse round strike to outer calf

Other kicking

 

40. Front Kicks top of the foot
41. Round Kicks top of the foot
42. Ankle Kicking with Toes in shoes (Tam Tuie)
43. Inner Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
44. Outer Leg Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
45. Lower Abdomen Toe Kicking with Shoes (Tam Tuie)
46. Uechi style Toe Kicks
47. On Floor, rolling scissors to leg – trap – takedown
48. from Seiza – front thrust kick and return to Seiza
49. Outer Crescent Kick
50. Reverse Roundhouse Kick
51. Jumping Front Front Kick
52. Jumping Outer Crescent Kick
53. Jumping Inner Crescent Kick
54. Jumping Outer Front Crescent Kick followed by Jumping Inner Rear Crescent Kick
55. Jumping Inner Rear Crescent kick followed by Jumping Inner Front Crescent Kick
56. Step and Crescent Kick
57. Rear Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
58. Front Side Kick above waist to front with heel toes angled down
59. Back Turning Rear Kick
60. Back Turning Side Kick
61. Back Turning Inside Round Kick
62. Back Turning Outside Crescent Kick
63. Back Turning Jumping Rear Outside Crescent Kick followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
64. Back Turning Jumping Knee followed by turning Inside Crescent Kick
65. Axe Kick (heel striking outside crescent kick)
66. Back Turning Jumping Axe Kick
67. Turn away – drop to knee and place both hands on the floor – rear foot back turning side kick from the kneeling position – return kicking foot to original position – rotate and stand to original position
68. Spinning Wheel Kick
69. Turn away – drop to knee, and place both hands on the floor – spin counter-clockwise with a wheel kick (calf high)

Sparring kicks

 

70. The normal range of sparring kicking and combinations

Specific Combinations

 

71. Cross over stomp kick followed by front kick with the other leg
72. Front Shin Kick followed by Rear Shin Kick
73. Rear front Thrust to inner thigh and retract with cut kick to inside of other knee
74. Squat Kick to outside ribs and follow with cross stomping kick on their inner knee
75. Step in spin counter-clockwise and Swing Kick directly to rear hooking their ankle
76. Step outside spin clockwise and Swing Kick directly to the rear hooking their ankle
77. Back Side Kick to Front follow with back turning side kick to the front then place foot down and rear leg outer crescent kick
78. Step Past the attacker and rear leg chamber heel pawing strike to groin

Ghost Techniques

 

79. Private range of Chinese lower body maneuvers for evasion and turning using the stepping as an attack

Kicking Drills

 

80. Kihon Ni-Dan

 

Beginning LFF Left Front stance and a Left middle double guard

1. Left middle roundhouse kick
2. Left high round house kick
3. Right reverse punch
4. Right front kick (place foot down in front)
5. Spin 180 to the left in horse stance and deliver a left neck high spinning shuto to the front.
6. Pivot into kusanku block and strike
7. Right roundhouse kick (place foot down in front)
8. Spin 180 to the left on the right foot and deliver a right low open hand parry
9. Right low side kick, end in horse stance
10. Right open side parry from horse stance, step in with the left and right side kick followed by left hook punch
11. Turn left and left open side parry from horse stance, step in with the right foot and left side kick followed by a right hook punch
12. Step in with the left foot (alongside the right)
13. Pivot to the right on the left foot and right outside crescent kick
14. Jump double front kick (left then right)
15. Jump off the right foot, spinning 360 to the left with a left outside then right inside crescent kick
16. Land in horse stance
17. Jump up jumping right front kick
18. Drop to the floor (a collapse) with a right front kick
19. On the floor right thrust side kick.
20. Turn over to the right (Scissoring the legs) and then left side thrust kick
21. Rise on the left foot (sitting on the right knee)
22. Double jumping front kick from the kneeling position
23. Turn and close.

Time Travel Agena 1972

There’s a lot of history on a concrete floor that no longer exists.

When Charles Murray trained in Agena in 1971 he kept some memories that I’m sharing so we don’t forget.

The difference from the days when my original instructor, Tom Lewis, trained in Agena, a roof had been added to the dojo. The broken bottles were still atop the wall.

So here are a few photographs and video’s of Agena.

A painting of Shimabuku Sensei hanging on the wall.

The desk of Shimabuku Sensei.

The Agena dojo wall.

The Agena dojo training facilities.

Isshinryu Kata Chart

Upper and Lower Body Chart

The most important dojo notice!

Agena Dojo in 1972

Working the makiwara in Agena.

A big thank you to Charles Murray for sharing these memories with my students.