This is how we do it: Newaza

To eat properly, you'll need a fork and a spoon. To do judo properly, you'll need tachi-waza and newaza.

Start with Newaza
There are several reasons we start with groundwork. Firstly, it is true that judo players generally tend to prefer standing. Judo players, by their very nature, like to throw. As such, some find newaza to be a chore, something they have to do but which they don't necessarily enjoy doing (unlike standing, which they do enjoy). As such, you need to get the chores out of the way first, otherwise it doesn't get done. If you leave the less enjoyable things til the end, by the time the end comes, no one is in any mood to do it. So they will end up doing it half-heartedly. Then might as well not do it. So, we start with newaza training just to make sure that it gets done properly.

Newaza is very important not only because it's an effective way to win but it also gives a player more confidence in his standing game if their groundwork is strong. If their groundwork is weak, they will always be a little bit afraid to throw because unless that throw scores an ippon, both players will end up on the ground.

It's also a fact that it's easier to progress in groundwork than standing (which takes more time and frankly, more natural talent). If you focus too much on standing some may find that their progress is too slow and get disheartened.

Groundwork consists of pins, strangles and armlocks (and also sankaku, as a special class of newaza techniques). Although sankaku is generally classed as a strangling technique, you can also pin and armlock from a sankaku position. So, I think it deserves its own special category.

Categories vs situations
I used to think it makes sense to teach students newaza techniques according to categories. So, let's say I want to teach strangles. Then I would progress from one strangle to another. But I'm now convinced that a better way is to teach according to situations. For example, what options do you have when uke is in a turtle position? From that position, you can break it down even further. Let's say uke is in a turtle position and you are riding on his back. That is one scenario. Another scenario could be that your are also on your hands and knees and facing him head to head. That's another scenario. Or what if uke is on his back and you are on top, in between his legs? Yet another scenario.

There are a few common scenarios and multiple attack options for each one of them. For example let's take the scenario where uke is turtling up and you are riding on his back. From there, you can do some rolls to pin uke. You can also do a few different strangles. Rolling armlocks (of which there are a few variations) are also an option. And finally, there are sankaku variations you can do from there.

Teaching students newaza based on scenarios really makes much more sense than to go by categories of techniques. When students are taugh that way, it's then up to them to decide whether they want to focus on pins, strangles, armlocks or sankakus for any particular scenario. It makes them think and it's easier for them to remember what to do in any given scenario.

Non-Resistance/Resistance
I always tell the players to offer no resistance when their partner is trying out a technique for the first time. I'll have them practice the move several times to get them familiar with it. Once they are, I'll then ask uke to start providing some resistance. Resistance drills are important because they are like a very focused form of randori.

Newaza Randori
I personally prefer a freeflow form of randori which is not separated into newaza and tachi-waza but if you don't have a newaza-specific randori, judo players will tend to stick to tachi-waza. So, newaza specific randori is a must just to make sure they get enough practice in groundwork. Later, when we have our tachi-waza randori, I will tell them to follow up on the ground if the fight ends up on the ground. No matter, no standing up. Keep fighting on the ground.

Newaza is an often-neglected part of judo. But I remember early on in my judo training, someone explaining to me how important newaza is. "Doing judo with just tachi-waza is like eating your meal with just a spoon," he said. "If you want to eat properly, you'll need a fork and a spoon". Similarly, if you want to do judo properly, you'll need newaza and tachi-waza."

At KL Judo Centre we pay equal attention to newaza and tachi-waza.