Integrated Attack Systems

Many Judoka spend a great deal of time on combination techniques, and little or no time on creating a personal 'integrated attack system'. (Abreviated to IAS from now on...) Now, while I'm concentrating on Judo here, this information could very well be applied to other arts as well.

What is an 'integrated attack system'? It's simply one step beyond 'combination' techniques. The basis of personal system, is to take your favorite technique, and create and train in combinations to handle every possible defense. As an example, a common 'combination' is to combine Taiotoshi with Ouchigari. But this is only the first technique in a personal IAS, a complete system would also define the follow-up technique for all defenses. I'll give a summary of a possible IAS here, as an example:

Let's say your favorite technique is Osotogari... lets look at what your IAS might look like: (All examples given right-sided)

Each attack below starts with your Osotogari attack...

1. One common defense is for uke to step back with his left leg, turning to uke's left, then initiating an Osotogaeshi. When you've seen that uke likes to do this, feint with your Osoto, but continue forward, and plant your attacking leg to the side or behind uke's right foot... continue your body movement forward until you are actually side by side, or slightly behind uke... then take your left foot, and attack with Nidan Kosotogake. Note: this is not a combination in the normal sense of the word, the Osoto done here is a feint.

2. Another common defense is to pull the attacked leg back, and lean forward... continue your attacking leg until your foot touches his right knee, then spin into Ashiguruma, or hop forward (switching drivers), and switch to Haraitsurikomiashi.

3. Another defense is for uke to start leaning left, in order to initiate a Tani Otoshi, again, hop your driver over, and switch your attack to a left-sided Sasaetsurikomiashi. (An Ouchigari might work here as well)

This is really an abbreviated example, but you see the basic idea. Don't work on combinations as a unit, but start with one technique (your most powerful and favorite one), and develop every combination that you can out of your one throw, that allows for every defense.

This idea will work just as well for other arts, I invite you to try developing your own Integrated Attack System!