Judo Principles - Newaza

Author: Anton Geesink
Pub: 1967 by Arco Publishing Company
Pages: 95
Ranking:
Out of Print

While there are better books on Newaza, I must confess to wishing to make this a four or five star book. It was reading a library copy of My Championship Judo by Anton Geesink that got me interested in Judo more than 30 years ago. So I'm somewhat biased when it comes to Anton Geesink's books.

This book has a good selection of techniques, fairly good descriptions, and many B/W photos which demonstrate clearly the technique.

And despite common sense, his book on throwing techniques is not named "Judo Principles - Tachiwaza", as you might expect, but "Go Kyo - Principles of Judo"

                                 Contents
                                                                           pages     
 Introduction -- Ne-waza -- ground technique                                 7-9
 Katame-waza -- immobilising technique                                     10-11
 Kesa-gatames -- scarf holds                                               12-26
 Kesa-gatame -- scarf hold .                                                  12
 Kuzure kesa-gatame I -- variation scarf hold l                               14
 Kuzure kesa-gatame II -- variation scarf hold II                             15
 Kata-kesa-gatame -- shoulder scarf hold                                   16-17
 Kata-gatame -- shoulder hold                                                 18
 Kuzure kata-gatame -- variation shoulder hold                                19
 Makura-kesa-gatame -- pillow scarf hold                                      20
 Kuzure makura-kesa-gatame -- variation pillow scarf hold                     21
 Gyaku-kesa-gatame -- Reverse scarf hold                                   22-23
 Kuzure gyaku-kesa-gatame I -- variation reverse scarf hold I                 24
 Kuzure gyaku-kesa-gatame Il -- variation reverse scarf hold II               25
 Ura-kesa-gatame -- scarf hold from the rear                                  26
 Shiho-gatames -- four-quarters holds                                      27-41
 Yoko-shiho-gatame -- side four-quarters holds                             28-29
 Kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame I -- variation side four-quarters hold I            30
 Kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame II -- variation side four-quarters hold II          31
 Kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame Ill -- variation side four-quarters hold III        31
 Kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame IV -- variation side four-quarters hold IV       32-33
 Kami-shiho-gatame -- upper four-quarters hold                                34
 Kuzure kami-shiho-gatame I -- variation upper four-quarters hold I           35
 Kuzure kami-shiho-gatame II -- variation upper four-quarters hold II         36
 Kuzure kami-shiho-gatame Ill -- variation upper four-quarters hold III       37
 Tate-shiho-gatame -- lengthwise four-quarters hold                           38
 Kuzure tate-shiho-gatame I -- variation lengthwise four-quarters hold I      39
 Kuzure tate-shiho-gatame II -- variation lengthwise four-quarters hold II    40
 Kuzure tate-shiho-gatame III -- variation lengthwise four-quarters hold III  41
 Ude-kansetsu-waza -- arm lock technique                                      42
 Ude-garami -- arm winding                                                 43-44
 Kuzure-ude-garami I -- variation arm winding I                               45
 Kuzure-ude-garami II -- variation arm winding II                          46-47
 Kuzure-ude-garami III -- variation arm winding III                        48-49
 Kuzure-ude-garami IV -- variation arm winding IV                          50-55
 Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame -- arm break with cross hold                      56-57
 Kuzure-ude-hishigi-juji-gatame I - variation arm break with cross hold I  58-59
 Kuzure-ude-hishigi-juji-gatame II -variation arm break with cross hold II 60-61
 Ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame -- arm break with knee hold                       62-63
 Kuzure-ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame I - variation arm break with knee hold l   64-65
 Kuzure-ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame II - variation arm break with knee hold II 66-67
 Shime-waza -- strangling technique                                           68
 Juji-jimes -- strangles with crossed hands                                   69
 Kata-juji-jime -- shoulder strangle with crossed hands                    70-71
 Nami-juji-jime -- strangle with normally crossed hands                    72-73
 Gyaku-juji-jime -- strangle with reverse crossed hands                       74
 Eri-jimes -- lapel strangles                                                 75
 Eri-jime -- lapel strangle                                                76-77
 Kuzure-eri-jime -- variation lapel strangle                               78-79
 Okuri-eri-jime -- sliding lapel strangle                                  80-8l
 Kuzure-okuri-eri-jime I -- variation sliding lapel strangle I             82-83
 Kuzure-okuri-eri-jime II -- variation sliding lapel strangle II           84-85
 Kata-ha-jime -- one wing strangle                                         86-87
 Kuzure-kata-ha-jime -- variation one wing strangle                           88
 Ushiro-hadaka-jime -- rear naked strangle                                    89
 kuzure-ushiro-hadaka-jime -- variation rear naked strangle                   90
 Sankaku-jimes -- triangle strangles                                          91
 Sankaku-jime -- triangle strangle                                         92-93
 Kuzure-sankaku-jime -- variation triangle strangle                        94-95

Ne-waza-Ground Technique

This is my third book. It is a sequel to "Go-kyo", and the second book of the "Judo Principles" series; it embraces the fundamentals of ne-waza or the ground technique. "Go-kyo" followed "My Judo", in which I described my favourite techniques and the way to my various championships.

Before beginning with the technical part of this book, it gives me very great pleasure to introduce to you the judokas who so willingly lent their co-operation in the making of the photographs, the purpose of which was to illustrate and elucidate my explanations. Let me begin with those two splendid Japanese judokas who were so eminently helpful to me in regard to this book, during my last visit to Tenri University. It was they, in the first place, who in their contest judo, confirmed the argument, which I put forward in "My Judo", that "Ne-waza" was being unjustly left out in the cold by many judokas.

First, Isao Okano, 5th dan, middle weight winner of the pre-Olympic Championships 1963 at Tokyo, and Olympic and World Championships in 1964 at Tokyo and World Champion 1965 at Rio de Janeiro. This extremely talented judoka, whose weight is 171 1bs and height is 5 ft 5 ins, also won the championship of Japan, "all categories", in 1967. In doing so, he defeated the best and strongest Japanese heavy weights with full points and for the greater part by ne-waza!

Second, Yamanaka, 4th dan, also in the middle weight class. He is an ex-captain of Tenri University and was second in the 1967 World Championships at Rio. Only Okano was able to defeat him. This clever exponent of Judo scored most points with his speciality ne-waza.

Third, I must not forget Pariset, my great European opponent, of whom I had the honour of taking so many photographs at the Judo Centre at Beauvallon, which have so greatly contributed to the interest and clearness of this book. As 1st dan, Pariset became Champion of Europe in 1951, and Champion of Europe, "all categories", in 1955. I have often met this frequent champion of France in contests, mostly in finals or semi-finals; and I especially remember the all categories finals, held in London in 1953 and in Barcelona in 1958. He was rather seriously injured in the latter and it was a great pity for Pariset, always one of my most difficult opponents, that there were no European championship titles in weight classes to be won. He would have got away with lots of them! I am especially happy that Pariset's son, Eric, and my son, Anton, have demonstrated some basic techniques of ne-waza for this book (and cover). Pariset too says: "Ne-waza is just as important as tachi-waza. One must begin with it when young, very young"!

Finally, I must not omit to mention the skilful assistants at my school, who co-operated so ably in the taking of photographs; and prominent among them:

Joop Mackaay, 4th dan, middle weight and champion of the Netherlands in this class in 1965. This eminent specialist, who was runner-up in some European and Dutch championships, unfortunately saw his match career cut short prematurely owing to two operations.

For many years he was my right hand man at my Utrecht Sport School.

Frans Vosmeer, 2nd dan, member of my Kodokan Dojo.

The number of fundamental techniques in ne-waza is much smaller than in the case of tachi-waza (see "Go-kyo"). Moreover, these techniques are much simpler. So simple that it is by no means difficult for the novice and junior judokas to master them. In contest judo, ne-waza proves rather difficult because a judoka who has feeling and insight can apply these basic techniques in many positions and can, moreover, vary them in every possible way. For example, Tori can effect a certain strangling technique in a variety of ways: on top of uke; underneath him; to the rear of him; with uke on his stomach, etc. The same thing can be said of certain other holds or arm locks.

As the number of basic techniques in ne-waza is so small, ne-waza is intrinsically simple; on the other hand its application in contest judo is so difficult and as it may be assumed that any inventive contest judoka is able to create new variations for himself, I would therefore advise every teacher of judo to devote a very great deal of attention to the correct practising of the fundamental ground techniques by our young judokas.

Besides the fundamental actions in practising ne-waza, I shall demonstrate so many variations of the theme that I think, after a really sound study, the way will be opened up to discovering and executing new possibilities. And it is just that discovery and performance which still give me the greatest joy every day!

Though perhaps superfluous, before settling down to work, I remind you of the basic forms of ne-waza by setting them out schematically:

                      Ne-waza-Ground technique

    Katame-waza             Ude-kansetsu                  Shime-waza 
Immobilising technique   Arm-lock technique         Strangulation technique