Improving Kumi Kata and Randori Game Plan

[u/adjgor]

Hi everyone,

My question is, whether any of you specifically train or have tips/resources/strategies for the improvement of your grip fighting. I find this extremely difficult to do and I can't find any good resources for this. I have a book about Kumi Kata by Neil Adams, but it's just a collection of different gripping styles and possible techniques out of each position, which is not something that addresses the issue I'm having.

Let me try to precise my question a little. I have a bit of experience in judo so I'm not asking from a beginner standpoint. I have a well developed Repertoire of techniques (very precise Ashi waza, a good mixup of tai otoshi and uchi Mata, strong follow up techniques in transition from tachi waza to ne waza). I am also quite clear on what Kumi Kata Work for my Repertoire, mostly defaulting to standard sleeve lapel grip for most of my game. I'm also not a terribly bad judoka. even though my experience in shiai is limited I can mostly hold my water with strangers in randori when I go to cross club or federative randori trainings, because I'm quite versed technically and able to put in some nice suprise shots here and there.

However, what I struggle with is the following: whenever there's somebody who is a good grip fighter, or just knows how to deny my grip, or just steamrolls me with a punishing Kumi Kata that leaves me on defence, I have absolutely no clue what to do. I feel defenceless and more importantly I feel completely out of ideas on how to regain a more offensive posture to work for myself.

I have come to think that this is more related to a general lack of a game plan. I feel like I usually just assume default Kumi Kata and then work with whatever I'm given, but really don't really have an idea where I want to go, even though I am clear on what techniques I'm good at, I mainly just wait for the opportunity for them to come up rather than being able to build this opportunity for myself in Randori/shiai. Again, I'm not terribly bad at spotting these opportunities, but I'd like to be able to do more productive, proactive Judo.

My teacher (a good competitor in his youth) usually tells me to go fight more, because he himself has a more intuitive approach to judo and isn't really able to explicate what it that my judo is lacking. But first, I'm a hobbyist with a family to take care of and can't sacrifice too many of my weekends to go competing. And secondly I'm really more of a book smart sort of person who needs this explicit, strategic knowledge to approach my training. Just doing it more often until I eventually know how it's done doesn't work for me.

So, with all these caveats out there, does anyone have any tips on how to develop both a more strategic approach to grip fighting and/or a general more sophisticated game plan beyond just going in and seeing what happens?

Thanks in advance!

[u/IlIlllIIIlllllI]

i think if its an issue of them denying your grip then you should break and regrip fast to avoid the shido. if they are outgripping you then you need to practice a lot against someone with the same strategy, and get the feeling of playing defence and building back your position.

It can be very hard though... many people have specific and tricky gripping strategies which are designed to catch you when you meet them first time in comp. Its hard to counter unless you are familiar with their style.

I think for game plan its always to good to think of judo as positional. you should use gripfighting to get to your favourite position, and from there, even if you don't blast attacks, they should be scared and thinking more about defence than offence.

However, there are also players who prefer to play in near 50/50 positions, because the opponent is actually less focused on defence and you can catch them off guard easier