Neil Adams

The skills of gripping are the key to success in judo at every level of ability. Yet never before, not even in Japan, has there been a volume devotged exclusively to such techniques.

A long-standing misconception is that grips do not matter, and that a good judoka will be able to perform a practicse set of favouirite throws from any grip. However, perhaps only a handful of exvceptional fighters have this capacity. A more recent tendency has led to an emphasis on the techniqes of grip show more breaking, leading to unatractive judo and frequently to damaged hands and fingers in modern competition.

Neil Adams, the 1981 World Champion, is an acknowledged master of grips. Throughout his successful contest career he used his profound awareness of gripping to control his opponents-who were oftern unaware of this aspect of his technique-before slopping past rigid defences to execute such classic manoeuvres as tai-otoshi or uchimata.

In this innovative study, Neikl Adams instructs on the application of a diverse repertoire of gripping techniques, as well as explaining the best countering methods of defence. His analysis considers the relationship between certain grips and particular throws, and even the intricacies of opposing grips-right handers against left handers. There is guidance on training to develop superior grip strength, and he reveals some of the tricks that have led to his own great success with grips.

This fascinating contribution to the 'Masterclass' series will form an invaluable addition to the libraery of any serious judoka-whether a keen sport contestant or non-competitive club member. Grips explains the fundamental basis of all judo techniques.

Forward

Anton Geesink, the Dutch Olympic and World Champion, once reduced the complex skill of gripping to two simple concepts. He called the sleeve grip 'the working hand' and the lapel grip 'the playing hand'.

Kisaburo Watanabe and Trevor Leggett, in their classic analysis of tai-otoshi, used a different image. They called the sleeve grip 'the long pull' and the lapel grip 'the short pull'.

Both are useful in their contexts. But the truth is that grips is an immense subject that cannot be encapsulated in conveniently brief catch-phrases.

The traditional Japanese view looks at grips in terms of hikite (the main pull, which is generally the sleeve grip) and tsurite (the drawing hand, which is generally the lapel grip). Typically, the words carry their own special image which mirrors the action: tsurite, for example, comes from the Japanese word tsuri, to fish, and incorporates the idea of drawing an opponent off balance, just as a fishing rod bends when it draws a fish out of the water.

The modern view of unorthodox attacks typified by the Russian style approaches grips in a very different way. Anything within the rules has become not just acceptable but almost the norm, and there is now a bewildering array of attacking grips, defensive grips and tactical grips in use.

Anyone who has practised with Neil Adams, or seen him in competition or randori, knows that he has an extensive understanding of grips. Trying to get a grip on him is no small undertaking, though he always seems to be able to get the grip he wants.

While he generally favoured a traditional sleeve/lapel grip himself during the height of his competition days, he was able to adapt to the different grips as circumstances demanded. And because he faced top fighters with so many different styles, he was aware of the effectiveness, the limitations and the dangers of the panoply of grips.

In this book, he has outlined some of the basic principles of the main gripping skills. He does not pretend that it is a definitive book on grips because, with the wide range of existing throwing techniques, such a thing is probably impossible within a one-volume format.

His aim is to make judoka more aware of the subtleties and implications of particular grips, and of what can be done with the hands in a creative manner to produce the spectacular throws that are at the heart of judo.

He firmly believes that a greater understanding, of grips can make a dramatic difference to everyone's judo, for no matter how fast an entry into a throw, or how strong an attack, if the grips are not correct the throw will simply not work.

A book of this kind has never been attempted -- not even in Japan. But we think that the experiment has proved worthwhile, and that Grips will enrich everyone's judo knowledge and judo practice.

Nicolas Soames
Masterclass Series Editor

Contents

Foreword
Grips: A Personal View
A History of Grips
Grip and Attack: Orthodox Methods
Grip and Attack: Unorthodox Methods
Gripping Strategies
Developing Grip Strength
Gripping Skills and Self-Defence
Afterword
Appendix
Index show less

The armlock is one of the most successful groundwork skills of modern judo. This Masterclass Techniqes study by Neil adams, one of the finest exponents of the technique of the last twenty years, will ensure its continued dominance.

Drawing on unusual archive material, the author takes us through the history of armslocks before considering the politics and controverises of their use in modern-day competition. The book studies, in detail, variations-including ude-gateme and the spectacular show more fllying armlock-which have been developed and successfully used in competition by leading names from the world of judo such as Iaskevitch, Divinsenko, Seinsenbacher and Great Britain's Karen Briggs. These armlocks are fully illustrated with stunning shots of the players in action.

Step-by-step instruction and superb sequence photography clarify the mechanics of the more basic forms to ensure that this book will prove invaluable whether you are learning the armlock for the first time or are keen to develop your own version for competition.

The most successful British competitor in judo, Neil Adams's own reputation is built largely upon his use of the armlock. World Champion in 1981, he won two Olympic silver medals and a total of five European Senior Championships; he set up the Neil Adams Judo Club in Coventry and is currently the head coach of the British national team.

Front and back cover photographs by David Finch.

FORWARD

Armlocks have always been accorded a prominent role in judo, not least because of their immediate effectiveness. Practised in most ju-jitsu schools, they came under the general terminology of kansetsu-waza, or joint locks. The third section of the groundwork kata, katame-no-kata, was devoted to armlocks, with the main five demonstrated: ude-garami, juji-gatame, ude-gatame, hiza-gatame and ashi-garami.

When Yukio Tani brought judo to widespread notice in Britain in the first decade of the twentieth century by touring the music-halls to take on all comers, the armlock was much in evidence. One of his special techniques was a flying armlock which had powerful boxers and wrestlers submitting anxiously. That Tani's exploits made a noted impression on his British audience is borne out by Bernard Shaw's reference to him in his play, Major Barbara: the character Todger Fairmile confesses to having submitted to the 'Jap wrestler' but only when his arms were going to break!

But as the competition side of judo developed over the following decades, it was the West that took the lead with armlocks. In men's judo in the United Kingdom today as many as sixty per cent of contests won on the ground are armlock victories, while the percentage in Japan is much smaller-often less than twenty-five per cent.

Ever since winning the 1981 World Championships with juji-gatame, Neil Adams has been regarded as one of the finest exponents of armlocks and there could have been no more appropriate author for a specialist book on the subject. It came as no surprise that, when invited to teach a technique at the Kodokan in Tokyo, he was specifically asked to demonstrate juji-gatame.

But in addition to the variety of turns into juji-gatame which he demonstrated throughout his extensive contest career, he has also made a specialist study of other armlocks- and their use in tachiwaza as well as newaza. Here, for the first time, he concentrates on armlocks alone, including most of the techniques that are seen on the modern contest mat. it is an absorbing and fascinating study which will doubtless be regarded as the handbook of the subject for decades to come.

Nicolas Soames
Masterclass Series Editor

Contents

Foreword
Armlocks: a Personal View
A History of Armlocks
Juji-gatame
Finishing Juji-gatame
Ude-gatame
Ude-garami
Waki-gatame
Standing Armlocks
Hara-gatame
Special Combinations
Self-defence
Competition Armlocks
Afterword
Index show less

from dust jacket

Neil Adams is undoubtedly the most successful judo fighter Britain has yet produced with one World Championship and two Olympic silver medals to date. Howerver, his achievements go beyond the mere acquisition of medals for he is known throughout Europe and particularly in Japan, the mother country of judo, as an outstanding stylist who has evolved his own distinctive fighting style through a combination of hard work, study and abundant natural talent. Moreover, his training show more methods, which draw on gymnastics, triple phasing and specialist weight-training patterns have formed the basis for the preparation of the next generation of western Champions.

Judo has been the dominant force in Adams's life. Here he traces the major stepping stones of his career from his first taste of the sport at a small judo club in Rugby, his crucial decision to join the mainstream of top-class judo and move to London, to euphoric moments of victory and agonising ones of defeat.

Adams dsiscusses the importance of the correct pyschological attitude, the battle of wills that occurs in competition and the pressures of staying at the top of his sport. He also discusses his life outside judo including his much publicised affair with the former Olympic swimmer, Sharron Davies, and explains how he everntually learnt to reconcile the need for some sort of private life with the long, solitary, training schedules that top-class judo demands. The last three chapters examine his chief techniques and training routines in greater detail and look at the way they have developed over a career spanning more than a decade. He also takes a perceptive look at the future of the sport in Britain.

A Life in Judo is thus a fascinating insight into one of Britain's most successful sportsmen of the 1970's and 1980's.

Nicolas Soames, who collaborated with Neil Adams on this book, is a freeelance journalist who specialises in judo and classical music. A second Dan himself, he both teaches and practises regularly and is the judo correspondent for the sunday Telegraph, the Daily Telegraph and several other newspapers. He also covered the judo events in the 1984 Olympics for BBC television and The Times. He is married to a pianist and teacher and they live with their two sons in St. Albans.

Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 Early Days
2 London Apprenticeship
3 My First Olympics
4 World Champion at Last
5 Coping with Success
6 Los Angeles
7 Fighting Back
8 Acquiring the Basic Skills
9 The Path to the World title
10 Staying at the Top
Glossary
Career Highlights show less

1981 world champion, 1980 and 1984 Olympic silver medallist, five times European and eight times British champion, Neil Adams MBE draws on the wealth of his experience to give a detailed personal guide to the sport of judo. With over 200 action photographs, this book provides expert analysis of the winning techniques of such international judoka as Yasuhiro Yamashita, Karen Briggs, Robert van der Wall, Ingrid Berghmans and Angelo Parisi.

How Neil's interest in the sport began, and his rise to show more world-class status.

The history of judo, and grading systems for juniors and seniors

The fundamentals-hands, body and legs; techniques for tachi-waza (standing) and ne-waza (ground work)

Tactical play and tips for grading matches and competitions

Training routines, covering uchi-komi (vital repetition practice); fitness for judo, including conditioning, circuit training and sparring

Competition, its aims and rules, the role of the judges and referees' terminology

Brilliantly capturing the hopes and aims of the young competitor, as well as the dedication and ambition of world-class fighters, this is a book that will instruct and inspire at all levels.

Foreword Syd Hoare, Chairman of the British Judo Association 1985-87
Introduction
The history of judo
The grading system-Seniors; Juniors
The fundamentals-Hands; Body; Legs
Tachi-waza (standing techniques)
Uchi-mata (inner thigh throw)
Tai-otoshi (Body drop throw)
Tomoe-nage (stomach throw)
O-uchi-gari (major inner reaping, and ko-uch-gari (minor inner reaping)
Osoto-gri (major outer reaping)
The unorthodox techniques
Ne-waza (groundwork)
Osae-komi-waza (holding techniques)
Shime-waza (strangle techniques)
Kansetsu-waza (armlocks: joint techniques)
Turnovers
Tactical play-Playing the mat area; Ne-waza edge play; Gripping (the judo-gi); Gripping tactics; Time-wasting; Psychology; Conclusion
Uchi-komi training routines-Tachi-waza uchi-komi; Three-man uchi-komi-power; Ne-waza uchi-komi; Light randori
Fitness for judo-Cardiovascular conditioning and endurance; Muscular endurance; Power (strength) training; suppling and mobility
The aims and rules of competition judo-Scores; Penalities; Mat area; Contest duration; Injury time; The referee; Judges
Referee's terminology
Summary
Glossary of judo terms
Where to learn
Acknowledgments show less