Pickups - Morotegari Sukuinage Uranage Kataguruma

Author: Robert Van De Walle
Pub: 1993 by Ippon Books
Pages: 111
Ranking:

This is one of the 'Judo Masterclass Techniques' series of books. If you don't already own these books, start saving up right now... Ippon Books charges a pretty penny for these, I got lucky on a Christmas sale and picked up all 14 of them for $225. They are all at least as good as anything you'll be able to find anywhere else, and mostly superior. They are all written by acknowledged experts of the techniques being discussed. You simply cannot go wrong on any of the "Masterclass Techniques" books. I have my favorites among the 14 listed books, but they simply reflect my tokuiwaza, and no other reason.

              Contents 

Foreword ........................ 7
Pick-Ups: A Personal View ....... 9
History of Pick-Ups ............ 17

Morote-Gari .................... 21
  Introduction ................. 23
  Technical Introduction ....... 25
  Basic Techniques ............. 28
  Special Variations ........... 32
  Combination into Morote-Gari . 36
  Defences ..................... 38
  Counters to Morote-Gari ...... 39
  Morote-Gari Training ......... 42

Sukui-Nage ..................... 43
  Introduction ................. 45
  Basic Techniques ............. 47
  Special Variations ........... 50
  Combination from Sukui-Nage .. 55
  Defences ..................... 56
  Counters to Sukui-Nage ....... 57

Uranage ........................ 61
  Introduction ................. 63
  Basic Techniques ............. 64
  Special Variations ........... 68
  Combination Technique ........ 73

Kata-Guruma .................... 75
  Introduction ................. 77
  Basic Techniques ............. 78
  Special Variations ........... 82

Miscellaneous Pick-Ups ......... 87
Competition Pick-Ups ........... 99
Index ......................... 111

FORWARD

International judo has had many champions, and quite a few memorable personalities. But in an extraordinary competitive career spanning nearly 20 years at the very top, Robert van de Walle became little short of a legend in his own time.

He fought in five Olympics and virtually every World and European Championships during that period. He won the Olympic title in 1980, the European -95 kg title in 1985 as well as the European Open title in 1984.

But, he didn't win all the time. Judo, to Robert van de Walle, was about standing on the red mark and giving himself totally to the moment. It was not the medals that drew him back time and again to the competition mat but the delight in competition itself. At an age when rivals were searching for a quiet fireside, van de Walle was still searching for the fire. He became famous for his combative style of judo. Throughout his career he exhibited a superb level of fitness, fine hip techniques and highly competent ground work. But he was primarily known, and will always be remembered, for his exceptional skill with certain pick-ups -- notably morote-gari and sukui-nage (te-guruma).

No one who has ever fought van de Walle could forget, at any point in a contest, his famous morote-gari. The penalty was defeat. And no less a champion than Tenghiz Khouboulouri was to fall victim to sukui-nage in the final of the 1980 Olympic Games.

But, it was, above all, van de Walle's attitude towards these throws that made him so eminently suitable to write the Pick-Ups account for the Judo Masterclass Techniques series. Though Belgium by birth, and modern and flexible in his attitude towards preparation, technique and training, van de Walle always maintained a deep respect for judo's roots in Japan. It is significant that he was widely admired as a fighter in Japan even though he was known for unorthodox techniques.

His main aim with Pick-Ups is to show that techniques that are often regarded as rough wrestling moves can be imbued with the same level of skill, timing and precision that is the hallmark of classical judo.

Nicolas Soames
Masterclass Series Editor