Seoi-nage - Morote-Seoi-nage Ippon-Seoi-nage

Author: Hidetoshi Nakanishi
Pub: 1993 by Ippon Books
Pages: 128
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
History of Seoi-Nage ................... 9

Morote-Seoi-Nage ...................... 13
  A Personal View ..................... 15
  The Basics .......................... 18
  Basic Versions ...................... 26
  Special Variations .................. 34
  Combinations into Morote-Seoi-Nage .. 46
  Combinations from Morote-Seoi-Nage .. 52
  Defences and Counters ............... 54
  Training ............................ 56

Ippon-Seoi-Nage ....................... 65
  Ippon-Seoi-Nage: A Personal View        
  A Personal View ..................... 67
  The Basics .......................... 70
  Special Variations .................. 81
  Combinations into Morote-Seoi-Nage . 100
  Combinations from Morote-Seoi-Nage . 104
  Defences ........................... 116
  Counters ........................... 117
  Training ........................... 119
          
Competition Seoi-Nage ................ 123
Index ................................ 128

FOREWORD

Seoi-nage is the single most popular throw in judo. Though primarily the technique, par excellence, for the smaller person, it is also used with considerable success by heavyweights. Part of its popularity lies in its efficiency-the principle of carrying a weight on the back is universal. But its success as a fighting technique is also due to its remarkable versatility.

Although there are some similarities between morote-seoi-nage and ippon-seoi-nage, there are many aspects which are unique to each. This can be seen by the way that most of those who become specialists in one form of seoi-nage seldom use the other.

However, there is sufficient common ground to include both techniques in one volume. The author, Hidetoshi Nakanishi, demonstrates ippon-seoi-nage himself. For the morote-seoi-nage he specially invited his compatriot, Yoshiharu Minami, a double world champion, to do the demonstrations.

The result has, I think, proved immensely interesting. For a start, the judo styles of these two world champions are markedly different even though they both grew up in the central Japanese judo tradition. As can be seen, Minami possesses an unsullied classical style: his morote-seoi-nage is based on flexibility, movement, control and timing.

Nakanishi's judo is firmly rooted in Japanese tradition and has these qualities too; but, as his demonstrations show, he has made a virtue of the modern style only too readily dismissed as 'power judo'. The fascinating contrasts between these two men demonstrates the richness of judo itself.

Minami and Nakanishi came together one day in the Kodokan to demonstrate the techniques for this book. First of all, they went through the basics and fundamentals of their techniques. Next came the combination and counters. Then, came a more relaxed session, when both went through their repertoire of more unusual variations. Nakanishi, in particular, seemed to have an inexhaustable fund of ideas collected during his decades of intensive judo both in Japan and abroad.

For those of us who were there, it was an unforgettable experience. We hope this book captures the searching spirit of that day, and will prove a useful vehicle for enriching a technical understanding of the seoi-nage specialist.

Nicolas Soames
Masterclass Series Editor