Judo Drills & Games #3 - Teaching Uchimata for Younger Players

By guest coach: Peter Gardiner 6th Dan (Director of Sportif Judo, EJU Guest Lecturer, former Danish National Coach)

---

Today’s drill is one a really useful overview of how to lead-in and then teach uchimata to young players, explained by Sensei Peter Gardiner 6th Dan.

Peter Gardiner, is director of the impressive Sportif Judo, coach of Olympians, Commonwealth, European and World medallists and a guest lecturer for the EJU.

Sportif Judo continues to grow and open new clubs and classes. Peter tells me, his objective now is bringing on young coaches. See the Sportif Coaching Team.

“Generally, coaches are not taught “how to coach” they just learn through trial and error. My aim is to develop, improve and grow Sportif Judo so that when I do fully step back, the knowledge and experience I have gained as a full-time professional coach these past 49 years isn’t wasted. There is a massive focus on their training and development, a systematic coaching apprenticeship with long term, quality training and support. With our young coaching team Sportif Judo is very good hands, the future is bright and in some ways “we are just getting started!”

Today, Peter shares how to teach uchimata with a series of drills to improve balance, control and concentration plus a video (see below)

---

SPORTIF JUDO – SKILL DEVELOPMENT – UCHIMATA FOR YOUNGER PLAYERS

A motivated, enthusiastic coach will have many goals for a session, based on the age, ability and motivations of the class. The number one goal is of course that everyone is safe and secondly that everyone has a positive experience.

Children are very capable, often more capable than we give them credit for. They love to be challenged and they enjoy learning/mastering new complex skills.

For younger children throws off one leg like uchimata can be difficult and can potentially result in a young player getting a bump. The odd bump is fine and a part of judo, but several bumps…. That doesn’t work and can often result in a young player being put off judo. With that in mind it’s important to have movements, exercises and games that prepare player to learn the throw and control their partners.

Uchimata can be a good throw for young players if its coached properly. Young players don’t have dynamic movement and find it hard to balance for too long on one leg while throwing so they will seldom actually throw with uchimata in practice. However getting children used to standing and balancing, turning and swinging their leg at a young age hard wires their brains for this complex movement which they can improve and develop in later years as they grow stronger, are more coordinated and have better balance.   

• Uchimata position – Simply starting with the body form for the throw. Lifting the legs, pointing the feet.

• Uchimata balance – Holding the uchimata body form. Play balance and hopping games in this position

• Uchimata hop – Progressing to movement by  hopping, balancing and holding the body form. Introduce uchimata hopping games or hop, plant, balance and ukemi. Build on the movement, have fun with it.

• Uchimata swing – Introduce the step back and leg swing

• Uchimata turn and hold – Use a high neck grip with beginners so that they can use their partner to balance. Don’t be too technical at the start, yes pull the sleeve up to break the balance but focus more on the leg and the balance with your partner. Keep the players engaged you can improve the technique in time get the basics right and give your players the feeling of achievement

• Uchimata throw – Simply progress from the hold and balance and gently let uke take a breakfall then build the speed and movement up when uke has the confidence to fall and breakfall

---

Thanks Peter! So, what drills do you use to teach Uchimata? Please share them in this week’s open chat: you can join the discussion here and I’ll be there too. Let’s talk uchimata!

Until next week,

Nik

Nicola Fairbrother MBE, 8th Dan
- 1992 Olympic Silver Medallist
- 1993 World Champion
- Publisher of Koka Kids children’s judo books