Video 18: Sliding Shoulder Ko Uchi
There is always something new waiting to be learned during Ronda Rousey’s judo time. If this causes a case of déjà vu, it’s because this sliding over the shoulder ko
Here are the main things:
1. Get a high grip!
Reach all the way up and over the opponent’s shoulder with your lead hand and grip in the middle of their shoulders. Your other hand grips the elbow of the opponent’s gi instead of the inside of the sleeve in previous basic grips. Obviously, this isn’t something you want to try on an opponent much bigger than you—there are other grips for that.
2. Let your elbow slide over opponent’s shoulder.
Once you’ve got a firm grip of the judo gi, don’t keep your arm resting on top of their shoulder. Slide your arm down without breaking your grip and let it come down to secure and control the side of your opponent.
3. This action pins opponent’s arm down.
Listen, Ronda Rousey wants to take care of you. Moving your arm down from the shoulder without changing your grip pins down the opponent’s arm. They can’t turn into you and you’ve effectively neutralized half of their body. Thanks “Rowdy” Ronda!
4. Kazushi: Unbalancing. Tsukuri: Entering. Kake: Execution.
Judo term time! Kazushi is ballerina stepping into the triangle of leverage which sends your opponent off balance. Tsukuri is wrapping your leg and foot around the opponent’s before executing the sweet. Kake is the action of actually pulling off the technique.
For the next challenge, we’re going to keep this familiar feeling going by learning the back grip