Obstruction in Takedowns

As we have discussed, takedowns and walking are similar, obstructing or removing the step to follow will cause a fall. In everyday life that is not something we want, but in grappling we would like to be the cause of this feeling as much as possible. Whether it is a foot sweep, single leg takedown, or high-amplitude judo throw, all takedowns come from obstructing the opposition’s ability to continue moving in a direction. When we stop the next step from happening, we have initiated the fall for our opponent and then can begin finishing the takedown. Usually, our obstruction runs counter to the directionality from the previous passage. If we take our opponent back and to the left our obstruction will operate forward to the right. Osoto gari is a great example of this principle, the kuzushi(balance break) is back and to the side, and to finish the throw our leg that prevents the opposition’s ability to continue moving backward moves at the opposite diagonal. Much of Judo operates like this, where every throw operates like an imaginary box has been placed just below the other person’s knees for you to shove them over. When we look at high percentage wrestling takedowns, the same is true, however it is not always as visually clear. Something like running the pipe in wrestling works with the same mechanics as osoto gari, but because our leg is replaced by our hands and arms, we do not think about them in the same terms. Foot sweeps and ankle picks are another example of takedowns across grappling arts that principally function the same but are not often thought of as similar techniques. Once again, we have a diagonal balance break, this causes a displacement of weight, which we exploit by using our foot or hand to remove the post that would prevent our opposition from falling. Does this operate the same for hip throws you may ask yourself? It absolutely does. The directionality of a hip throw is toward us and to one side or the other simultaneously. Then, instead of our arms, legs, hands, or feet serving as the obstacle to our opponent’s path, we use our body. We become the invisible box and launch them forward. The same can also be said of sacrifice throws like tomoe nage, pulling in a direction, impeding that directional progress, and creating a predictable ascent and descent for two points or ippon. In looking at that we can move on to the next point, understanding takedowns is understanding sweeps from guard and vice versa.