No Kuzushi in Judo : The Vectors Approach

The Vectors Approach: A Different Way to Think About Judo Throws

 There's no kuzushi that occurs in randori.

Throws with kuzushi only happen in practice, where uke doesn't resist.
In randori you don't get those off balanced moments.
In randori what beginners should be taught is to complete all the necessary vectors that a throw consists of, and then enter kake.

The usual idea is that before you can throw someone, you have to off-balance them. You get kuzushi, then you enter, then you execute the throw.

In randori, the kind of obvious off-balanced moment that you see in practice often isn't there. You don't simply wait for your opponent to become completely unbalanced, enter, and throw them. Your opponent is resisting, moving, recovering their balance and trying to prevent exactly that from happening.

In summary if Kuzushi is off balance, Vector is drive.

So instead of teaching beginners to think about throws as:

“First I get kuzushi, then I do the throw,”

I think they should be taught to think about the vectors that the throw requires. Fulfilling them and entering kake.

The Vectors Approach

A throw is a movement which require directional vectors, for it to successfully execute. All throws have 2 to 3 vectors happening and always a minimum of 2, if these are not present and a person enters kake, the throw doesn't happen. simple.

The different vectors are forward, up , down, side and rotational. rotational vector can be horizontal like in O Goshi or vertical in Sasae.

The needed vectors for a throw can be understood by looking at what happens to the uke's body.

For example:

• Uchimata consists of an upward vector, a forward vector and a rotational vector. 
  
• Ouchi-gari consists of a downward vector and a forward vector.
• Sasae consists of a forward vector and a rotational vector.

Examples

Ouchi-gari

If I create only a downward vector and then try to perform kake by reaping from the inside, the throw doesn't happen. I still need a forward vector.

Likewise, if I create only a forward vector without the downward vector, the opponent can move their leg out.

I need both.

Both vectors are present, the throw happens.

Sasae

Suppose I pull the opponent forward and enter the kake, trip the far leg.

They recover their balance.

A rotational vector was needed.

That's added, the throw happens.

Again, the question isn't simply whether I achieved some vague state of “kuzushi.”

The question is:

What Vectors does this throw require, and ensuring those are made present.

In the Korean TaiO—the version that Eduard Trippel does, not the drop version.

Here, the forward vector becomes much more important. The left leg is placed much further forward than in a normal TaiO, allowing you to catch your weight on it while the opponent cannot do the same because their leg has been tripped.

The rotational vector becomes about just turning them on their back as they are falling rather than being the trigger that causes the fall in the traditional Japanese te-waza TaiO.

Now as a Beginner what happens when a throw doesn't work?

Before you would ask your sensei what went wrong? why didn't the throw happen.

The answer would be:

“There has to be kuzushi.”

But what does that actually tell you?

What kuzushi?

How much?

At what point?

a throw is complex.

Now, when a throw doesn't work, you ask yourself:

What vectors does this throw require?

Which vector am I not providing?

Maybe you have the forward vector but not the rotational vector.

Maybe you have the downward vector but not the forward vector.

Maybe you're producing one part of the movement, but the other necessary part isn't there. so it doesn't trigger into a fall or it falls but its not a ippon say in a Taio without rotational vector.

Then create those vectors.

And when all the necessary vectors are present, enter kake.

Vectors are way better way to explain judo and throws than the dogma way of vague kuzushi.