Two Ippons

I threw two people for ippon (win) today. Took a load of photos, both at the food fair and then at the dojo. No time to upload - too late at night now.

Both ippons were Osotogari. The first wasn't really fantastic - since the guy i was up against was yellow, fatigued and green around the ears. Grabbed hold of his lapel and entered.

Second one was good. He had speed and dominated at the beginning, controlling my movement. Hard hands pushing me away from any potential Osotogari entry. I remembered to relax, spun him with a few Sasais, and then entered Osotogari just as he was recovering from one such spin.

I lost to Alex - a dicky leg and i wasn't moving at my usual speed. Plus i couldn't get a grip earlier on. He entered a beautifully executed Uchimata - hitting me where it hurts the most in the process. Ouch.

It's weird - the first time i had an ippon it was after a day out with Garrick and Tang, collecting Salvation Army donations (was that a year ago?). The first time my Osotogari ruled in shiai i was also out with Garrick and Tang. St Thom food fair, bowling, and fragging at Garrick's house. Life sure does go around in circles.

I'm finally green (belter), something i've been working on since the year before. I'm happy.

And i'm also dissapointed i couldn't get a third ippon. I want a Judo shirt. And i want to show them all that Osotogari isn't a lousy, easily countered throw.

I have to sleep now. And when i put up photos, trust me - i'll start blogging about something else. Like Joshua, Andrew Ho and Kok Wee teaching me basic badminton. Very funny stuff.

Till then.

My Osotogari FINALLY clicked

Note: Before you read this post i must warn you it is full of Judo terms, which is romantic-sounding stylised versions of something as mundane as 'Major Outer Reap' or 'Body Drop'. Read my introduction (briefly) to the sport first, or just buzz out the Jap words and entertain me by juggling pencils.

First off, Happy Chap Goh Meh, people! Here's to the end of the drinking/celebrating/diabetes/gambling 15 day that is the Chinese New Year!

The night before i was having a nice Judo conversation with Horng Eng, something that rarely happens these days. It's usually me cycling, trying vainly to build up stamina, or staring at the wall thinking of Judo. Sad, isn't it?

Well, the time not spent reading or blogging or coding is spent thinking about Judo, at any rate.

So it went roughly like this, after we caught up on her collar bone (which she broke, immediately including her in that all-exlusive club of Vincent and Wilson and a few other (un)lucky guys); her Red and White wins (she defeated every single member on the opposing team - bravo!); and someone called Vivienne, whom she insists can defeat me easily.

Dienasty:
Say, are you going to Judo 2moro?
I plan to have a series of Randori (ed: sparring) with just one technique:
Osotogari.
See how many times i kenak countered
^.^

Horng Eng:
lol!
I want to be there to see that!
Not sure whether i'm going lah.

Well, she didn't, so here's what happened:

I had driving in the morning, learning loads of things about how to fail my practical. Let's say it involved not signalling at all the right moments, driving on the dividing line, and then looking at incoming cars for 8 seconds and nearly veering into a road divider.

When i came back my parents weren't in, probably doing whatever parents did on a Sunday afternoon (which i have no idea - maybe shopping for plants? Once they came back, 2 years, ago, and unloaded a box. "Go and take your dog out from the car." they said. Me and my sisters stared.) ... and i was effectively facing once again the old problem of No Transport. Garrick was at music lessons, and couldn't go. Parents out, aunt probably resting or marking Chemistry papers (who knows how hard University students are to understand?). At the very last moment my sister suggested Joash, and i SMSed him, praying that he could pick me up. I was literally starved for the sport. Not to mention somewhat rusty.

He said: "Yeah, can pick you up. But leaving early, about 5:30"

I tell you, if there was a rocket pack somewhere around i'd have shot through the roof in happiness.

There were plenty of Thomians at the dojo by the time i arrived, along with a troupe of Orange Belters that were upgrading to green. I was Orange, the last remnant of the old batch who was still low ranking. Joash is green, Chong is green (the white belter that i supported a year ago, mainly because a, he's Thomian b, he's the underdog) Ali is green, and Douglas is BLUE.

Douglas made a great big show early on, first squatting next to me near the bag racks and carelessly dropping his blue belt at my feet. "So long you didn't come liaw ..." he said, stretching. I tickled him as was the custom when you're disturbed (either that or a lock, but nevermind), and proceeded to search for my handphone, which was missing. I had to go check Joash's car, and that meant leaving the dojo.

Now, leaving or entering the dojo requires you to bow towards the shoman (place in dojo with country's flag and founder's photo, plus VIPs if this was a tournament), the same way you knock before entering someone's office. It's some Jap custom, but when i bowed to leave Douglas was there in front of me, proudly decked out in stunning blue, arms at hips.

So i was bowing at him, the little bugger.

I made a total of 4 trips to and fro from the car, by which time Douglas had claimed enough bows from me to make me pissed. But he was just playing around, in good humour, although i have to admit it wasn't particularly funny from my end. But i understood. Really.

I practised an updated version of my Osotogari, no longer lifting the opponent up with my hip and making him seriously fly. I decided to change mainly because it isn't particularly feasible in competition, or real life. And i'm not exactly the strongest of exponents - i can't possibly lift Max, or Sam(uel) because they're too big. So much for my 1 year in developing such a throw.

This updated version was coming on nicely. Then i randori-ed with Tang.

Tang has slipped since the days of him giving me this scar. His Taitotoshi was no longer the throw to fear it once was, but i'm certain he'll regain all that was lost soon enough. I threw him with two Osotogaris, made use of his defense on the third and threw him with a Sasai (footsweep), and then a last Osotogari before my reaping leg began cramping.

Sensei ordered me to rest and rub some cream on the afflicted muscle.

After suffiently regaining motor control of my leg, I went for a bout with Sensei. He threw me about 5 times in a row with Osotogari (i fell, got up, got thrown again, fell, got up .... so on) before i realized what he was doing and stopped it. Then he proceeded with footsweeps and a Taiotoshi to shame Tang, before allowing me to throw him once with Osotogari.

Sensei!

Whew. I was completely drained of stamina and panting.

I rested, watched Tang and Nyam sparring, and the screams of girls as they practised the Nage No Kata (apparently it's scary to be lifted up to someone's shoulders and then wheeled down to the ground), all the while testing out my legs which felt like jelly.

Douglas stopped demonstrating the kata for the girls, so i immediately asked for Randori. Heh. This was the oppotunity for him to humble my vainglorious thoughts, or for me to get him back for all the bowing and showing off his belt earlier on.

I grabbed his lapels, aware that he was two belt rankings above me, and theoritically good enough to deliver a spanking. I told him my legs were feeling like jelly. Which they were.

We moved about, the usual daft shuffling, looking for a weakness in the opponent's balance.

I attacked with Osotogari. 2 seconds reaping movement and blur. BAM.

I got up, legs not really feeling like jelly anymore.

Douglas got up, saying 'Aduh'. We grabbed lapels. 3 seconds, and i found another opportunity. Sleeve pulling, hand up at jaw, head in. Leg straight for the kill.

BAM.

Chong and Ali were making noise over at the other end of the mat. I think it was something along the lines of siap Douglas and Osoto vs Osoto...

Hrmm.

Sensei then stopped us for awhile, and told me to go easy on them, because apparently they were under 15.

"But he's Blue!" i said.

"Nevertheless, he is under 15." Sensei replied.

I couldn't argue - it was true that growing teenagers ran a greater risk of breaking bones. So i allowed him to attack, stopped his Osotogari a few times, let him throw me with a hip throw, threw him with Osoto, failed (not countered!), did it again and made him ukemi on the wall, and finally stopped after he was downed (not an ippon, just knees) and was tired.

So, Horng Eng. I've made my Osotogari (somewhat) click. Two years of hard work has paid off, and i now need to improve on Kuzushi (off-balancing), timing and my pathetic set of combos. Wish me luck, because i wish you luck in your Haraigoshi. *insert cute emo grin here*

I shall now sleep, savouring my little triumph in the grand scale of things. Good night. Sleep tight.

No fireworks please.