The only accurate means of verification of conjecture or hypothesis is by way of statistical analysis. To that end a survey was conducted in hopes of ascertaining the approach to gripping skills by elite players.
A study of the gripping habits and patterns of players was taken from video tapes of three major competitions. The tapes were matches of the quarter finalists of the 1987 All Japan Championship, medalist and championship matches of the 1985 World Championships as well as elimination and medalist competition from the 1985 European Championship.
Of the 549 observed incidents 278 were right sided preparations while the remaining 271 were lefties. (Evidencing, once again, that the players of top level Judo are unaware that only 10% of them should be playing left handed.) In 164 of the episodes of gripping the players placed their Power Hand first. While 385 of the incidents saw the players reaching in with the Locking (other than the Power) Hand. This gives us a statistic of 70.13% of the time elite players will grip first with the Locking Hand.
The survey prompted more than a cold, hard list of statistics however. During the observation of the competition several factors became evident. Outlined below are the surveyor's conclusions on high level gripping skills.
When players do not oppose the opponent's initial grip the tendency is for both players to reach in with the Power Hand and take a strong grip. When this occurs each player simply takes what is most available. What is available is the lapel of the side that the opponent has reached with. So if Player A reaches out with his right hand his right side is extended toward the opponent's left side. Player B simply reaches out and takes what is proffered. We now have the players holding one another with opposing Power Hands (right versus left). Each player is now faced with two problems. 1) In order to progress into an attacking situation the player must try to find a way to get the other hand in for a grip. 2) The player also has to find a method of circumventing the opponent's defensive position of the "stiff arm" that has been allowed a purchase. As a rule the players are doing nothing more than trying to hold each other at bay with the Power Hand arm stuck into the opponent's ribs.
The problem with the practice of this approach is that taking the Power Hand first tends to be very neutral. The players have equal grips and equal control over the opponent. Neither player has, nor can secure, an advantage. This leads to the situation of neither wanting to release his grip for fear of attack. So the players waltz about attempting an occasional, and easily defended, one armed attack.
Allowing the opponent to place his Power Hand unopposed generally results in a neutral Henka Yotsu position. Inevitably this situation comes down to two things. 1) Very defensive play. Power Hand first players tend to use the Power Hand to hold the opponent's torso away. Once the Power/blocking hand is placed they use the locking/free Hand to prevent further grips or attacking maneuvers. Neither player is willing to take a chance on shifting his grips. The unwillingness to venture into other gripping strategies is probably due to a strong defensive position. With an arm glued into the armpit of the opponent the player is able to hold the attacker out on anything he might try.
2) Physically stronger player winning. In a contest where the only criterion of superiority is who can hold the opponent at bay longest the stronger player is a shoe in! There is only one small problem with this strategy.
The opponent is always stronger!
In coaching I try to impress on players one very simple rule. Your Opponent will always be stronger than you! This may not be an empirically supportable theory but it certainly seems to be the case.
Every time a player is forced into or places himself in a position of having to rely on raw strength he is at a detriment. Players need to be trained to avoid situations where the opponent is allowed to physically dominate. This may be avoided very easily with proper gripping procedure.
The very top players take this one step further though! The big boys don't just reach in and take a grip. What the champions do is to keep the Power Hand tucked in close to the side and move the whole Power Side of the Body in under the grip.
If the opponent attempted Power Hand first, without any type of preparation, the player that prepared with Locking Hand followed by Power Hand was inevitably dominant. Further, the Power Hand first player was frequently confused and did not understand how to deal with being controlled from the initial grip. At the highest levels of gripping and grip domination the players that attempted to secure a Power Hand without preparation were frequently reduced to taking any grip the dominant player would allow.
Michael Nowak of France and Mircea Fratica, Rumania, are not strangers to high level competition. In point of fact Fratica has twice won World Championship bronze medals as well as having been European Champion. Yet in his contest with the equally experienced Frenchman he could do nothing.
Nowak refused to allow the opponent any kind of gripping opportunity. As soon as Fratica closed to gripping range he was thwarted and dominated. The Rumanian was reduced to placing his hands and elbows into the opponent's ribs in an attempt to prevent attacks. It didn't work. The dominant gripping player made short work of his highly skilled opponent.
Once the grips are secured the player attacks! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DOES A DOMINANT GRIPPING PLAYER PAUSE AFTER SECURING HIS DESIRED GRIP! The time for a breather is between gripping bouts or after the match, not while holding on to an angry opponent. If the grip is there the top player throws. If the throw is not successful he breaks off and starts over. Holding a grip for any period of time only allows the opponent opportunity to counter the position and apply his own attack.
This maneuver, as in any physically dominating maneuver in gripping, does not happen because the player pulls with his arms alone. Players must be trained to use the whole body to secure the grip. It is not enough for the player to try to push the opponent's Power Hand away from the lapel. He must shift his torso in such a way that the Driving Leg is set to move the opponent. The player will not be able to simply reach over the opponent's shoulder. He must be in position to align his power in order to first force the shoulders down and in. This means elbows in, Driving Leg set and good hip rotation.
If players are to graduate to a higher level of play the foundations of skill must be laid. The training emphasis of the novice is on basic throwing and grappling principles. Coaches must give consideration to the future requirements of advanced play as the young competitor develops. Gripping and foot work skills as well as match tactics should be introduced at the beginning levels and up-graded as the player progresses.
As in any training objective, if we expect our players to be able to execute a skill that skill must be practiced. Simple drills may be devised to introduce your players to gripping skills. Some excellent gripping drills may be found in "Judo From The Beginning", Phil Porter, and "Championship Judo Drill Training" by Ben Campbell.
Once the techniques of grip domination have been introduced it is the coach's job to see to it that the techniques become skills. The most obvious place to apply grip dominant tactics is during randori. This should be encouraged.
Coaches should also ensure that players practice dominant gripping skills whenever possible. During throwing drills the players should begin each attack with a gripping sequence. Be especially watchful that the players begin each time with a fresh grip. Gradually the act of preventing the opponent's grip while securing your own will become a habit. Then and only then will your protege be able to become a grip dominating player.
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