Deashi Barai: Okuri ashi Barai from a different angle, Kouchi Gari with other foot?

[Jimmy Cerra]

Deashi barai isn't one of my best throws, but I've been experimenting with it a little lately. Here's one way to preform the technique. (And help polishing my technique is appreciated.) The kuzushi is in the Uke's right front corner toward the ground.

1. Start with a normal right-side grip and a natural stance. Step back with your left leg to start the momentum backwards. Uke steps forward with his right leg.
   
2. Continue your backwards momentum, so Uke starts to naturally press into you. Step back and to the side with your right leg. Uke steps forward with his left leg.
   
3. Pull with your right hand to encourage Uke to step with his right leg toward you, but to the side a little (because you stepped out of the way in the previous step).
   
4. When Uke starts to put his weight down on his right foot, pull down with your left hand (on his sleeve) to get his weight in that direction. At the same time, sweep his leg out forward from the outside with your left leg. Keep your sweeping leg straight and angle your foot to catch his foot with your sole. Keep your leg near the ground as you sweep.
   
5. Uke crashes to the ground.

This is very similar to okuri ashi barai, but in okuri you sweep his leg in the sideways direction towards his other leg. In deashi, you sweep uke's leg towards you. Both times, it is generally in the way he is stepping, so okuri is better for a side-stepping Uke and deash is better for a forward stepping Uke.

This is also very similar to kouchi gari, but in kouchi you sweep his leg with your right leg and your body to his left. In deashi, you sweep it with your left leg and with your body to his right. In both cases, you sweep his leg from a forward-moving step.

Is all of this correct? Am I missing anything?

[Bubble Boy]

Foot sweeps are my weakness, I'm really bad at them. Your description sounds right on to me though.

My friend Eric, who incidentally used to train at your judo club in PA, has a beautiful de ashi barai setup and finish. He actually takes the uke in a circle and, with strong hand movements, clips the leg out with a little chop. The fall is a high flying one like okuri.

I'll see if I can video tape it and post it here in a day or two.

[Jimmy Cerra]

Thanks Bubbles. That would be sweet if you can tape it. Did Eric train with Kyu Ha or Eugene (his son)? Or did he train at Pitt? All three are Kim's Martial Arts and are taught by the Kims, but not everyone knows everyone else (but I still train at all three places - during the summer at Kyu ha's, during the fall and spring at Pitt, and every once in a while at Eugene's tho Eugene still teaches at all of them).

[zfolwick]

sounds like you're complicating the description.

1) pull with left hand to attain right-side kuzushi

2) step back with your left, he should step forward with his right. (note, you could encircle the guy enshin-karate style and work those angles)**EDIT: Encircling is another way to get him to step-- useful for many set-ups.

3) however the hell you set it up, sweep the right either as he sets it down, or as he lifts it up.

**what this means is if he's setting it down, the momentum's going forward, if he's picking it up, the momentum's going backwards. Just.. . "help" him along by pushing with your right hand, or pulling with your left, or both (preferably). Optional: In competition our coach likes us to use our bodyweight to give an extra "shove".

[Bubble Boy]

Originally Posted by Frodo

Thanks Bubbles. That would be sweet if you can tape it. Did Eric train with Kyu Ha or Eugene (his son)? Or did he train at Pitt? All three are Kim's Martial Arts and are taught by the Kims, but not everyone knows everyone else (but I still train at all three places - during the summer at Kyu ha's, during the fall and spring at Pitt, and every once in a while at Eugene's tho Eugene still teaches at all of them).

I'm not sure, I'll ask him Thursday when we film his de ashi.

[Q mystic]

My timing on any footsweep and kouchi was terrible and I could never get them to work until I was taught to use half-step just before the sweep. Once I started half-stepping it seemed to click right away, just before his foot landed.