Ouchi Gari Technique Question

Balto · 09-23-2006, 06:35 PM

This is a question for anybody who uses ouchi gari successfully a lot in sparring.

I've been having trouble with it lately, and I asked a judo teacher for his tips on it. He told me to place my head on the same side as the leg I'm reaping. I thought this was odd because I was previously taught specifically to keep my head on the opposite side of the leg I'm reaping.

The head on the opposite side feels more natural to me, so I don't think I'll be following his advice. However, I thought I'd ask on here for your opinions before I completely dismiss it.

Just to clarify, the way I have been doing it is:

I am reaping my opponent's left leg with my right leg. I am placing my head on the right side of his body and chest (right side from the opponent's perspective). This is opposite from the leg I am attacking.

The way the judo teacher advised me, I am still reaping my opponent's left leg with my right leg. However, now I am placing my head on the left side of his body and chest (left side from the opponent's perspective). This is the same side as the leg I am attacking.

**Q mystic** · 09-23-2006, 06:51 PM

Not sure if it is correct tech but I always did ouchi with my head on the same side as the reaping. Gave me more drive I think. I kinda scrunched up when doing it. Helped put more weight on the reaped leg as well.

HEN · 09-23-2006, 07:01 PM

Its one of my main techniques and i am resonably sucessful with it im am more comftble with my head on the opposite side from the leg im reaping same as yourself. Not sure how much it matters just make sure you are forcing them to put the majority of there weight on the leg you are reaping i prefer to give them a sharp pull towards me and almost simultaneously start to reap the leg. Maybe find someone at your club who specialises in the technique and ask them for pointers or have a look at some clips of succesful throws.

Suvorov · 09-23-2006, 11:20 PM

Head on the same side is the rule in wrestling and in Sambo.

**Bubble Boy** · 09-23-2006, 11:38 PM

Same side, but also drive downward, dropping to your reaping knee, like this:
http://www.judoinfo.com/images/video...wOuchiGari.wmv

...another angle:
http://www.judoinfo.com/images/video...OuchiGari2.wmv

Darkslide632 · 09-24-2006, 01:16 AM

Why would we give you advice when you obviously only listen to yourself? You asked an instructor about it, he gave you an answer and you ignored it. You apparently just want someone to tell you that you're doing it right. Well you're not.

As far as dropping to you rknee goes... maybe in competition. In traditional form you never go to your knee and IMO, there's really no need to go down to your knee at all... but it happens, so I am not going to fault anyone for it.

Rinksterk** · 09-24-2006, 10:46 AM

There's always some debate about the correct way to do techniques. I was taught three different ways to do the ouchi gari. I confused me because I do it one way and a black belt would tell me to do it differently. If I do it his way, another guy would tell me other wise.

Balto · 09-24-2006, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkslide632

Why would we give you advice when you obviously only listen to yourself? You asked an instructor about it, he gave you an answer and you ignored it. You apparently just want someone to tell you that you're doing it right. Well you're not.

As far as dropping to you rknee goes... maybe in competition. In traditional form you never go to your knee and IMO, there's really no need to go down to your knee at all... but it happens, so I am not going to fault anyone for it.

If I thought about techniques the way you did, I'd be terrible at martial arts.

Fact is, I was originally taught this technique by a 9th dan who was a former Korean national champion. Also, some other national level judoka at his place taught this technique to me as well. They all stressed SPECIFICALLY that the head should be placed on the opposite side to center your weight on his body and make it harder for him to counter you by moving to the side.

Then, just recently, another judo instructor stressed SPECIFICALLY that I put the head on the same side for extra power on the finish. The fact that the advice was so radically different is why I asked the question.

Anybody who just does the techniques exactly like their instructor tells them can never become good. You are not your instructor and will never be. Different things will work differently for you. The key is to listen to what your instructor says and try to get a deeper understanding of why he is giving you that advice, and apply it accordingly.

Now that I see the answers here, I know that it's really an "it depends" sort of situation and neither instructor is really right or wrong. So I'll play around with both and see what happens.

I've been doing martial arts for 16 years, and thinking about techniques this way is the only way to learn. One high ranked instructor does things one way; another does things differently. Which one is best for you? Only you can find out through practice and thought.

I'd suggest you learn to think more critically about the instruction you receive.

PhxJudoJujitsu · 09-24-2006, 02:19 PM

He's telling you to do that so you drive your shoulder and body the same direction as the reap

thecas · 10-02-2006, 11:57 AM

Tell you all what, just today , a brown belt was showing me Kouchi Gari. At first he sort of told me to put on opposite side, later he told me the opposite.

Regardless, lets examine the question scientifically. Say you have reaped a leg, he does not have a leg on that side. So which way will he fall? Its common sense. So I guess I will just have my head on the same side as my leg which is reaping.