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KOSEN JUDO

In 1914, the All Japan Special High School Championships were started at Kyoto Imperial University.  These championships emphasized the trend towards newaza or grappling techniques, and the schools that participated became so proficient at this approach that they earned for it the name KOSEN JUDO.   

This form of judo was becoming so predominant that, in 1925, Kano began to see throwing techniques as disappearing from the syllabus of effective judo skills.  Judo rules were changed to specifically require that all techniques had to begin from a tachi-waza (standing) position, and that further, if a competitor pulled his opponent down without such effort, the opponent would be declared the automatic winner.  However, Kano understood the proficiency of kosen judo, and saw a need for specialists to be encouraged in its development, and so the Seven Universities Tournament, which continues in Japan to this day, has been exempted from this 1925 Kodokan rule change.

The kosen  judo students represented an elite, and it was considered shameful to tap or declare maitta, (surrender).  A choke or an arm-bar would have to continue to its inevitable conclusion.  Those modern derivatives of Judo, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Sambo, show the effect of both this technical approach and attitude, which is not remarkable since the founding instructors of both styles learned judo during this pre-1925 period.

THE METHOD OF YAKUSOKU-RENSHU

 In everyday judo dojo training, various methods are used to develop technical competence in the various waza.  One method of randori training is that called yakusoku-renshu or agreed-upon practice.

Randori is a training method used to practice and/or perfect techniques, setups, defense, counters and combinations.  It is not meant to be a "mini-shiai".  As such, if you are indeed doing "hard randori", you are not taking the opportunity to learn to move faster, develop muscle memory and conditioned reflexes.  Shiai is the occasion wherein you test what you have been able to develop. At times, students must be cautioned to back off on the fighting and get back to trying to learn and use proper judo. 

Yakusoku-geiko is a Japanese term, meaning repetitively applying and receiving specific throwing or pinning techniques agreed upon in advance in order to make a close study of their underlying essences and principles. After one learns the basics of a waza via both static and dynamic uchikomi, one must further learn with speed in a dynamic, uke-resisting (prior determined percent of resistance) atmosphere.  Ahead of time, Tori and Uke agree on what each is to do in respect to timing, resistance, and speed/direction of movement.  It allows Tori to work with kuzushi, tsukuri and tai-sabaki, and to set up the timing for this depending upon the movement of Uke.  It further allows Uke to practice appropriate counters - if so decided ahead of time - to faster technique application of Tori. It is especially good for learning renzoku-waza (continuous combinations of techniques), and determining which technique(s) to use in conjunction with an original technique.  Throws are always done to completion and with force.  There is also the opportunity to work on transition techniques into ne-waza; it may also be used for practice by Uke in turning out of throws.