CAN THERE BE JUDO WITHOUT RANDORI?

Ippon Seoi Nage Step and Pivot Entry

Not too long ago someone stopped by to check out the judo class. This person had trained and garnered some rank in judo supposedly. He let me know he trained at a Martial Arts dojo about an hour away. To make a long story short as we warmed up doing uchikomi drills it became apparent that he was somewhat lost. Later after a short instructional period we got into randori. Again, this person was absolutely like a fish out of water. He had never done any randori before.

He went on to tell me that they didn’t do “sport judo” but that they did judo only as a self-defense. I explained to him that Randori isn’t solely for sport. At this point it was apparent that whatever he was taught and given rank in....sure wasn’t judo.

First off, judo is a complex art and system or method of fighting or selfdefense.....it is also a rugged, dynamic and technically advanced combat sport.

Judo emphasizes a free-style sparring, called randori, as one of its main forms of training. This isn’t suited exclusively for sport  or competition (shiai) aspect. Randori is the primary method of learning the MANY lessons of Judo. Randori, even subject to safety rules, is much more alive than just practicing techniques only on compliant training partners. Trying to throw someone who is trying to throw you as well, develops the muscles and cardio-vascular system on the physical aspect. Randori also develops strategy and reaction time on the mental aspect. Most importantly however, randori helps the practitioner learn to use techniques against a resisting opponent. A common saying among judoka is “The best training for judo is judo.”

Traditional Kodokan Judo

The young man went on to tell me that his former instructor claimed that they taught traditional Kodokan Judo and he reemphasized not sport judo.

In his book Kodokan Judo, Jigoro Kano writes that there are two methods of judo training, Kata and Randori. Kata is a system of prearranged movements that teach the fundamentals of attack and defense. In addition to throws and newaza (ground or mat techniques) it teaches striking techniques. Randori means free sparring. The main condition in randori is that the participants take care not to injure one another. Kano goes on to write that “of the two (kata and randori), RANDORI is the more effective.”

Kano saw that simply doing techniques in a prearranged manner or from a static position with a compliant training partner was nowhere near sufficient training for one to be able to effectively apply judo techniques in combat or sport.

Ippon Seoi Nage - Split Step Entry

What is randori?

Randori is training under the supervision of a coach or instructor, it's not a contest or a fight.  There are many different ways to practice randori; each with a specific purpose and goal. Each randori session must have a purpose, a goal of increasing the technical, tactical or fitness level of the students.

There is a third element which is shiai or competition, however, don’t get randori confused with shiai or only relating to shiai or competition. Randori is fundamental to learning judo, it emphasizes the basics, and requires that the partners execute (and receive) the throws at full power. In doing so, they learn how to effectively destabilize the opponent, how to time the throwing techniques, and how to combine the techniques, as well as how to defend against techniques and employ counter techniques.

So, can you develop good or effective judo without randori?

The simple answer is no. I know of no judo dojo where randori isn't a part of their regular training. You need to be able to practically apply the techniques you learn and that can only be done through randori. Without randori you'd never get a "feel" for throws in real conditions. A training partner actively trying to avoid your techniques as well as he can and trying to throw you himself changes almost everything. One has to learn to adapt to that, to spot your opponent's weaknesses, to time your attacks and to defend at the same time. It's not possible to do that without randori.

Ippon Seoi Nage - Koga variation to the left side

Kano recognized that simply trying to do judo in only prearranged conditions on a compliant partner would be and is greatly lacking. Randori is king, as Kano said the more effective of the two. Beginners should be doing randori from Day 1, with close supervision and always paired with a responsible senior player.

So why is it so important that beginners do randori? Because it is during randori that you are actually doing judo! When you do uchikomi or fitting in for throws, repetitive entry and kuzushi or off balancing…..  that's not judo. That's training for judo. When you do "resistance-free" throwing that isnt judo either. That's training for judo. When you do randori.....that's judo!