Throwing

Theft of balance...

There are huge texts listing many throws. I break them down into two kinds: sport, and martial. Martial throws are variants of the underlying abstract movement which results is awkward falling for a trained fallee - typically, they get dumped or thrown while a joint is still trapped. Sport throws can still be damaging, but offer the fallee a better possibility of rolling - typically, they are round and large.

Stances and footwork for throwing (and grapping or wrestling) are different from the more upright stances of kick/punch fighting, or sieze/control neutralisation. This is because leverage and balance are primary issues in throwing. A poorly timed throw leaves the thrower open to many serious attacks, but a well timed (responsive) throw is very hard to avoid.

More to follow when I find time...

Movement Drills

  • (1) Stepping the rear foot behind.
  • (2) Side-stepping.
  • (3) Turning out, turning in.
  • (4) Two point contacts and pull.
  • (5) Lifting from the haunches. Lifting from the hip. Lifting from the shoulder.
  • (6) 'Osborn's dancing drills' (throw avoidance footwork).
  • Drills

    Partner work assumes that both partners know how to fall. Once the set-ups and entry methods are clearly and automatically learned, the students should work on the easiest leverage with a co-operative partner (who naturally loves to be thrown and falls gracefully).

    Takedowns and throws in sparring (and their reversals) can be dangerous to learn - they should be started in slow motion, on mats - and should be only practiced when the "throws and takedowns" rule is announced by the instructor.

    Tom Osborn