Last night in class we had a few students who are either brand new, or haven’t been with us long.  I love working wit new students… It’s amazing how much more it sometimes makes you think when you teach something, rather than just do something.

I have found a fairly consistent patten wit new students, and concepts they struggle with.  These are: energy conservation (or “bursting”), and rigidity vs. fluid.

I recently posted another article on Energy conservation and cardio in grappling (Judo, Jujitsu, etc) and MMA, so I won’t be covering that topic again here.  What I do want to discuss however, is the concept of fluidity vs. rigidity.

You can tell a new Judo student right away.  When the lock up on the feet they are so stiff and tense.  They all seem to have an inherent logic in their brain that tells them that if they are more tense, they are more prepared, and as a result better defended and more ready to attack.  They often carry this same tension when they are on the ground as well, but I think the aspects relating to the ground game are better covered int he “bursting” article, so I’ll just focus on the feet here.

One of the analogies that I often use to help students understand the difference of rigid and stiff compared to fluid is the one of the mattress.  Most of us have, at one time or another, had to move a mattress set up stairs.  When doing so, It is far easier to move a box-spring than it is a big, floppy mattress.  Why is this?

Well primarily it is because the box spring is rigid.  When you push it, you are pretty sure exactly where it is going to go, and how far.  You know exactly how much force it will take to tip it one way or the other.  This is because the box spring is consistent.  It does not flex or remain fluid in order to absorb and of your force or pressure.

A big mattress on the other hand is a pain in the butt.  It never seems to do what you think it will.  You push, expecting a specific result, and it bends and sways under the pressure, absorbing some of it, and not being tipped and moved as easily as you would hope.

By having a good solid grip, but remaining loose and fluid, able to react to an opponents pressures, and “give” when needed as well as being able to surprise an opponent with a sudden burst of offense, rather than telegraphing our every intention through or rigidness we can be better Judokas.

Next time you randori, or work you Uchikmois, relax your body.  Be ready, be strong, have a good grip, but don’t be rigid.  Be fluid.  Be a mattress.

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