Kaeshi Waza


The KEY to any counter technique is to not resist:
the moment you discover what the technique is - to be completely cooperative,
and to go with it rather than struggle against it.


The ESSENCE of all kaeshi waza is the timing...
if you try to move in and counter
TOO SOON - it won't work
TOO LATE - your partner has already nailed you


On RIDING
Actually, when you do kaeshi waza, really what you do is you RIDE the technique.
You RIDE your way into the counter. Let your body go with it.


On DROPPING
Never resist it
go with it...
what your partner wants is for you to go down -
he loves it when you cooperate


On LEARNING
When you're learning, you don't get into a competitive mode:
don't try to stop your partner... it's easy to stop your partner when they don't know what they're doing.
So you should cooperate and work together at a speed where you can see what's going on and understand it.
Once you KNOW where you're going, then you can run along that same path.


On PRACTICE
You'll find the practice more fun if you don't always try to win
Let your partner win. If your partner doesn't know when he's gonna win and when you're gonna counter -
he has to DO the technique every time.
Good ukemi is being able to change - go with it.


Quotes from Doran Sensei's Teachings