A Question For The Judo And BJJ Guys

[BentMonk]

Greetings. I have crappy balance, and pretty weak legs. My question is; Are there some good exercises I could do to improve my balance and over all base? Due to physical limitations, all of my kicks are knees and elbows. I need advice on how to take down, without being taken down. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Paul

[ShaolinTiger00]

Strong legs are a good start...

I don't know if this is the right answer for everyone, but I think one amazing tools that I had as a developing pre teen - college was this very cool balance trainer.

basically a big ring of PVC pipe with grip tape wrapped around it. I stood on top of it on a skateboard deck sans the trucks and risers and just balanced and rocked back and forth..

At first it seemed **** near impossible to get stable let alone rock, and I remember distinctly how my Abdomen hurt from using my core and stabilizers so much! but like everything good for you, you adjust and soon I was watching TV, rocking away..


Bongo Board (http://www.balance-boards.com/)

Indo Board (http://www.indoboard.com/)

hmm..

I just re-read your post. you said physical limitations.. this might not be your bag baby...

can you do body weight excersices? hindu squats/ bleacher squats? etc..

how about just hopping from one leg to the other? Hop.. stabilize.. hop.. repeat..

There are plenty of there kind of drills, cone drills, hopscotch type, triple jumps that can help..

but ultimately it's up to what you can do. take it slow and build up gradually..

[BentMonk]

ST - Thanks for all the suggestions. I currently do some body weight exercises, reg. squats, one legged squats, etc. I like the pvc and skateboard idea. It sounds like a tough but good exercise. I'll give it a shot and let you know how it goes.

[ShaolinTiger00]

here are some more.. (http://www.thesportsauthority.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=701967&cp=701959)

this one in particular is geared towards rehabilitation and beginners:101 (http://www.thesportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1202707&cp=701959.701967&parentPage=family)

Which is ironically how I got started on it.. age 12 I suffered a massive accident, shattering my tibia and fibula (my tibia, shinbone actually snapped and came out of my leg) I spent the next 6 months in various casts and the next 6 months in rehab because of the muscular "decay" that had happened due to the long inactivity. in rehab we had these cool wooden balance "toys" one was a circular platform with a hemispere mounted to teh bottom and you would try to balance on it. and the other was the balance board (hanging onto safety rails). I came home and i kept talking about how fun it was. my dad the creative farmer/handyman made me one of each! (sawed a croquet ball in half for the circular pivot platform.)


build your own (http://www.n2clay.com/surf/balanceboard.html)

Good Luck

[Skummer]

As far as learning to take down w/o being taken down, you have to practice with live partners. Get some people at your school to spar with only takedowns. That is, the goal of your sparring is to throw/sweep your opponent while you remain standing. No striking/kicking/chin na allowed. This is similar to the standing randori we do in judo.

Now, if you have poor balance and whatnot, you'll be probably brutalized regularly at first, but if you suck it up and keep trying, you will get better at it.

[ShaolinTiger00]

As skummer correctly noticed, there was a second part to your question.. sorry I missed that.

hmm. Can I assume you mean takedowns & throws?

to repeat what Skummer said, you need to practice with a live, resisting partner.

- in a nutshell you're wanting to learn grappling training. - wrestling, judo, etc.. - the best place to do so will be to find a school, dojo..

I can tell you things like

Stance (http://www.mma.tv/tuf/DisplayMessages.cfm?TID=1403&P=6&FID=26&c=1)

Motion (http://www.mma.tv/tuf/DisplayMessages.cfm?TID=1402&P=4&FID=26&c=1)

Level Change (http://www.mma.tv/tuf/DisplayMessages.cfm?TID=1401&P=3&FID=26&c=1)

but you've got to "feel" these things to really understand..

[BentMonk]

Skummer & ST - Thanks very much. I have some guys at my school who will work with me on the throws and stuff. They're primarily strikers, and don't have a huge base of grappling knowledge, hence this thread. ST the links you posted are great. Thanks again and keep the info coming. :)

[ShaolinTiger00]

Check these two places for more info..

Stickgrappler (archives for many martial arts.) (http://stickgrappler.tripod.com/wrest/wrest.html)

The Underground Wrestling forum(check out "saved threads" (http://www.mma.tv/tuf/index.cfm?FID=26)

[SevenStar]

balance isn't really a leg strength issue. What's your stance like? I'd check that, in addition to leg strengthening.

At what point are you losing your balance - while attacking, being attacked or just normal movement?

[BentMonk]

7* - My stance is very shaky. As contradictory as it may sound, I have much better balance when I am moving than when not. This comes from 30 years of falling down. I can compensate pretty fast while I'm in motion. If I try to root myself you could almost push me over with a feather. This thread is helping a great deal though. I truly appreciate all the help. Thanks.

[SevenStar]

nah, that's understandable. are you in a horse stance, or are your legs staggered? is you COG correct?

[BentMonk]

7* - My legs are staggered. COG is semi-correct. I was advised by a pro ballet dancer to imagine I was balancing on my tail bone rather than trying to balance on my feet. This helped improve my mobile balance, but did little for while standing still. I can manage a fairly stable horse stance. I'm careful using a horse stance while sparring as I have an aversion to getting kicked in the jimmy. :D

[ShaolinTiger00]

I'll have to greatly disagree with your comment that strong legs don't help balance SevenStar.

Strong leg muscles stabilize the knee and ankle. both are places where bone alignment is necessary to balance and stability

There is a plethura of scientific research to back this up.


as well as just common sense.

[SevenStar]

I'm not saying by any means that it doesn't help. What I said was that his problem may not necessarily be a strength issue.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by BentMonk
7* - My legs are staggered. COG is semi-correct. I was advised by a pro ballet dancer to imagine I was balancing on my tail bone rather than trying to balance on my feet. This helped improve my mobile balance, but did little for while standing still. I can manage a fairly stable horse stance. I'm careful using a horse stance while sparring as I have an aversion to getting kicked in the jimmy. :D

staggered is good. you're balanced while in motion... While you're stationary, are you getting pulled and having trouble maintaining your balance?

[ShaolinTiger00]

But you said this:


balance isn't really a leg strength issue.

Then you said this:


What I said was that his problem may not necessarily be a strength issue.

We both knew the later. My reply was generated by your initial thread.

:)

[BentMonk]

7* - I'm getting pushed and pulled. I can't absorb an attack for shiat. I manage to block ok, but still get knocked on my azz. BTW, thanks again. I really appreciate the help.

[SevenStar]

from a grappling standpoint, go with it, don't just stand there. If he's constantly pulling you forward, launch a forward attack on him. If he's pushing you, use a retreating or sacrifice attack.

Also, don't get in the habit of letting them control where you go... you control your own balance and motion. If he is constantly pulling you in a certain direction, he's likely trying to set you up for something by

1. waiting for just the right off balance or step for him to attack
2. hoping you resist his off balance attempt. He may then attack in the direction you resisted in.

when he's trying step in a certain direction, change the direction - make him go with you.

Sorry if this is kinda ambiguous... I'm trying to rush to the the gym and also to get lunch.

[BentMonk]

7* - No ambiguity at all. The problem with my sparring that your above post made me realize is that I am allowing others to dictate how and where I move. Sometimes all it takes is a different perspective to see the writing on the wall. Thanks.

[Vapour]

More often than not flexibility of your leg affect the extent in which you can balance yourself. Stif leg and you are scare craw.