Anton Geesink's Judo

Todays video post is dedicated to one of Judo’s greatest competition fighters of all time, Anton Geesink and his use of off balancing and sweeps.

Geesink is a 10th Dan Judoka (recognized only under IJF and not Kodokan) from the Netherlands who won in the final of the open weight division of the 1964 summer Olympics where Judo debuted as an official sport in Japan.

He has worked also as a professional wrestler working on the All Japan Pro Wrestling circuit from 1973 to 1978 and has a street named after him in his home town of Utrecht.



The above video shows him using ko soto gari after a failed sasae tsurikomi ashi. He capitalizes quickly with the ko soto, while his opponent is still of balance from the previous throw attempt.



The above video shows Geesink utilizing sasae tsurikomi ashi and uchi mata with great result. Notice how he does not stop his uchi mata until he has thrown his opponent. Most people do not have the commitment in the throw the way Geesink demonstrates here, and retreat once it fails the first time.



In this last video we see him starting with again sasae tsurikomi ashi, but ends up throwing with hiza guruma. What must be pointed out here is the big and strong initial pull he uses to disrupt his opponents balance, before attempting the sweep. It is this off balancing (kuzushi) what creates the throw and every other throw in Judo.

This is why Geesink was so successful. Yes, his size and strength helped but without a great ability to initially take people off balance, they do not mean a thing. This is pure Judo.

Marks
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Tags: judo, martial arts, anton geesink, uchi mata

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