06/16/2026
Why actual grappling matters...and always will
Some comments transcend the comment section and this is one of them. Shared for all to appreciate:
I showed your post to my Chen mentor who was a alternate on US judo team in the 80’s. He said this: “Yes. That about sums up how I feel too. Skilled grapplers/wrestlers typically do not transition to taijiquan because it has no apparent usefulness. I’m an anomaly.
Let’s be clear. Judo is a combat ‘sport’. The older versions of it taught with more emphasis on ‘combat’ contained within a ‘thin’ ruleset. Judo since the USJF, USJA, etc. has a ‘thicker’ ruleset and scores points more leniently.
Combat oriented Judo is about ‘enter and finish’, just like on a battlefield. Now, the tactics, are more like ‘seek my favorite hold, throw and fall on him’. In the older way, you literally enter, take whatever hold is available, throw him, and remain on your feet because his friend is nearby to immediately attack.
One only needs to become skilled at 5 throws:
1 - hip toss: - holding his right arm with 1 or both hands: in Judo this is called Seionage - holding his right lapel and using his right arm: Morote Seionage - holding his right arm and encircling his neck
2 - hip toss with trip: - same holds, place your right foot outside his right foot to block it
3 - hip toss with reap: - same as hip with trip except you are lifting your right foot - you can do this also between his legs: Uchi Mata
4 - foot sweep variations - you can cause him to turn and sweep his ankle/shin - you can sweep when he advance his foot towards you
5 - sacrifice throw - the best one is my mind is Yoko Otoshi - once he either holds you or you him - step to SW with your left leg and sit on your left glute - use your left leg to block his right foot step These are high percentage.
A person can receive the basics in a few lessons. What is harder to learn is understanding the proper positional relationship between you and him. You need to learn the difference between good foot placement and bad. You need to learn how to ‘go’ without thinking about it. He touches you, you touch him. It’s all the same. Find whatever minimum hold you need along the way.
This is what ‘randori’ about. Randori (sparring) amongst classmates is ok, but you haven’t tested yourself against the unknown. So, that is what Shiai (tournaments) are about. You get the chance to test yourself against awareness against people you don’t train with. Get 10+ tournaments and it all makes sense.
Then, when someone touches you in real life, your body knows what to do. To retain the skills you need to literally drill each one 10,000 times. You also need to be thrown in each 10,000 times. You mitigate the fear of falling. Still a Greco Roman wrestler can Suplesse you in a high arc over head. So, respect other grappling arts.
Judo develops awareness against resistance, but not the fine grained beads (salt) that taijiquan develops. Taijiquan does not understand grappling in a realistic sense, considering footwork, body positioning, etc. When, I see Taiji people launching non-wrestlers 10 feet away upon touch, I think that won’t happen against a skilled grappler. You might cause him to step back, but when he re-engages, he already understands your game. He will take his hold on you. Better understand ‘kao’, etc.
I think that a person can’t truly understand the gems hidden in taiji and other kungfu methods without understanding grappling, and having tested yourself."
