Competed yesterday in the Takemori Open in Maryland. I took 2nd in the 66kg (under 145 lbs) black belt division (advanced/elite/whateveryoucallit). I didn't place in the 73kg and every single guy I fought yesterday was tough.
In good news, I did hit exactly what I drilled in training and taught the last time I covered Judo class: kouchigari to half-guard to pass to sleeve choke from the back when the opponent turns out to avoid the pin. I had to use 3 different guard passes to pass quickly: over/under to underhook/knee through to terrere-leg weave. It's not pretty or overly technical b/c I know the referee is ready at any moment to call "matte" and stand us back up.
See below at 1:19 for the takedown that begins the sequence which ends the match with a submission:
I used to go out and compete and see just react to what the other guy did (in Jiu-Jitsu).
Interestingly enough, in Judo I had a very, very specific gameplan from which I virtually never deviated unless the other guy just did something which was irresistible to pass up/not take advantage of.
In Judo, we call your specialty, or your favorite techniques, "Tokuiwaza".
Tokui - denoting favorite or pet
Waza - translating roughly as technique
Drilling and training these is a cornerstone of how I coach moderate to advanced players (if I'm running practice).
For example, in right handed play I attack with Ouchigari, Tai Otoshi, and Kouchigari.
Of course, I can do and attack with other tools from my tool box, but that is my game plan as a right handed player.
In Jiu-Jitsu, coming back from knee surgery, my gameplan was to pull half-guard/sit-up guard, DLR open guard sweep, over/under pass then knee mount then lapel/brabo choke.
I did two tournaments this way with this gameplan.
I won my weight class at adult and 30+ at each tournament utilizing the virtually exact same gameplan each and every single match.
I remember an interview where Justin Rader (I believe) said, "my goal is to get to where I want to be first. If I can do that, I have a much higher chance of winning". Again, I'm broadly paraphrasing here but at the highest level, I think the best guys know where they want to get to and what they will do once they get there.
Aesopian Podcast on gameplans and flow charts.
