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Nicolas Soames writes: "Osaekomi is the root of all newaza. However much an individual may want to work on armlocks or strangles, it is vital to start with a sound knowledge of osaekomi-waza. Learning how to turn an opponent into a hold, and then keep him there, is one of the key skills of judo. No one who has been on the tatami with Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki will ever forget what it is like to be summarily controlled, flattened and crushed. Large opponents, small opponents, the strong and the supple - all are gradually hauled in by those arms...

...and then steered by those solid legs, turned - more often than not - with obi-tori-gaeshi, and then shackled in tate-shiho-gatame or yoko-shiho-gatame. As inevitably as light follows day.

But it was experience gained in the hard school. When a relatively junior member of Japan's international team, Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki was, one day, preparing for a major tournament. One of the national coaches decided he needed extra pressure during one of the last national training sessions before the event.

'If you are beaten once in newaza in this practice, you will not go to the competition and represent Japan,' he said. And he meant it.

The task was a hard one. Though acknowledged as a superb newaza fighter, and a specialist in osaekomi, Kashiwazaki was just 65 kilos - and on the mat that day was the pride of Japan, including the leading heavyweights in the world. To go unscathed during a grueling uninterrupted hour of newaza was a tall order.

In the first practice, Kashiwazaki faced a larger opponent, and was forced to go all out to gain control, but after a minute or so, he slapped on tate-shiho-gatame. The man struggled, but after about forty-five seconds realized it was hopeless. He tapped. Kashiwazaki ignored it. He tapped again. It was ignored again. For the next hour, Kashiwazaki maintained that hold, occasionally changing when mood or circumstance dictated it. And, at the end of the session, the coach had no recourse but to acknowledge that the young fighter had completed the task set up for him - however unconventionally.

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This was just one indication of the reputation in Japan for Kashiwazaki's groundwork skills, and especially for holds. It showed his skills were allied to intelligence - and humor.

Another more academic indication is the fact that, in the 1980s, Kindai Judo, the leading Japanese judo magazine, chose Kashiwazaki to write a series on newaza. And in the late 1990s, it returned again to him for another series on newaza, an endeavor that would illuminate the principles which brought Kashiwazaki his world title in 1981, no fewer than five consecutive national titles, and mastery on the tatami of the world.

All with one hold-down: tate-shiho-gatame.

Tom Castino's Big Bad Afterword:

You know, the more I find out about this guy, this more I like him. In his outstanding judo groundwork book, Osaekomi, Kashiwazaki writes: 'Tate-shiho-gatame is my favorite osaekomi technique. The intrinsic quality of the technique is very high, though it is quite difficult to master. It takes a long time and much practice to learn this technique, but once you have learned to control your balance, it is very powerful.'

Much practice to learn, huh? Hm - how come that doesn't strike me as any kind of problem? Answers on a postcard, please...

Web Links:

Article: Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki - Shimewaza Virtuoso

Buy Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki's 'Osaekomi' at Ippon-USA

Buy Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki's 'Shimewaza' at Ippon-USA

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