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mikawa

Discussion: How to Counter a Dashinage

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So having lost to a Shitatedashinage during Tuesday’s keiko, I’ve been thinking about how the bout unfolded.

My opponent had his right foot slightly ahead of his left foot at the tachiai, and when the charge began, he immediately made a big step forward and to the left with his left leg, avoiding the direct line of charge.

He then very quickly shuffles to the left again to create the space needed for a dashinage, and duly executed the throw.

Having replayed his moves in my head again and again, I couldn’t come up with an effective way to counter this leftward movement. Maybe developing a better thrust attack?

So I decided to study how Tokitenku did his tachiais. I chose Tokitenku because his style is the one I most want to learn and adapt.

I prefer a migi-yotsu (right hand inside grip), just like Tokitenku, and I love to use leg trips. In fact, my favourite kimarite is Sotogake (outside leg trip), or at least the variant where you use the trip as a leverage for a throw.

The way Tokitenku does things is really interesting. He starts off his charge by moving his left foot forward, but keeping both hands pointed to the ground. Just when his opponent is about to make contact, he very quickly raises his right arm to get the inside grip that he wants.

This kind of tachiai, in theory at least, should be an effective counter strategy that I needed.

Maybe I’m thinking too hard about this, perhaps, but isn’t studying moves and counter-moves like this something which the pros would do in preparation for their opponents as well? What do you think?

Edited by mikawa
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My suggestion, bearing in mind it's worth very little (about two practices of sumo a decade ago, some judo/BJJ (current)/wrestling):

As part of the dashinage, your opponent is going to be turning so that to pull you, such that he's facing either perpendicular to you, or facing nearly the same direction as you. In your example, being able maintain your upright balance and swing your left foot out and around in a large arc to turn you so that you and your opponent are facing each other again, basically using the foot to post and break the direction of the throw. This essentially uses some of the energy of the throw to swing you back into a traditional yotsu position. At the beginning of the foot movement, depending on your opponent's body position, you may also be able to swing your right arm makikae to take the shitate position away from your opponent as well to further rob the throw of some of its power, though that likely is a bit of a pipe dream given the speed at which things happen in a match. 

All that being more a last ditch defence with the opponent already having started executing the throw. As with all types of grappling, you'll be more successful by heading that off by denying your opponent their grip of choice or denying them position to execute the throw (they need to break your balance first to make it work). A good tachiai strategy seems the ideal way to do both of those things in sumo. 

Edited by Tochinofuji
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