I tore my left ACL on January 23rd going for an o Soto. Had surgery on February 23rd, and can't get back on the mat until the end of August. I'm already getting antsy and I have 5 1/2 more months of nothing. There's no point to this thread, I just wanted to whine.
Sorry to hear about your injury. I assume your left leg was planted, so how did this happen? Usually it is the person receiving the throw that has been injured if the osoto hits the knee from the side.
Sorry to hear that. Injuries suck ass. I tore my meniscus two weeks ago and should be out for at least 6 more weeks.
Here's what happened: I had an over the back grip on the guy with my right hand, and my right leg in the reaping position. I was hopping into the guy with my left foot to get the throw, (almost like a ken-ken O Soto Gari) and I must have shifted too much toward my little toe. My knee shot out to the left and I heard a big POP.
From what you described that sounds awkward, now you have the weight of the opponent on your planted leg potentially at an angle. I only like over the back grip for sumi- gaeshi or sae sae or drop hiza garumna to the over the back grip side. Hope you recover as quickly a possible.
When I get the throw right, it's a beautiful thing. When I miss it, I try to keep going instead of back out.<br /><br />The way I use the grip is almost the same way you would use it for a Harai Goshi. Take the grip and yank him on his toes so you are touching chest to chest. What I do on the O Soto is drive my shoulder forward at the same time I yank him into me, which basically clotheslines my biceps into his chin. If I hit it right, I have the guy totally weighted on the ball of his right foot. Yeah, I know it's technically supposed to be the heel, but this works for me real well.<br /><br />The problem is I can't always pull the guy deep enough in to get my bicep in his jaw, which means I don't have a strong Kuzushi. What I tend to do if I have a decent grip is hook his right leg and 'ratchet' my self into him until I'm deep enough to throw. I use the hops to eat up space. That's what I was doing when the ACL popped.<br /><br />The weights not really on my left leg when I'm doing this. I'm kinda hanging my weight on him through my right arm and right leg.<br /><br />I don't think what I'm doing is dangerous for me, but if you see something in there I might want to tweak, let me know!
You know this tecknique best, you must of thought how did this happen? Most osoto's when you hop you are pushing with your collar hand and pulling in with your sleeve hand and driving at the angle of the throw. That is uke's weight is moving away from you, kind of with you.
I miss it too.
That's the thing, besides the guy outweighing me by about 75 pounds, I can't figure out what happpened. My technique should be solid. I got the Harai grip O Soto from Yondan and the hopping from a Shichi dan. Both of my coaches have competed internationally annd know their Judo. I don't THINK it's my technique, but who knows. I'm gonna spend a lot of time with Rene and Chuck when I get back trying to figure out what happened so that I don't have to go through this again. Oh yeah, cute little 20-something physical therapists are pure sadists!
I tore mine late last August at a Greco camp. I was told no judo or wrestling for a year!! (My 2nd tear/surgery)
In January, I started doing only BJJ/Submission grappling/newaza.
I also still do wrestling handfighting/pummeling, without takedowns.
Mentally, I don't know when I'll be ready again for Judo. I miss it too.
I feel your pain, but focusing on my matwork has helped me a lot.
Heavier opponents (775 lbs in your case) can cause more damage just from their size alone. In my old age I skip the heavier guys from all the stories I have heard from fellow judokas getting injured from bigger guys.
That's good advice, JBB. I think I'll take it.