Lapel grip question

I have a question about the lapel grip. I fight right. When I grip my opponent's right lapel with my left hand. Am I suppose to have my left leg forward?

Sometimes when I throw with right uchimata I grip the opponents right lapel with my left hand and over/around the back with my right hand.

The throws I use are uchimata, taiotoshi, kouchigari, ouchigari and kosotogari.



it makes no difference at all if your "sleeve" hand is grabbing the other lapel or not. its a modified grip. uchimata CAN work from there, but it isnt the easiest way to do the throw.

id say most people who use two lapaels use pick-ups, take-downs or seionage. but, any throw can work so long as you figure it out for yourself.

Like Josh said, if you can make it work, well, then it works for you.

Usually if you fight right,you would have your right foot forward. What kind of foot work do you for a right uchi mata with your left foot forward? Just curious!

I think kouchi and tai otoshiw would be easier with some sort of sleeve grip.

Ben R.

I don't do right uchimata with my left foot forward. I am right handed therefore my right leg is forward most of the time(ie I grip the left lapel most of the time with my right hand).

Am I suppose to have my left leg forward when I have a grip on my opponent's right lapel with my left hand?

Is it bad to have your right leg forward and grip with the left hand on my opponents right lapel?



if you're leading with your left but throw right i think you'll have to take more steps for the uchimata which can slow down your throw, unless you pivot to your left on your left leg, but i never saw an uchimata like that. i have seen seionage & taiotoshi's work like that & even harai's but not a uchimata (yet)

This is off topic..
Do you know anyone who can make good "one hand" uchimata? I was training with this guy last monday and he did beautiful uchimata just using his right hand. His left hand was free and right hand was on my back.

PS.He did uchimata as "hip throw" not as "leg throw" if you understand the difference.

"Am I suppose to have my left leg forward when I have a grip on my opponent's right lapel with my left hand?

Is it bad to have your right leg forward and grip with the left hand on my opponents right lapel?"

No and no. It depends on which side you intend to throw to in general. If you have a double lapel grip, then you could fight left or right foot forward, and throw either way.

In general, if you lead with your right foot, you forward throws will be with you turning to your left, and vice versa. This is a general rule, but there are a lot of exceptions.

Ben R.

If he had your hand on your back, it wasn't a one handed throw.

Harai Goshi is done in the Nage No Kata with an underhook, not a lapel grip, but it's not a one handed throw.

Ben R.

This young guy from Israel was visting my club while spending time with his family in DC. He has a wicked tai otoshi and morote seionage from a double lapel.