On June 8, 2013 the Hudson Yudanshakai held its Kata and Knowledge exam at Tech Judo.  The Kata and Knowledge exam is mandatory part of judo before you can get promoted to a higher rank.  The Kata is something that is talked about in all judo club as sort of this secret.  A secret that only a select few judokas are able to actual do because few judokas stay on long enough to actually get ready to participate in it.

The Nage-no-kata is a series of forms that were selected by Professor Jigaro Kano as a foundation to the multitude of techniques in all of judo.  By being able to complete the kata, you in essence should have the knowledge and the ability to do all the different techniques in judo.  To perform the Nage-no-kata, I say perform because it is like a dance that you practice and practice till you get it right,  you have to execute a series of fifteen throws right and left, in the traditional Kodokan style.

The Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the judo community world-wide. Literally, kō means “to lecture”, dō means “way,” and kan is “a public building” together translating as “a place for the study of the way.” The Kodokan was founded in 1882 by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, and is now an eight-story building in Tokyo.

The Nage-no-kata is a series of three techniques each from the five classifications of techniques in judo:

Te-waza ( hand techniques)

• Uki otoshi -floating drop
•  Seoi nage – shoulder throw
• Kata guruma – shoulder wheel

Koshi-waza (hip techniques)

• Uki goshi – floating half-hip throw
• Harai goshi – sweeping hip throw
• Tsurikomi goshi – lifting/pulling hip throw

Ashi-waza (foot techniques)

• Okuri ashi harai – sliding foot sweep
• Sasae tsurikomi ashi – Propping and drawing ankle throw
• Uchi mata – inner thigh throw

Ma-sutemi-waza (rear sacrifice techniques)

• Tomoe nage – circle throw
• Ura nage – rear throw
• Sumi gaeshi – corner reversal

Yoko-sutemi-waza (side sacrifice techniques)

• Yoko gake – side hook
• Yoko guruma – side-wheel
• Uki waza – floating technique

I want to give special thank Gentleway Masters Judo Club and Sensei Lloyd Llamas for helping me succeed in achieving my goal to Shodan.

As well as give thanks to all my training partners who all contributed to my success.

Here is the Complete Nage-no-kata by: Shodan Angel Mercado

As always workout, drink be merry.