Judo Ground Randori from a Seated Start
A partner judo ground-fighting game that starts seated back to back and is won by holding your partner flat on their back for 10 seconds. Students work on grips, controlling body weight, and strictly respecting stop signals.
How to play
- Pairs of similar weight, each in a 6 x 6 ft square of tatami. Bow, then warm up with shrimping, bridges, and gently rolling a partner in turtle (5 min).
- Demonstrate the side pin: chest on chest, arm behind the head without squeezing the neck, legs spread wide (2 min).
- Start seated back to back, hands on knees. On the clap, both turn and try to take control without standing up.
- Score by holding your partner on their back for 10 seconds; the bottom player escapes with a bridge and hip turn. Four 1-minute rounds with 30 seconds of rest (6 min).
- Whoever wins more rounds moves one square right, the other one square left; play four more rounds and bow out (7 min).
Rules
- No grabbing the neck, head, or fingers and no twisting joints; grip only the torso, arms above the elbow, and legs.
- If anyone says 'Stop!' or taps the mat twice, both let go immediately.
- Wrestle only on knees or lying down, with no earrings, watches, or glasses.
Variations
Easier
Start with one partner in turtle and the other beside them, and a pin counts after 5 seconds.
Standard
Back-to-back seated start, 1-minute rounds, and a 10-second pin to score.
Harder
Start kneeling face to face with sleeve grips, and the pin must last 15 seconds.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: wrestle seated face to face; the winner tips the partner over sideways.
- Autism or contact avoidance: start as timekeeper, then wrestle with a fixed partner and a heads-up before each start.
- Lower fitness: 40-second rounds and pairing by skill level as well.
Learning goals
- Apply safe grips and controls to pin a partner on the ground.
- Escape a pin using a bridge and a hip turn.
- Respect stop signals and the bow as a sign of fair play.
Equipment for a class of 25
- tatami mats: 24
Teacher tip
The most common mistake is pushing on the face or pulling the neck while turning; stop the round as soon as you see it and walk through the move slowly. Always pair by weight, not by friendship.
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