Osaekomi Cards: Five Pins in Stations

In groups of three, students learn five judo groundwork pins on their own using illustrated cards, rotating between tori, uke and observer. It builds reciprocal teaching and technical control without competition.

How to play

1. Explain the cards and the three roles: tori does the technique, uke cooperates and the observer checks the card's key points (4 min).
2. Stations 1 and 2: hon-kesa-gatame and kuzure-kesa-gatame, four minutes each with role changes (8 min).
3. Stations 3 and 4: yoko-shiho-gatame and kami-shiho-gatame, same rotation (8 min).
4. Station 5: tate-shiho-gatame; then each trio picks a favorite pin and practices it with some resistance (6 min).
5. Each trio shows its pin to the class and the observer explains one key point (4 min).

Rules

• Uke cooperates: no resisting except in the last minute, and then at half effort at most.
• Never press on the neck or bend joints.
• Two taps or "stop" and you let go instantly.
• The observer can stop the drill if they see anything unsafe.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: cards have numbered photos and station changes are signaled with a gesture.
• Leg injury: plays tori from the knees on side pins and observer on the others.
• Students uneasy with contact: start as observer and step into tori whenever they're ready.

Learning goals

• Learn five basic judo pins.
• Teach and correct classmates using clear criteria.
• Cooperate in trios with rotating roles.

Equipment for a class of 25

• mats: 15
• technique cards: 5

Teacher tip

Make the cards with a drawing, three key points and one common mistake, and laminate them for the whole unit. The most common fault is tori sitting with no weight: ask uke to feel tori's chest.

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