Refining Ippon Seoi Nagi

This Sunday I had a chance to take a serious and detailed look at the most basic hip throw: ippon seoi nagi. I'm still struggling to keep my posture & balance as my hips get very low. But this time Sensei Coleman and I took a look into the minor details that could make my job a lot easier.

The Basics
While in Rondori, I tend to rest my arms on people until we've "started". This is a mistake because as soon as I begin to do ippon, I will remove my weight and it will be a telltale sign that I'm about to throw the Uke. Instead I will hook my fingers around their gi without clasping it. This will create a minor & constant tension which will eliminate the jerking sensation as I begin to pull. If I am not noticed, I wont' be opposed.

In addition, if I place weight on their body I am making them heavier and more grounded as I make myself lighter and easier to throw. In short, I'm inviting a counter attack.

The pull of Uke's loose hand must be upwards and outwards. I can't clench it to my chest or stomach since this will only further balance my oponent at the expense of my own balance.

I will clip the armpit/bicep with the crook of my elbow before I begin to turn and then I will turn with my shoulder to my knee rather than by extending my legs or placing my hips at an even height to both my shoulders.

Once Uke begins to fall, I will lift my shoulders up and place my body with my legs bent and my knee facing Uke's head to begin to lock them up.

My Task
To practice this repeatedly while keeping all of these details in mind. From experience I know that as soon as I fix several problems, one of the original corrections will unravel in an attempt to make the throw easier. My job is to fix, check and recheck these details across various ukes.