Keep Seeing THIS in Judo? Here’s What’s REALLY Happening
If you’ve spent any time watching judo, you’ve seen it: two athletes, forehead to forehead, elbows bent, hands high or locked at the collar, frozen in a pose that looks straight out of a classic All-Japan judo poster. Why does this happen—and what’s really going on?
In this breakdown, Shintaro Higashi and Sensei Brian Glick reveal the secrets behind this iconic judo position, the tactical grip battles, and how new rules are changing the game.
Watch the full video here ↓
The Iconic Judo Pose: More Than Just a Stalemate
“You ever see this lefty-righty, elbow bent, forehead to forehead guy like this—your hand goes high like this? Happens all the time in judo. It was like an old Japan judo poster…”
This pose isn’t just for show. It’s the result of high-level grip fighting, where each player tries to gain the upper hand—literally—by controlling the sleeve, collar, and hand height.
Why It Happens: Hand Height, Grip Control, and Attack Timing
When one player’s hand is lower, it’s easy for the opponent to come over the top, grab the sleeve, and launch attacks like Uchimata. That’s why both athletes fight to get their hands higher or to the outside.
“If my hand’s down and you have hand height, it’s very easy for you to come to the top or even come to the outside and the inside. Once you grab that sleeve really nicely, it’s very difficult for me to regrab from the underside.”
This is the perfect time for a well-timed Uchimata or other big throw.
The New Game Changer: IGF Grip Attacks
With recent IGF rule changes, grip attacks have become more dynamic. If you’re locked in and can’t get your hand higher, there are new ways to break the grip and reset the exchange.
“From this position, I’m going to go underneath and put my hands in there. Even though my arm is on the inside, when he grabs the sleeve, he cannot disengage his hand using the usual grip tactics. We’re locked in… we’re not going anywhere.”
The “Glick Break”: A New Grip Break Technique
Sensei Brian Glick introduces a creative grip break—dubbed the “Glick Break”—that lets you escape even the tightest pocket grip:
“With a little bit of a pull forward to get you responding, we can punch—almost like you’re throwing a punch—and take that hand off… It puts maximum tension on the fingers and it was really, really likely for the fingers to come off.”
This move is unique to judo—BJJ athletes, for example, are taught never to put their fingers in the gi for exactly this reason.
Safety Note: Don’t Get Your Fingers Caught!
A word of caution: never put your fingers deep in the gi. It’s a fast track to injury, and in BJJ, it’s one of the first things you’re warned about.
“In jiu-jitsu, there’s definitely no question—you put your fingers in a jacket, this is one of the first things they teach you. Fingers will break.”
Why This Position Matters
This “frozen” pose is actually a dynamic, strategic moment—a battle for grip dominance, attack timing, and positional advantage. Understanding what’s really happening can help you anticipate attacks, defend more effectively, and even set up your own grip breaks.
Try It Yourself—and Shop the Latest Gear
Want to level up your grip game? Drill these grip breaks and hand-fighting tactics in your next session. And don’t forget to check out HigashiBrand.com for new gis, hoodies, and the latest mystery discounts!
“We have a lot of new gees coming out. Hoodies, shirts, everything. We have a new mystery discount thing happening, too. Mystery discount. It’s all amazing.”
Special thanks to Sensei Brian Glick for helping break down these subtle but game-changing details!
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