Speculation: Leg grabs allowed... but with restrictions!

With the Kodokan having released a video explaining how leg grabs will be allowed in the All-Japan Judo Championships, speculation shot through the roof that the IJF will follow suit.

There have been credible rumors that the IJF will indeed allow some form of leg grabs. But based on what we've heard, there will be severe limitations or restrictions imposed.

Those who think the leg grabs will be anything like what appears in the Kodokan video are likely to be disappointed.

In the Kodokan version, basically everything is allowed except for morote-gari. You cannot just do a straight dive for the legs. You have to have at least one grip on uke before doing a leg grab.

So, kuchiki-taoshi is allowed, kibisu-gaeshi is allowed, kata-guruma is allowed, and so on.

This (according to what we've heard) is not what the IJF is looking at. Apparently, the IJF version allows leg grabs after the attack has started (without a leg grab). In other words, it is only allowed to help functionaly to finish a throw but cannot be used to start a throw.

For example, if you want to do a kouchi-leg grab, what is not allowed is for you to scoop up uke's leg with your leg, and then grab uke's leg to cause him to fall. What is allowed (apparently) is if you were to do a kouchi-gari and as uke is falling down, you grab his leg aid with the throw.

If that is indeed the IJF rule, it puts kata-guruma into question. The traditional version definitely would not be allowed then because it involves a direct grabbing of the legs. What may be allowed is a drop kata-guruma (side takedown) where uke's is only grabbed when uke is already tilting to his side. The leg grab then comes in to help finish the throw.

What about a technique like the Khabarelli (obi-tori-gaeshi). In olden days, the throw was done with a leg grab. Today, it's done with just both hands grabbing uke's belt. Can it go back to grabbing the leg with one hand and the belt with the other?

Logically, based on the speculated new rules, it should not be allowed because you cannot start a technique with a leg grab. You can only use it to finish off a techniques.

What about techniques like te-guruma? Will that be allowed? It depends. Apparently the new IJF rules allow for leg grabs to be used in counters. So, whether te-guruma is allowed will depend on whether it is being done as a direct attack (not allowed) or as a counter.

We feel allowing leg grabs, even in its heavily restricted form, is a good thing. It allows for more creativity and ultimately more dynamic throws.

However, if the aim is make judo easier to understand, allowing leg grabs in some situations and not in others, will make for more confusion among the casual fans of judo