You've probably seen the ads. In real terms, voiceover promising "every throw you'll ever need. Think about it: black belt demonstrating a perfect seoi nage in slow motion. " Nineteen ninety-seven price tag still burned into the corner of the screen.
Yeah. That one Small thing, real impact..
The "69 Throws of Judo" DVD set has been floating around dojos, garage sales, and eBay listings for decades. Practically speaking, others use the cases as coasters. Some people swear by it. I've owned three different versions over the years — lost one during a move, gave another to a white belt who quit after two months, and the third sits on my shelf next to a dusty copy of Best Judo Not complicated — just consistent..
Here's the thing nobody tells you: the number 69 isn't magic. It's marketing Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
What Is the 69 Throws of Judo Series
At its core, this is a technique encyclopedia on disc. Still, most versions break down the standard Kodokan gokyo — the 40 original throws plus the 27 later additions — into digestible chunks. Five to eight techniques per volume. Demonstration, breakdown, variation, repeat That's the part that actually makes a difference. Still holds up..
The most famous version? Neil Adams. Double Olympic silver medalist. On top of that, world champion. Worth adding: the kind of technician who makes kouchi gari look like poetry. His set came out in the early 2000s and became the gold standard for a reason: he doesn't just show the throw. He shows where people fail.
Other versions exist. Kashiwazaki. On top of that, inoue. A few Japanese imports with terrible English dubbing that somehow make the instruction better because you're forced to watch the body mechanics instead of listening to explanations And that's really what it comes down to. But it adds up..
But they all share the same DNA: static uke, compliant resistance, perfect conditions.
The Structure Nobody Talks About
Most sets organize by classification — te waza, koshi waza, ashi waza, sutemi waza. Even so, logical on paper. Useless in randori.
Adams organized his by grip sequence. Cross grip? Different four. In real terms, here are your four best options. That's the version worth finding. Same-side grip? The classification-based ones are reference books. The grip-based ones are game plans Turns out it matters..
Why This Set Still Matters (And Why It Doesn't)
Judo hasn't changed. Physics hasn't changed. A well-executed harai goshi in 1998 works exactly the same today. The biomechanics are eternal.
But the context has shifted.
When these DVDs came out, you couldn't pull up Instagram and watch Teddy Riner's uchimata from seventeen angles in 4K. In real terms, you couldn't slow-motion frame-by-frame on your phone. These discs were the visual reference for anyone not training at the Kodokan or a national training center Worth keeping that in mind..
That value is gone.
What remains? I still pull Volume 3 (ashi waza) when I'm teaching a new blue belt de ashi barai — not because the instruction is better than what I can show, but because it gives the student a second voice. Something to measure your technical vocabulary against. In real terms, a different angle. Practically speaking, a structured curriculum. Still, a checklist. Sometimes that's what clicks And it works..
The Hidden Value: Ukemi Footage
Here's what most people skip: the ukemi sections.
Every volume opens with breakfall drills. Backwards. Plus, side. Even so, forward. Rolling. Practically speaking, high falls. The instructors treat them like warm-ups. Think about it: they're not. They're the most important minutes on the disc Easy to understand, harder to ignore. Practical, not theoretical..
Watch Adams take a high fall for seoi nage. Consider this: not the throw. Consider this: that's the lesson. No bounce. Now, just silent absorption. Now, no slap. The receiving.
How to Actually Use These DVDs
Don't watch them like movies.
Step One: Pick One Throw
Not "learn ashi waza.Watch the demonstration three times. That's it. Day to day, " Pick one. Okuri ashi barai. No pausing. Just absorb the rhythm.
Step Two: Mute the Audio
Seriously. Also, watch the feet. The commentary lies sometimes — or at least oversimplifies. Turn it off. Where is tori's weight at the moment of kuzushi? Think about it: the hips. Where is uke's balance broken? But the head position. Your eyes don't Not complicated — just consistent..
Step Three: The Pause-and-Recreate Method
Pause at the moment of tsukuri. Stand up. Recreate the position exactly. Mirror check. Feel where your weight sits. Because of that, is your sleeve grip pulling down or across? Is your lapel hand driving up or around?
Do this for every phase: kuzushi, tsukuri, kake, finish Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
Step Four: Find the Failure Points
Adams is good at this. He'll say "most people pull here" and show the wrong version. Pause. Do the wrong version. Feel why it fails. That said, then do the right version. Feel the difference.
That kinesthetic contrast? That's where learning lives Small thing, real impact..
Step Five: Take It to Randori — But Modified
Don't try the throw in live randori yet. Do this instead:
- Uchikomi with a partner who only resists the specific phase you're studying
- Light randori where you only score with that throw (or its direct combinations)
- Three minutes. One throw. See what breaks.
Common Mistakes People Make With This Material
Treating It as a Menu Instead of a Curriculum
"I'll learn tomoe nage today, maybe uchi mata tomorrow."
No. On top of that, the throws build on each other. The hip movement in o goshi is the hip movement in harai goshi is the hip movement in tsuri goshi. Skip the foundation and the roof collapses Simple, but easy to overlook..
Copying the Demo Uke's Compliance
The uke in these videos knows the throw. They step into it. They don't posture. They don't stiff-arm. They don't circle away.
If you drill with a resisting partner and the throw looks nothing like the DVD — good. That means you're doing it right And that's really what it comes down to..
Ignoring the Grip Fighting
Fifteen seconds of grip explanation. Forty minutes of throw demonstration. The ratio is backwards.
In competition, the throw takes two seconds. Also, these DVDs teach the two seconds. The grip fight takes three minutes. You have to figure out the three minutes yourself The details matter here..
Collecting Instead of Practicing
I know a guy who owns every judo instructional ever made. The Russian sambo conversions. Kashiwazaki. Plus, yamashita. Inoue. Think about it: neil Adams. The Brazilian judo sets Took long enough..
He's a green belt The details matter here..
Ownership ≠ ability. Watch one disc fifty times. This leads to drill one throw five hundred times. That beats owning the library.
What Actually Works: Practical Integration
The "Three-Throw System" Approach
Don't learn sixty-nine throws. Learn three Simple, but easy to overlook..
One forward throw (seoi nage, tai otoshi, or uchi mata) One backward throw (o soto gari, o uchi gari, or kosoto gake) One sacrifice throw (tomoe nage, sumi gaeshi, or ura nage)
Master the entries, the combinations, the counters, the transitions between these three. Plus, that's your game. The other sixty-six throws?
The other sixty‑six throws? They’re variations, counters, and “what‑if” scenarios that feed into the three‑throw core. Once you can pivot from a seoi‑nage to an o‑soto‑gari or from a uchi‑mata to a tomoe‑nage without breaking your rhythm, the rest of the syllabus becomes a natural extension of what you already own Simple, but easy to overlook..
Real talk — this step gets skipped all the time.
Integrating the Three‑Throw System Into Daily Training
| Drill | Diaz | Frequency | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry‑to‑Entry Drill | Seoi‑nage → Uchi‑mata → Seoi‑nage | 10× each | Forces you to keep the same grip posture while switching hips |
| Grip‑Switch Drill | O‑soto‑gari → Uchi‑mata → Tomoe‑nage | 8× each | Teaches you to re‑establish control in the middle of a throw |
| Three‑Minute Randori | One throw only | 3 min | Isolates timing, reaction, and finish under pressure |
| Counter‑Chain Drill | Opponent counters → Re‑entry | 5× | Builds mental resilience to unexpected breaks |
The key is focus—you’re not trying to master all fifty‑plus techniques in one week. You’re honing the muscle memory that will let you improvise. When a pattern breaks, you have the skeleton to rebuild.
The Psychological Edge: Anticipation vs. Reaction
Judo is a conversation. That said, by drilling the same three throws repeatedly, you develop an almost reflexive sense of where the opponent is likely to go. The first few seconds are about listening. That anticipation frees you from a mechanical reaction; you’re no longer “flinging” a throw, you’re executing a plan It's one of those things that adds up..
- Anticipation: You feel the uke’s weight shift before you act.
- Reaction: You adjust only after the uke has already committed.
The three‑throw system trains you to be on the anticipation side of the equation. In competition, that’s the difference between a clean score and a missed opportunity.
Common Pitfalls When Applying the Three‑Throw System
| Pitfall | How to Fix It |
|---|---|
| “I’m stuck on one throw.But ” | Rotate the drill order weekly. If you always do seoi‑nagedate first, your body will adapt to that rhythm. Switching order keeps the muscles guessing. So |
| “I think I’ve mastered the throw. That's why ” | Test it in live randori with a full‑intensity opponent. In practice, a good drill looks great on a stationary uke, but a live opponent will peel back the grip and posture. Practically speaking, |
| “I ignore the other 66 throws. ” | Use them as spicing—once you’ve got the core, throw a random variation once a week to keep the system flexible. |
This is the bit that actually matters in practice.
The Final Piece: Coaching Your Own Progress
- Record yourself for 30‑second segments.
- Compare the footage to a high‑quality demo.
- Identify one discrepancy per segment.
- Drill that discrepancy until it disappears.
Repeat. Repeat. The loop of observation, identification, and drilling is the engine of mastery. The three‑throw system is simply the gear_launch that keeps that engine running smoothly Most people skip this — try not to..
Conclusion: From DVDs to Dominance
In the world of judo instruction, the temptation to amass every DVD, every online tutorial, and every master’s book is strong. Yet, ownership of knowledge does not automatically translate into skill. The real advantage comes from a disciplined, focused practice routine that prioritizes depth over breadth.
By centering your training around a small, well‑understood set of throws, you create a strong foundation. From that foundation, the rest of the syllabus becomes an extension rather than a new language. The three‑throw system gives you:
- Clarity of purpose: Every drill has a direct link to competition.
- Efficiency of time: You spend minutes drilling what matters, not hours watching videos.
- Resilience under pressure: Anticipation beats reaction, and anticipation comes from repetition.
So the next time you sit down to practice, ask yourself: Which three throws will I master today to make the rest of the syllabus feel like a natural extension of my body and mind? Keep the focus, keep the drills tight, and let the rest of the 66 fall into place.
Happy throwing.
