Jodan - How to counter

[not-I]

IMHO having a good technique and strong kendo is more proper way than trying to fool people. moreover setting a trap against your senseis may not be a good idea.

Junkyman is talking about the standard kote-nuki-men waza, i think.
But the very idea of "setting a trap for your sensei" has to be the funniest thing i've heard all day! Thanks for that!

[junkyman]

What's funny about it? I have had pretty good success with this against sensei using Jodan & Nito, its not always easy but as long as my distance and timing are on (and my kote isn't TOO obviously open) I usually have a decent chance and it works often enough to say it is a good strategy.

Against chudan its way way more difficult but it even works there once in a while.

[not-I]

What's funny about it?

Sorry, i was thinking of myself trying to "lay a trap" for my sensei, and i just found that hilarious. It's mostly the other way around in my experience.

But of course, there's nothing funny about the waza itself. I'll have to try it against our jodan guy.

[Stimpson J. Cat]

Both positions (hidari and migi-jodan)
Ulf

Does hidari vs. migi-jodan have an affect on the question of circling right vs left? After the posts from JSchmidt and NukF I tried circling to my right last time my sempai who does jodan took it, and I got walloped (worse than when I circled to my left even) when I circle to the left I seem to have a small chance, when I circle to the right both men and kote are there for his picking. He uses what I think is migi-jodan (shinai pointing back over his right shoulder) and it seems that when I move to my right (toward his hand on the end of the tsuka) I am moving into what is the natural path of the shinai when he just brings his left arm straight down, which is what usually happens with the shinai landing on me in the process.

Of course, maybe it is something unique to either me or him since he is the only person I usually practice against jodan with.

[Neil Gendzwill]

migi or hidari refers to whether his right or left foot is forward. Typically in hidari jodan the tip is angling back a bit to the right (his right) and in migi jodan it's straight back. Another variation would be gyaku-jodan with the grip reversed, which could also be migi or hidari.

In any case, don't circle either way. Stay straight, stay centred, guard your kote and try to get him to attack first.

[W.Su]

If he is much faster than you are, then whatever you do, he can strike you from jodan anyway. The best way is to lure or pressurize your opponent to strike out, that is, cede the jodan by attacking you, then countering. Inching closer and threatening the men is one way.