The Hajime Matte Model

Article written by Nigel Donohue

OVERVIEW

The Hajime Matte Model
The Hajime Matte model is a principle based Technical Coaching and Analysis framework for the development of Judo contest dynamics. It breaks down a contest into distinct phases, providing a structured approach to understanding the flow of action and the factors that contribute to success. Judo is highly complex that requires the co-operation of a partner (mutual benefit) for development, yet execution in a contest is against an opponent who has a plan of their own.
This model is a valuable tool for coaches to develop technical and tactical Judo, analyse performance, design targeted constraint based training programs and optimise athlete development for both recreational and contest Judo.

The Purpose of the Hajime Matte Model
The Hajime Matte model is a principle based coaching framework that can be used to:

• Develop targeted training programs that address specific phases of a contest and the development of technical
  trademarks.
• Analyse individual Judo matches or competition video data to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify patterns of action and strategic approaches to inform tactical development.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of different techniques and tactics to refine training strategies.
• Improve coaching strategies and provide specific, actionable feedback to athletes.
• Enhance the understanding of Judo performance, leading to more effective coaching methods.
• Structure constraints based technical and randori sessions to focus on the development of a specific technical
  or tactical component.

Key Phases

1. Mobility: This phase involves dynamic posture, stance, movement, and distance management. Athletic mobility (Tsugi-ashi, Tai-Sababki, Tandoku Renshu) allows a Judoka to position themselves for attacks, defend against opponents, maintain balance and build their Kumi-kata structure. Coaches should focus on developing drills that enhance agility, speed, balance, coordination and efficient movement patterns.
2. Kumi-kata: The grip is the first point of contact with your opponent, so it is essential that athletes have a clear gripping structure to gain control of the fight with their dominant grip, have understanding of various gripping styles including same side and opposite side gripping strategies, and methods for breaking an opponent’s grip to regain control of their opponent.
3. Preparation: In this phase, athletes develop strategies and tactics and employ actions to create opportunities for attacks. Athletes emphasise the importance of kuzushi (breaking balance), timing, distance management, and the use of combinations and feints to create openings and setups for attacks.
4. Nage-waza: This phase focuses on throwing techniques. Athletes need to ensure they have well-drilled and varied throwing techniques, with a focus on execution, power generation, and follow-through.
5. Transition: This involves the movement and control during the link between standing (Tachi-waza) and groundwork (Ne-waza). Smooth and efficient transitions are crucial for maintaining control and capitalising on opportunities moving into Ne-waza. Athletes must drill situations linking their Nage-waza to Newaza and in defending attacks to develop the ability to seamlessly transition between standing and groundwork.
6. Ne-waza: Groundwork techniques, including holds, submissions – arm locks and strangles, defence and escapes. Athletes need to ensure that they have a well drilled groundwork technique(s), including linking directly from standing (Transition).

The Trademarks – Technical Super Strengths Overview

The Hajime Matte model incorporates key trademarks that represent technical super strengths. Super Strengths are
the crucial skills that an athlete needs to develop to maximise their competition Judo.
DKK – TFI – WIN

• DKK – Dominate Kumi-Kata: It is critical that the athlete has the physical ability to consistently dominate any gripping exchange against any stance and style of opponent. This allows the athlete to gain control of the contest and apply their technical Judo effectively. Coaches should focus on developing athletes’ physical strength, gripping structure and stance, grip fighting skills, and tactical awareness in gripping situations.
• TFI – Throw For Ippon: A key throwing technique that can be executed at the highest level, against any opponent, at any stage of the contest. Athletes should have a repertoire of throws they can confidently execute under pressure.
• WIN – Win In Ne-waza: Having key groundwork techniques that can be transitioned into Ne-waza at the highest level at any stage of the contest. Athletes need to be proficient in various Ne-waza techniques, including holds, submissions, and escapes, but have one ‘go-to’ technique that they can execute under pressure.

Underpinning the Trademarks is the ability to understand a tactical plan, and the ability to execute a tactical plan

Contest Management
The ability to execute a fight plan, adapt within the contest, and change the plan under pressure. Athletes need to develop skills for strategic thinking, decision-making and have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances during a contest. The Trademarks are critical components that an athlete needs to develop for their competition Judo to be highly effective, but the ‘glue’ – Mobility, Preparation and Transition, are vital skills that link the Trademarks together in contest Judo. Coaches play a crucial role in developing these attributes in their athletes.

Contest Management – Developing Tactical Potential
“To understand an athletes’ tactical creativity, we need to identify how many solutions they have available to a given problem, and critically how able they are to develop new ones. In practice, this may look like bad decision making, but tactical intelligence can be developed subsequently, through good coaching, structured practice, observation etc to develop the ability to select the right solution, for the right problem at the right time. (Memmert D (2015) Teaching Tactical Creativity)”.

The Hajime-Matte Model provides a framework to coach, train and analyse the development of Tactical Judo.

Tactical potential encompasses an athlete’s ability to recognise and exploit tactical opportunities during a contest. It involves both creativity and intelligence:
Tactical Creativity:

• Tactical creativity:
• The ability to generate multiple solutions to a specific performance problem within the contest.
  Tactical Intelligence:
• The ability to identify the best solution for a specific performance problem within the contest.
  Athletes should work to develop both tactical creativity and tactical intelligence. This can be achieved through
  various training methods, including:
  Scenario-based training:
• Presenting athletes with realistic match situations and requiring them to develop solutions.
  Video analysis:
• Analysing contest video data to identify tactical patterns and decision-making processes of elite performers.
  Structured practice:
• Designing drills that encourage athletes to explore different options and adapt their strategies, under fatigued conditions.
  By improving an athlete’s tactical potential, an athlete can enhance their ability to make effective decisions
  under pressure, increasing their chances of success.
  

By improving an athlete’s tactical potential, an athlete can enhance their ability to make effective decisions under pressure, increasing their chances of success.

Tactical Creativity
These options presented, provide potential examples for the athlete to consider to provide the best possible
opportunity to win the contest.

What will the GEO athlete be thinking and doing – what is their tactical fight plan? Additionally, time is a limiting
factor, and the opponent may potentially stall for time to disrupt the flow of the exchanges.

The Importance of Decision Making
Decision-making is a critical skill in combat sports, influencing an athlete’s ability to adapt, strategise, and respond effectively under pressure. In fast-paced, high-intensity environments like Judo, Wrestling, and other Combat sports, athletes must have the skills to make in-fight decisions under physical fatigue. The ability to make the right decision at the right time, often determines success or failure in competition.
Coaches play a crucial role in developing this skill by incorporating decision-making frameworks into training.
Rather than focusing solely on technical execution, effective training environments should simulate contest conditions where athletes practice reading the scoreboard, considering opportunities, and making rapid yet calculated choices. Decision-making drills, scenario-based randori, and guided reflection help athletes refine their cognitive processes under pressure, fostering adaptability and confidence in competitive settings.
Integrating decision-making into training, ensures that athletes aren’t just physically prepared but also mentally
equipped to handle unpredictable challenges. A strong emphasis on this aspect of coaching leads to more strategic
fighters who can think critically, adjust mid-contest, and execute tactics with precision – ultimately improving their
performance and long-term success in combat sports
Decision Making or Contest Management requires dedicated practice both in and out of competition to develop,
refine and execute under pressure in a fatigued state and the Hajime-Matte Model is an invaluable principle based
coaches Technical and Tactical framework, for developing such skills for contest Judo

Contest Management – Developing Tactical Potential
A Case Study Example
Identifying a Technical and Tactical solution when trailing the contest.
Scenario
GBR v GEO is losing by a Waz-ari score and both athletes having received a shido each during the contest, with 44s
remaining in the contest.

**Before considering what solutions can be identified, the athlete first must be able to read and understand the scoreboard to decide what possible solutions can be considered.

In this situation, in having read and understood the scoreboard scenario, there are a number of options the GBR fighter will need to consider from both a Technical and Tactical aspect to potentially win the contest – with just 44s of normal time remaining.

What are the possible objective solutions?

• Score a Waz-ari to even up and stay in the contest;
• Score Ippon to win the contest;
• Force GEO into 2x Shido to win the contest with a disqualification.
  Each objective requires a Tactical plan to execute and potentially, specific Technical Skills in order to optimise the
  Tactical plan.

Technical Creativity
The athlete has a number of Technical options to consider that could present both a positive and negative solution, linked to making Tactical decisions in a fatigued state. What to consider – what techniques do I attack with, how do I set up my attacks, what Newaza techniques maximise opportunity in the least amount of time, what physical state is my opponent in? etc

SUMMARY
Importance of the Hajime Matte Model for Coaches
The Hajime Matte model provides a valuable framework for Coaches to understand the complexities of a Judo contest to optimise athlete development.
By analysing a contest through this framework, coaches can gain insights into the key factors that contribute to success.
The Hajime-Matte Model allows for a more detailed and structured approach to coaching, training, strategy development, and performance analysis, ultimately leading to improved athlete performance.

Check out more information about the Hajime-Mate model in this POST about Judo Scotland