Uke & Tori: Why Being a Great Uke Will Make You a Dangerous Tori
(Disclaimer: Capes are wildly impractical and not recommended for Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, or any martial arts training. These ones are purely symbolic—to capture the heroic spirit of the Uke and Tori. No judoka were harmed in the making of this image.)
Let’s cut the fluff—everyone wants to be the Tori. The thrower. The hero. The highlight reel. But here’s what most folks miss: the Uke, the one getting thrown, is the heartbeat of the training. If the Uke sucks, no one’s getting better.
Being a great Uke isn’t about flopping and hoping. It’s about control. Timing. Feedback. You are your partner’s resistance band and crash test dummy rolled into one. Let’s break down why being the best Uke in the room might be the biggest flex in your Judo journey.
Uke: The Role Everyone Underestimates
Without the Uke, the Tori’s just shadowboxing. The Uke is the one feeling the throw, absorbing the lessons, and helping the Tori fine-tune their mechanics. You’re not dead weight. You’re the data.
You feel the kuzushi. You feel the tempo. You feel when a throw is sharp—or when it’s a hot mess. Your body becomes the feedback loop.
A good Uke isn’t passive—they’re tuned in. They adjust their grip, their balance, their energy to make the technique real. And if you’re not doing that, you’re just eating mat.
It’s Not Just Falling—It’s Ukemi
You ever get thrown by someone who’s scared to fall? It’s like watching someone try to tiptoe through a car crash.
Ukemi isn’t just flopping safely. It’s a skill. A great fall builds Tori’s confidence. You land clean, they can commit. And when they commit, they grow.
Learning how to fall means learning how to protect your neck (literally) and how to flow with the energy of the throw. When your fall is clean, your Tori can throw harder and more realistically. That’s the trust.
Feeling Kuzushi and Giving Real Feedback
You’re not just there to go off-balance. You’re there to help your partner feel what real kuzushi looks like. The moment you feel it—say something. Let them know what worked and what didn’t.
Every time you get thrown, it’s a chance to feel the energy from the inside. You’ll know if the timing was off or if the lift came too late. And that’s what makes a good Uke priceless.
Grip Matters
Yes, even as Uke. Your grip tells the story. Rigid grip? You’re killing the throw. Loose like spaghetti? Same deal. There’s a Goldilocks zone—solid, but responsive.
Help the Tori move through the technique by giving them the kind of resistance they need—not the kind that kills the momentum.
Trust and Respect Are the Glue
If you and your partner don’t trust each other, forget it. That throw’s going nowhere.
Being a good Uke means trusting the person throwing you—and giving them reasons to trust you back. You want your partner to feel like they can go for the big technique without worrying about hurting you or being judged.
Good Ukes build Tori confidence. They say, "Go for it—I’ve got the fall handled." That’s how you both grow.
Why Every Great Uke Becomes a Scary-Good Tori
Here’s the cheat code: when you take the throw, you learn the throw. You live it.
You feel the timing, the lift, the entry. You feel what works and what doesn’t. Then when it’s your turn to throw? You already know what clean feels like. You’re not guessing—you’re reliving.
The best throwers I’ve seen are the best Ukes. They studied from the mat up.
Being the Uke When the Throw is New
New throws are awkward. That’s part of the grind. As the Uke, your job is to help your partner sort through the chaos.
You’re there to take the messy reps. To help your partner calibrate. To say, "Yo, that lift didn’t feel stable" or "I didn’t feel the off-balance until too late."
That feedback turns trial-and-error into progress.
The Personal Side of Uke: What It Taught Me
I’m usually one of the first people to throw my hand up when it’s time to be Uke—and it’s not because I like being tossed around (okay, maybe a little). It’s because I want all the XP. Being Uke gives me the freedom to study everything: grips, balance, kuzushi, breathing, reaction. As Tori, you’re locked into a role. As Uke? You get to steal all the cheat codes.
That’s why I love it. And with that trust comes responsibility. I have to be sharp on safety—don’t slam into my partner, don’t let them crash from a bad angle. Once I’m locked in and safe, I go into "absorption mode." That’s where I started to understand grips. My hands became sensors—were they guns or noodles? Could I feel 2, 3, or 4 knuckles? Were my grips clean? These micro-adjustments gave me a playbook of subtle details and a way to give real feedback.
As a teacher, I see the same learning curve over and over: new students being stiff, nervous, unsure. That’s normal. It’s my job to show them how to Uke—relaxed, present, rooted in safety, and clear in their intent.
But then there are the stubborn Ukes. The ones who won’t move with you. The ones resisting like it’s a competition. That moment when you think, "What’s this person doing?" Frustration builds. My go-to move? Thank them, switch partners, and say, "I think I need to try this on someone else." That saves face, avoids drama, and gives them a chance to reflect. More often than not, they circle back later to talk it out.
Now, real talk—sometimes people are just difficult. That’s when I try to diffuse the situation before it flares. I’m not here to escalate, but I’m also not here to roll over. I’ve had to pull the “5-minute water break” card just to reset the vibe. Sometimes being a black belt in politeness is your best tool. Stay strong. Stay respectful. Assume it’s miscommunication until proven otherwise. Lead with example, and hope they see it.
Training is full of these little moments—conflict, resolution, reflection. Every one of them is a lesson. Every crumb matters. Don’t leave any sweet treats behind.
Real Tips for Being a High-Level Uke
Relax Don’t stiff-arm your way through a throw. Stay loose. Stay aware. It helps you survive the impact and lets your Tori train with full confidence.
Communicate If the throw felt off—say it. If you lost balance early—say it. Don’t be a robot. Be a partner.
Be Mentally Present Don’t zone out waiting to get dumped. Watch their footwork. Feel their grip. Respond in real time.
Build Confidence, Not Ego Your job is to help your Tori go all-in. That means repping it out with them until it clicks. Don’t worry about looking cool. Focus on helping them grow.
Final Thoughts: Uke Isn’t Second Place
If you’ve ever rolled your eyes about “just being Uke,” you’ve missed the point.
Being an elite Uke is a leadership role. It takes awareness, humility, and a whole lot of mat time.
So the next time someone needs a body to throw, step up—not just to take the fall, but to own the role.
Because every great Tori started as someone who took great falls—and turned them into gold.
Your Turn: What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned from being an Uke? Do you prefer being Uke or Tori when trying something new, and why? Have you ever had to help a partner improve by giving feedback as Uke? What did you say or do? Ever run into a stubborn or uncooperative Uke? How’d you handle it? What do you focus on when you're in the Uke role—grips, balance, kuzushi, something else?
Drop your thoughts in the comments or share a story from the mat. Let's learn from each other.
Kids Kick Butt at 2025 Governor’s Cup
Des Moines Judo kids with Sensei Hanssen
On March 15th of 2025, nearly an hour before the adult competition, Sensei Ryan Hanssen led a squad of five (5) young Judoka from our children’s judo program as they took to the mat for the honor of our dojo and personal glory. Jayce and Brayden Hanssen, Cillian Nizzi, Brogan Lindsey, and Aurora Wright all took to the mat in their respective divisions to demonstrate the skill and athleticism developed through long hours of training, and test their mettle against the best competitors they could find.
While each competitor’s matches were action packed and worthy of review, this author would only expound upon each competitor’s best performance for his loyal audience.
Brayden and Cillian each rapidly defeated the third competitor in their bracket and met one another in a heated match to determine who would take gold or have to settle for silver. Brayden tried his best to bring his opponent down with Hanssen family’s signature Koshi-Guruma, but Cillian presented a competent defense each time, hipping in and posturing up. On offense Cillian demonstrated a far more mobile style of judo, using circular motion to disbalance his opponent to create openings for Uchi-Mata and O-Soto-Gari. Unfortunately for Cillian, Brayden, being a seasoned competitor was able to meet and overcome this tactic through strategic us of grips and defensive posturing. After a reset by the referee, both combatants switched tactics, opting for a brief exchange of foot sweeps, with Cillian bringing Brayden to the ground for a non-scoring Tai-Otoshi. The two continued in this fashion for a short while longer before Cillian was finally able to catch Brayden off-guard with a will timed Uchi-Mata for victory by Ippon. The two fought well.
Aurora’s determination and aggression allowed her to take a bronze medal in her division, with her most exciting match being against Isabella from Sempai Judo Academy. Both girls came out guns blazing, charging one another to immediately grip up and throw a flurry of O-Soto-Gari at one another. While Aurora was the first to fall in her match, immediately escaping her opponent’s attempt at Kesa-Gatame, she was quick to follow up with an O-Soto-Otoshi, scoring a yuko, and to capitalize on her success by using Kesa-Gatame herself. The next bout yielded a solid Waza-Ari for Aurora off O-Soto-Gari, prompting her opponent’s team of coachs to prompt Isabella to make a drastic change in tactics. After another hard fought bout with no score, Aurora and Isabella clashed again, with Isabella disbalancing Aurora mid-attack, knocking them both over. In the mad scramble for position, Isabella was able to out scurry Aurora and secure a firm pin via Kesa-Gatame, which she maintained long enough for Ippon. While Aurora might not have won this match, which lasted over three minutes, she was in the lead when the final bout began, had maintained a lead for most of the match, and fought hard to the bitter end. Aurora should take pride in her accomplishment and in that it took her competitor benefitting from the combined experience of Sempai’s extended coaching staff to overcome her.
On his path to silver medal, Brogan faced off against Luca from Teikiatsu Judo, in a match lasting only fifteen (15) seconds. Luca assumed an aggressive and forward stance from the onset of the match, immediately charging to grip up with Brogan. Rather than meeting Luca’s charge directly, as many of our other junior competitor’s would have, Brogan embraced the teaching of “Seiryoku Zenyo” or “maximum efficiency",” shifting to the side and out of Luca’s path as he attempted O-Goshi. Luca stopped his forward charge in time to spin Brogan in almost a complete circle, which Brogan responded to by shifting neatly into Harai-Goshi followed by Kesa-Gatame on the ground. The pin was unnecessary, as the throw’s satisfying “thawp” told both the referee and the crowd Brogan has scored an Ippon.
Lastly, Jayce got to meet his rival, Asher Bruner, in the most recent in a long line of contests between the two. The most recent match was a furious affair, both upright and on the ground, ranging across the entirety of the tatami. The first bought ended with Jayce up a Waza-Ari from De-Ashi-Barai, with the follow up on the ground resulting in no further score. The second bout, in which both competitors were making textbook demonstrations of the down then up method of kuzushi, saw Asher tie the score using Uchi-Mata, with neither judoka able to score on the ground as follow up. After two bouts with the young judoka’s duel ranging to the edges of the mat and yielding no score, the rivals clashed a final time. Jayce managed to get his lapel hand around Asher’s neck and began to drag him into the Hanssen’s signature Koshi-Guruma. As the two spun with Jayce creeping his hips into position to reap his final score, Asher, familiar with the familial technique from prior encounters, shouldered into Jayce and threw out a leg, brining Jayce to the ground with Tani-Otoshi for Ippon. Jayce took home a well earned silver medal, and this author looks forward to seeing what Jayce brings to overcome his rival when next they meet.
Honor and glory to our young competitors! We all look forward to great things from you in the future!