In Tim Cartmell's book, “Effortless Combat Throws," he discusses his observation of opponents falling in arcing, spiral, or circular patterns during throws.

When I met Tim in the mid-1990s, I was a Kodokan Judo brown belt and had a rudimentary at best understanding of categories of throws based on te-waza (hand techniques), koshi-waza (hip techniques), ashi-waza (foot/leg techniques), and sutemi-waza (sacrifice techniques).

I had not yet imagined reverse engineering throws based on the way my opponent falls.

After learning this concept from Tim, I began to see my takedowns in a different light.

In Jiu-jitsu, this is particularly important due to the point scoring rules.

We do not get 2 points for the takedown itself, but for controlling the opponent for 3 seconds after the takedown.

If you have a greater understanding of the way your opponent’s body moves through the throw and lands, it is a much smoother path to the follow-up position.

It is also worth noting that if you understand these concepts, you will have greater control over the level of impact your partner or opponent receives.

Controllable impact is a keystone of success in Jiu-jitsu takedowns.

Arcing Pattern: This may occur when an opponent is thrown in a trajectory resembling an arc.

The force applied during the throw guides the opponent's movement in a curved path.

Throws like O-soto-gari or Ko-uchi-gari follow this pattern.

Spiral Pattern: A spiral pattern causes the opponent’s body to twist as they fall.

An example of a spiral throw would be Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi.

Circular Pattern: A circular pattern implies a more rounded or circular motion during the fall.

Sacrifice throws such as tomoe-nage and sumi-gaeshi fall into this catagory.

Understanding these falling patterns is valuable not only for the person executing the throw but also for the person receiving it.

For the thrower, it can inform the proper application of technique, and for the receiver, it emphasizes the importance of controlled ukemi to minimize the risk of injury.

And remember, when you learn one technique you know one technique.
When you learn a concept you know a thousand techniques.

See you on the flipside. - Larry Keith