4 orientations

An important consequence of these positions are the types of hitches (grips) that you can take hold, and therefore the techniques that can be used.

A component that Walker described was that there was a Forehand Play and a Backhand Play, which refers to the concept of getting inside the opponent (directly in front between their arms) or getting outside (from outside their arms and around their back).

Today, we refer to these concepts as the Frontside Play and the Rearside Play.

An easy way to remember is if the opponent is trying to attack you in front, that’s Frontside play, and if they’re stood behind you trying to attack, then that’s the Rearside play.

The 4 orientations, as a combination of ’facing towards’/’facing away’ and ‘front-side’/’rear-side’ play. As the opponent positions themselves into a throw, it also positions you into one of these orientations. For example, if the opponent turns in to throw you with a Fore hip, they move into a Back-to-Front position, that places you in the Front-to-Back position.