Tonight we had a guest visit us from out of the past. Dave Derrick, I always called him Major Derrick as that was his rank at the military school where I went to school. He's a great guy and came in to observe, but, like all good judo players, got to the point where the watching was not enough, he had to get out and help!
It was really good for my two students to learn from someone other than myself and to hear many of the same things I already tell them from someone else. They worked solidly for the whole time and learned a lot of very little things. Unfortunately, it's the little things that are important and difficult to grasp in judo.
29 October 2008
27 September 2008
Judo Manuals and Concepts
This past week at work I have been in training. Not the world's most exciting training, but very valuable for what I do in the real world. That being said, I went through most of a legal pad making notes...on judo.
Currently I have a small problem in my judo program. Its not a dilemma that my students face. Its a dilemma that I face in that I was brought up in judo from outside the "normal" process. I still firmly believe that the way I brought up was most prudent for my area and I believe it to be a very correct concept for teaching judo. This is a question of one's philosophy of judo and its purpose.
In judo in the United States, there exist three major national governing bodies and a variety of outside organizations. My club is affiliated with the United States Judo Association and is a Yawara Judo Association club. There are major disparities between these two organizations' promotional guidelines. I believe both have significantly valid points to consider. This is at the core of my problem.
My solution is to merge these two organizations' guidelines into one. Perhaps the best way to look at this is to use the USJA's Junior Guidelines. USJA uses junior grades 1-10. Each level adds 2 throwing techniques per level. This is excellent for the development of juniors, especially taking things like motor skills development of young students. By the time a student reaches the level of Junior 10, assuming they've started at age 8, the student has aged around 5 to 7 years and has 20 throwing techniques. USJA guidelines suggest that the conversion from Junior to Senior at the level of Junior 10 should go to Nikyu (Second Brown Belt). Yawara's guidelines for Nikyu are the first four sections of the Go Kyo no Waza (the basic curriculum of throwing techniques) which equates to about 32 techniques.
What I plan on doing is, for my juniors, require them to progress from Junior 1 through Junior 10 and instead of converting from Junior 10 to Nikyu, they will meet Yawara standards for Sankyu (Third Brown Belt, the first earned brown belt) which requires 24 throwing techniques and the first three sections of the Nage no Kata.
What I plan on doing for my seniors, which is mildly different as seniors learn four techniques per grade and only has 6 non-black belt grades. Doing the math, this equates to 24 techniques that need to be learned prior to black belt. The Yawara standard requires 40 techniques for Ikkyu (First Brown Belt, the last earned brown belt). So the big difficulty is between the brown belt level and the less-than-brown belt levels. There are three less-than brown belt grades, which means that the student who gains the belt right before brown belt has 12 techniques and with the Yawara standard for Sankyu being 24 techniques, the senior student has to double his technical knowledge from green belt to brown belt. I think that's a bad deal, but that's the deal.
That is why the juniors have a better deal, instead of having to learn 12 techniques to become a brown belt, they only have to learn 4 techniques. So that's what I'm working on.
Currently I have a small problem in my judo program. Its not a dilemma that my students face. Its a dilemma that I face in that I was brought up in judo from outside the "normal" process. I still firmly believe that the way I brought up was most prudent for my area and I believe it to be a very correct concept for teaching judo. This is a question of one's philosophy of judo and its purpose.
In judo in the United States, there exist three major national governing bodies and a variety of outside organizations. My club is affiliated with the United States Judo Association and is a Yawara Judo Association club. There are major disparities between these two organizations' promotional guidelines. I believe both have significantly valid points to consider. This is at the core of my problem.
My solution is to merge these two organizations' guidelines into one. Perhaps the best way to look at this is to use the USJA's Junior Guidelines. USJA uses junior grades 1-10. Each level adds 2 throwing techniques per level. This is excellent for the development of juniors, especially taking things like motor skills development of young students. By the time a student reaches the level of Junior 10, assuming they've started at age 8, the student has aged around 5 to 7 years and has 20 throwing techniques. USJA guidelines suggest that the conversion from Junior to Senior at the level of Junior 10 should go to Nikyu (Second Brown Belt). Yawara's guidelines for Nikyu are the first four sections of the Go Kyo no Waza (the basic curriculum of throwing techniques) which equates to about 32 techniques.
What I plan on doing is, for my juniors, require them to progress from Junior 1 through Junior 10 and instead of converting from Junior 10 to Nikyu, they will meet Yawara standards for Sankyu (Third Brown Belt, the first earned brown belt) which requires 24 throwing techniques and the first three sections of the Nage no Kata.
What I plan on doing for my seniors, which is mildly different as seniors learn four techniques per grade and only has 6 non-black belt grades. Doing the math, this equates to 24 techniques that need to be learned prior to black belt. The Yawara standard requires 40 techniques for Ikkyu (First Brown Belt, the last earned brown belt). So the big difficulty is between the brown belt level and the less-than-brown belt levels. There are three less-than brown belt grades, which means that the student who gains the belt right before brown belt has 12 techniques and with the Yawara standard for Sankyu being 24 techniques, the senior student has to double his technical knowledge from green belt to brown belt. I think that's a bad deal, but that's the deal.
That is why the juniors have a better deal, instead of having to learn 12 techniques to become a brown belt, they only have to learn 4 techniques. So that's what I'm working on.
16 August 2008
Ronda Rousey, Olympic Judo, etc.
Ronda fought and fought very well. Her only loss was on one of her signature moves (sode tsuri komi goshi) that got countered very neatly by the fighter from Netherlands. The remaining two fights were decidedly Ronda's by virtue of being willing and able and really wanting to kick everybody's butt who was in the way of her and that medal.
I have recorded them and will post them eventually. I have to edit and convert them so that they're not 100+ MB each!
All of our Olympic judo players fought well and fought hard. Not a one gave up when things were tight. Some of their losses came from pressing the attack, but, better to go do fighting than quit while losing.
NBCOlympics.com coverage for judo was good, although I really wish they would make it possible for the next Olympics (whomever is doing the broadcasting online) to view all the mats simultaneously.
I have recorded them and will post them eventually. I have to edit and convert them so that they're not 100+ MB each!
All of our Olympic judo players fought well and fought hard. Not a one gave up when things were tight. Some of their losses came from pressing the attack, but, better to go do fighting than quit while losing.
NBCOlympics.com coverage for judo was good, although I really wish they would make it possible for the next Olympics (whomever is doing the broadcasting online) to view all the mats simultaneously.
11 August 2008
Border Classic Tournament
Well, I went to my first tournament in 5 years. I placed second. My first medal ever. It only took me five tournaments to get there.
It was good fun and quite a learnig experience. I got to meet the President of NM Judo, Inc. Who is a pretty decent guy. I will probably be sticking around in USJI just to try to bring NM Judo to a larger audience.
I haven't had an opportunity to dissect my matches, but I will post them on YouTube when I get the opportunity to put them up.
--------------------------
The Olympics
I have to say I am moderately pleased with NBC and their coverage of judo. While it isn't on any of the regular channels, they do have it live and online. Unfortunately it runs from 10pm (MST) until 2:30am, and the finals of each from 4:00am to 6:00am. Fortunately for me and my waking up, US judo has not been doing so hot. That's not to disparage any of the massive amounts of hard work these wonderful ladies and gentlemen have put into it at all...I just have to wake up early and I'm not going to miss any of their matches if I can avoid it.
I do think there have been some flat miserable calls, especially in Ryan's match, but once they've made the call and reviewed it, what can you do?
Tonight, Travis Stevns fights Franklin Cisneros (ESA) in his first match. I can't wait to watch!
And for those of you who really want to watch these matches again, get CamStudio (I've posted about it before) and record those matches!
The live commentary by David Williams can be absolutely hilarious.
Don't forget Ronda Rousey fights on TUESDAY! GO RONDA!
It was good fun and quite a learnig experience. I got to meet the President of NM Judo, Inc. Who is a pretty decent guy. I will probably be sticking around in USJI just to try to bring NM Judo to a larger audience.
I haven't had an opportunity to dissect my matches, but I will post them on YouTube when I get the opportunity to put them up.
--------------------------
The Olympics
I have to say I am moderately pleased with NBC and their coverage of judo. While it isn't on any of the regular channels, they do have it live and online. Unfortunately it runs from 10pm (MST) until 2:30am, and the finals of each from 4:00am to 6:00am. Fortunately for me and my waking up, US judo has not been doing so hot. That's not to disparage any of the massive amounts of hard work these wonderful ladies and gentlemen have put into it at all...I just have to wake up early and I'm not going to miss any of their matches if I can avoid it.
I do think there have been some flat miserable calls, especially in Ryan's match, but once they've made the call and reviewed it, what can you do?
Tonight, Travis Stevns fights Franklin Cisneros (ESA) in his first match. I can't wait to watch!
And for those of you who really want to watch these matches again, get CamStudio (I've posted about it before) and record those matches!
The live commentary by David Williams can be absolutely hilarious.
Don't forget Ronda Rousey fights on TUESDAY! GO RONDA!
04 August 2008
One of the greatest things ever
For those who know, and those who may not, I teach judo at the local Job Corps Center. This is some of the most fun I have at Job Corps. But that's not the greatest thing I'm talking about.
Recently Job Corps students who had good conduct for a certain period of time went to Colorado to have a few days of fun. One of the stops they made was to the Olympic Training Center. One of my judo students just happened to go. Here's one of the greatest things ever...she brought me back a shot glass for the judo at Beijing! It has two of the mascots doing judo and on the back it has the symboly for the Beijing Olympics.
As soon as I can get the pictures transferred from my phone to the computer, I will post the pictures.
Recently Job Corps students who had good conduct for a certain period of time went to Colorado to have a few days of fun. One of the stops they made was to the Olympic Training Center. One of my judo students just happened to go. Here's one of the greatest things ever...she brought me back a shot glass for the judo at Beijing! It has two of the mascots doing judo and on the back it has the symboly for the Beijing Olympics.
As soon as I can get the pictures transferred from my phone to the computer, I will post the pictures.
01 August 2008
National Governing Bodies and Others
To preface this whole thing, let me state that I am a diehard fan of Yawara Judo Association as founded by my father. I am a true believer with all that entails. What follows may or may not be to anyone else's liking but its not their blog.
I don't like organizations who believe that whole point of judo is sport. I don't like organizations who believe that the whole point of judo is esoteric. It is neither. It is both. Personally I believe that everyone should experience all the aspects availible in judo.
What does that mean exactly? Simply put, the beginner in judo, by the time they reach black belt level, should have competed, done kata, done research, know the basic five kyo of the go kyo no waza, know six basic chokes, know 6 basic holds, know 4 basic armbars (plus a variety of variations of each). A student should know how judo applies to life outside the dojo and self-defense. These are basic knowledge that a black belt level individual should know.
There are things going on in the US National Governing Body for Olympic Sport Judo (USJI) with which I thoroughly disagree and am disgusted in the way they have conducted themselves and the way they are currently conducting things. That being said, one of the other NGB's (USJA) is remarkable in that when such as occured in USJI and was reported to them, they dealt with the problem post haste. My largest problem with both of these organizations as judo training entities is that their curriculum map for progression to black belt does not give the new black belt a breadth of knowledge that will enable them to effectively learn and teach the basic syllabus of judo (go kyo no waza). I haven't seen any national level organizations that do, that includes the BJA/BJC, USJA/JI/JF, and many others. I find this, as a professional educator, to be a poor method of educating.
Do I have a solution? Only what I was taught as I was growing in judo. Is it the best solution, in a linearly taught program, like a professional education class, yes. Is it best in a club environment where people are coming and going will-he nil-he? Probably not. However, there is a specific set of things that brand new individuals should be taught before any others.
Personally I am working to strengthen and enhance what I teach and my methodolgy so that in the future, my students who go out to start clubs of their own will not have to start from scratch and suffer the learning that I have suffered. I want to be able to send my black belts out with the ability to open up doors, lay down mats, and begin teaching and growing judo from day one. And that, let me tell you, is very difficult.
--------------------------
On the note of opening doors to a new judo place, I'm thinking of what every new instructor should be able to have in their curriculum guide.
1. List of promotional requirements.
2. List of techniques.
3. Examples of techniques.
4. List of literature to aid in understanding.
5. CD's, DVD's, Videos of judo for help in developing concepts or techniques.
6. Video camera to video practices, matches, and students' techniques for review by the students and instructors.
7. List of games and activities and the purpose of said.
As I get more ideas, I will probably put together a better and more comprehensive list. I will also discuss them with more depth.
I don't like organizations who believe that whole point of judo is sport. I don't like organizations who believe that the whole point of judo is esoteric. It is neither. It is both. Personally I believe that everyone should experience all the aspects availible in judo.
What does that mean exactly? Simply put, the beginner in judo, by the time they reach black belt level, should have competed, done kata, done research, know the basic five kyo of the go kyo no waza, know six basic chokes, know 6 basic holds, know 4 basic armbars (plus a variety of variations of each). A student should know how judo applies to life outside the dojo and self-defense. These are basic knowledge that a black belt level individual should know.
There are things going on in the US National Governing Body for Olympic Sport Judo (USJI) with which I thoroughly disagree and am disgusted in the way they have conducted themselves and the way they are currently conducting things. That being said, one of the other NGB's (USJA) is remarkable in that when such as occured in USJI and was reported to them, they dealt with the problem post haste. My largest problem with both of these organizations as judo training entities is that their curriculum map for progression to black belt does not give the new black belt a breadth of knowledge that will enable them to effectively learn and teach the basic syllabus of judo (go kyo no waza). I haven't seen any national level organizations that do, that includes the BJA/BJC, USJA/JI/JF, and many others. I find this, as a professional educator, to be a poor method of educating.
Do I have a solution? Only what I was taught as I was growing in judo. Is it the best solution, in a linearly taught program, like a professional education class, yes. Is it best in a club environment where people are coming and going will-he nil-he? Probably not. However, there is a specific set of things that brand new individuals should be taught before any others.
Personally I am working to strengthen and enhance what I teach and my methodolgy so that in the future, my students who go out to start clubs of their own will not have to start from scratch and suffer the learning that I have suffered. I want to be able to send my black belts out with the ability to open up doors, lay down mats, and begin teaching and growing judo from day one. And that, let me tell you, is very difficult.
--------------------------
On the note of opening doors to a new judo place, I'm thinking of what every new instructor should be able to have in their curriculum guide.
1. List of promotional requirements.
2. List of techniques.
3. Examples of techniques.
4. List of literature to aid in understanding.
5. CD's, DVD's, Videos of judo for help in developing concepts or techniques.
6. Video camera to video practices, matches, and students' techniques for review by the students and instructors.
7. List of games and activities and the purpose of said.
As I get more ideas, I will probably put together a better and more comprehensive list. I will also discuss them with more depth.
Tournaments
Truth be told, I haven't been to a tournament since 2003 when I was in Florida working for Walt Disney World and going to classes at Central Florida Judo and Jujitsu run by William Andreas (great club, btw). That was the Rattler Roundup down in Boca Raton (I think). I didn't do so hot.
I think the biggest failure on my part for that tournament was lack of knowledge and preparation, specifically maintaining a two-handed grip or applying a technique from a single-side sleeve grip where both parties are fully extended away from each other. I'm not sure I have solved the single sided extension problem, however, I have been listening to Rhadi and Jimmy's gripping advice cd's and dvd's. (Both of these individuals have really some of the best advice on dvd or cd and are mostly worth the money; I highly recommend the scouting report, the underground gripfight secrets, grip like a world champion).
So why am I talking about this competition stuff now? Well, next weekend I'm going to El Paso (the Texas Brown Belt Championship) and I'm going to compete. I haven't decided if I'm going to fight in the Master's (which just means the over 30 groups) or the Seniors (which is from 17-29). But I do plan on fighting. I'd like to win, and I'm expecting to place.
It should be an interesting experience for me as I've been out of competing for awhile and since going to the Judo Forum Summit and Camp I feel I've learned some things, but really, desparately need to work on gripping and gripping endurance. I should also think about transitions and attacks, however I do have my favorite transitions, which I am not going to tell my readers. My attacks, well, they are not as continuous and fluid as I'd like so we will just have to see how well they will work.
So, in a week, I will be going to El Paso to fight. I plan on having my buddy video my fight so that I can see what is necessary for me to work on so that I might improve.
On other news, only semi-related, I may be going to the US Open in Colorado to visit with friends and maybe compete up there in the Master's division.
I think the biggest failure on my part for that tournament was lack of knowledge and preparation, specifically maintaining a two-handed grip or applying a technique from a single-side sleeve grip where both parties are fully extended away from each other. I'm not sure I have solved the single sided extension problem, however, I have been listening to Rhadi and Jimmy's gripping advice cd's and dvd's. (Both of these individuals have really some of the best advice on dvd or cd and are mostly worth the money; I highly recommend the scouting report, the underground gripfight secrets, grip like a world champion).
So why am I talking about this competition stuff now? Well, next weekend I'm going to El Paso (the Texas Brown Belt Championship) and I'm going to compete. I haven't decided if I'm going to fight in the Master's (which just means the over 30 groups) or the Seniors (which is from 17-29). But I do plan on fighting. I'd like to win, and I'm expecting to place.
It should be an interesting experience for me as I've been out of competing for awhile and since going to the Judo Forum Summit and Camp I feel I've learned some things, but really, desparately need to work on gripping and gripping endurance. I should also think about transitions and attacks, however I do have my favorite transitions, which I am not going to tell my readers. My attacks, well, they are not as continuous and fluid as I'd like so we will just have to see how well they will work.
So, in a week, I will be going to El Paso to fight. I plan on having my buddy video my fight so that I can see what is necessary for me to work on so that I might improve.
On other news, only semi-related, I may be going to the US Open in Colorado to visit with friends and maybe compete up there in the Master's division.
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