Lessons learned

Firstly, thanks to everyone who has emailed or directly posted to this blog.

Please keep on sending your comments and views, they're much appreciated!

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Thanks once again!

Mike

Thought: “It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up.” Vince Lombardi

Following on from my previous blog entry, I came to judo for two reasons:

1. To get fit
2. To learn some self defence

After one year of judo, I've got closer to my goals and there's been so much more besides.

Nine times down, ten times right back up again...

Judo is a contact sport and it's also a martial art.

That being said, it's also very safe.

In the couple of clubs I have trained with, each one has rigorously enforced safety procedures.

Unfortunately injuries can happen, as in all sports.

But for every knock or bruise I have had, it's also been a very real learning experience.

This experience has ranged from stretched tendons that taught me not to take a warm up session too lightly (despite it being a fun warm up session).

Strained abductors / adductors taught me to rest after injury and to work a body part in the gym that I didn't work enough (legs).

And a sore wrist has made me consider building my wrists and my grip strategy.

Getting to grips with complexity (part 2)

I wrote previously about just how much there is to learn.

From the standard throws / holds (as if that's not enough) and their variations to the counters, escapes, combinations and more besides.

Well I probably simplified things.

I have an inkling that grip strategy, breaking balance and a full range of tiny, intangible yet ever so important things could also have a huge impact on whether or not things work and work well.

Then to add to these levels of complexity the fact that judo has to be executed instinctively, efficiently and under pressure in practice or competition.

If it gets more complicated than this, please don't let me know right now.

I've already got enough to do just trying simple judo and getting that right ;-)

The complicated stuff can wait until the basics work themselves out!

If at first you don't succeed...

1. Not getting the throw right the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd or nth time and still trying to throw.
2. Getting right back up, throw after throw.
3. Getting back to judo after an injury.
4. Trying to make the throw work when a training partner or opponent is trying to do the same.
5. Trying to make ANY hold or throw work when I just want to stop and breathe again!
6. Trying to teach a white belt a throw, he can't 'get it' and yet still persisting (thank you by the way for persisting!)

I could add other items to this list, but in spite of, or perhaps because of these difficulties, judo builds patience and focus.

How could it not?

When all is said and done, judo has brought me greater fitness and still does.

It has also shown me some very useful techniques.

And then, judo has frustrated me to the point that I actively want to improve physically and in my day-to-day approach.

I don't think I could ask any more from 'the gentle way'.

But if there is any more, please keep this 'under your hats' too..

The journey's been fun (and frustrating) so far and I can't wait to find out for myself what's next...

That's all for now and I look forward to hearing from you with your experience of judo and all things associated.

Bye for now,

Mike

This is my personal experience of judo.

Your experience of our sport may be entirely different.

Whether your experience is different or similar, please share and let us know more via this blog or my judo twitter @goodkuzushi

Thanks.

Mike

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I came to judo just over a year ago with two objectives:

- To learn how to defend myself.

- To get fitter.

In this year, judo has given me a lot more than I bargained for...

Tenacity: Now you're probably thinking that developing fitness for randori and competition is tough.

Well believe it or not, I've found that has been the eas(ier) bit.

Couple of slots for judo training in the week, so physical training (gym, running etc.) can be scheduled in preparation.

As we all know, fitness doesn't come easy, but having an objective (and an iPod) has helped in getting past the boredom of the treadmill or the leg press etc.

What has been much tougher is the need to keep going in the face of small injuries, the way that I can't and will never (possibly;-) be able to learn a technique, the way that (sometimes) I have trouble determining which hand is left and which right and the feeling that no throw I do is going to work, ever!

Add all that and much more together (with a huge pinch of salt) and telling oneself that all will 'come together at some point' seems a bit weak.

Then, during one training session, one throw works, once!

Then, in the following session, it doesn't work at all, nor in the next session, nor the session after that...

But persistence has paid off and I can now do some throws and ground work, sometimes quite well !

Comfort with complexity – I heard the saying recently that the 'more easy something seems, the more difficult it is' Well, judo has proved this point to me and then some!

I've also learned that the hard work really begins when a technique can be done.

This means that entries into throws, counters, combinations, variations on throws, variations on the variations of throws. Then counters, combinations and variations for ne waza too. Not to mention transitions from throw to ground have to be worked on as well as making sure the basic throw or ne waza technique is not forgotten in the meantime.

Although it might seem daunting, I've loved (nearly!) every minute.

Getting a throw or ne waza technique right is rewarded by learning more about how it fits into the bigger picture. It's a real kick (in a good way!)

In a way, learning judo is a little like learning a new language.

It's so difficult in the first stages just being able to pronounce a few words and phrases properly, then it happens.

Pretty soon some sentences start to come along, then things get more complex from that point on.

And it feels great when you make that progress!

In the next blog I would like to look at one or two other things I have learned in the past year.

For now, it would be good to finish this blog considering just how much a team sport judo actually is.

Over the past twelve months I have trained in several clubs and with a large number of fellow training partners.

I can honestly say that every person I have trained with has been helpful and supportive.

Above all else, they've been patient and that, in the early stages, makes developing technique a little easier.

That's all for now and I look forward to hearing from you with your experience of judo and all things associated.

Bye for now,

Mike