Library's review
from cover
Photographs by Hideo Matsunaga
This book breaks completely with older judo-text practices by starating out with the question 'What will work best in an actual match?' In answering their own question, the authors have called on top-ranking judo men of international status, who present
The unbeatable team of coauthors have provided a concise, lucid text that makes the moves and their variations immediately clear. Any person eager to evolve his own special skills into a personalized judo style cannot afford to be without this invaluable book.
Tetsuya Sato, who was born in 1925 in Akita Prefecture, participated in all-Japan, east-west tournaments and in many all-Japan police judo tournaments. After attaining the seventh dan at the Kodokan, he became instructor to the Imperial Guards Headquarters, the Police Uinversity, Meiji Gakuin University, the Medical school of Nihon Uinversity, and the Nihon Budokan. At the invitation of the Austrian Judo Federation, he became judo intructor in several European countries. Today, as one of the outstanding pupils of the late Kazuzo Kudo (ninth dan), he continues to put his wide teaching experience to good use in many training and advisory capacities, including the post of judo coach at The Unversity of Tokyo (since 1981).
Isao Okano, born in 1944, in Ibaragi Prefecture, and graduated from the School of Law of Chuo Unversity, in 1966, has a long, impressive list of judo triumphs to his credit, including first places in all-Japan tournaments, world championship tournaments, and Olympic Games. In addition to actual judo matches, however, he concentrated much of his time and effort on educational work. In 1970, he founded the seiki-juku, a school where judo men from a many nations of the world are trained. Okano served as national judo coach from 1972 until the Montreal Olympic Games of 1976. Under his leadership, Japanese competitors won many first-place medals. And, at the world Championship Competitions held in 1973 at Lausanne, Switzerland, Okano's totally undefeated Japanese team won in all categories.
Currently he is Assistant Professor of Physical Education at the Ryutsu Keizai Universisty. Though he combines his work at the university with the task of training champions at his own school, the Seiki-juku, Okano does not limit himself to judo alone but actively guides young people in many social and cultural fields of endeavor.
Preface
Judo has speeded with the times. Especially in Japan, altered living patterns and stronger bodies in young men demand changes in judo. In addition, during the one hundred years since the founding of modern judo, the attitudes of young people have altered dramatically. New ways of thinking must be taken into consideration in judo instruction.
In short, it is imperative to establish, as quickly as possible, a technical instruction system including techniques common to both Japanese and overseas judo specialists. But, to speak frankly, this is not an easy task. This book is only one milestone in the process of establishing such a system. I hope it will be a base, or a starting point, for future growth. Moreover, I hope that judo men in other countries will use the Japanese judo techniques presented here as reference for their own research. In compiling this book, however, I have not intended to say that all judo textbooks of the past are unsuitable and therefore ought to be ignored. As thoughts on any subject advance, there is always the danger that people will tend to regard past ideas as no more than empty academic theory. Such an over-prejudiced attitude must not be condoned. In the present book I have attempted to concentrate on analyses of techniques as used in actual judo combat. Some people may feel that the book departs from what has formerly been considered judo common sense. Others may wonder whether some of the techniques actually exist in standard judo. In spite of these possible objections, the techniques shown in his book are both personalized and highly effective in judo combat. On the other hand, although these techniques work well for the people who use them, I do not claim that they are absolutes that will suit the needs of everyone.
The men who appear as models performing their own techniques belong to the first rank of contemporary judo specialists both in Japan and in the whole world. Starting with orthodox forms and principles, they have devised techniques that suit their own mental and physical characteristics. Individual traits occur in the opening stances, in the techniques, and in all of the ways in which these men take advantage of opportunities offered by the opponent, apply their techniques, and vary and follow up with other techniques. No matter how excellent a man is at a given point in time, however, advancing age inevitably brings loss of power. For that reason, I felt it was my duty to collect and present these special techniques now, while the men who devised them are in their prime. In planning the book, I have presupposed conditions prevailing in first-rank judo throughout the world. I have tried to present actual techniques in the manners in which judo men execute them. To make movements as clear as possible, I have taken full advantage of modern photography. Because I too much commentary would be distracting, I have limited myself to explanations of a few important points. In all things involving physical movement, it is better to see and understand with the eye and the body than to settle for theoretical, written explanations.
Since not everything in the world will fit into the rigid confines of mathematical formulas, it is difficult for me to make a flat statement that all moves shown here are absolutely correct. But this does not matter, because I am certain that by examining the actual techniques of judo specialists from a relatively free standpoint and by developing study and creative activity on that basis, it will be possible to evolve new judo ideas. In harmony with this feeling, I have limited personal opinions to a minimum and offer this book purely as technical research material. It may be that the material is insufficient in some respects, but it is nonetheless the fruits of the prolonged and sincere efforts of all people connected with the project. I hope that the reader will accept it in that light. If from this book people striving to succeed in judo find seeds from which to nurture imagination and inspiration, I shall be very happy.
In analyzing various techniques with actual judo combat in mind, I have become painfully aware of immaturity in our understanding and interpretation of judo in general. On the other hand, working with a group of leading judo men like the models in this book has provided me with a number of valuable suggestions. I have made every effort to expand the presentation of practical techniques of each man to such an extent that, unfortunately, it proved impossible to include newaza in this volume. I hope to be able to deal with them separately in a future book.
In closing this preface, I should like to express my gratitude to and respect for the following outstanding and enthusiastic judo men who understood the intention of the book and cooperated whole-heartedly on its preparation: Masatoshi Shinomaki, Shinobu Sekine, Nobuyoshi Sato, Fumio Sasahara, Isamu Sonoda, Eiji Maruki, Hirobumi Matsuda, Shozo Fujii, Takao Kawaguchi, Seiichi Goto, Kazuhiro Ninomiya, Hisashi Tsuzawa, and Takafumi Ueguchi. In addition, I should like to thank Takeo Ozawa, president of Japan Publications, Inc., and executive director Iwao Yoshizaki for their understanding of the needs of young judo men and their eagerness to produce books that help fill those needs. Finally, I offer my deep thanks to the photographer Hideo Matsunaga and to the editor in charge of the production of the book Toshihiro Kuwahara.
April 1973
Dustjacket Introduction
Times change, and judo itself does not remain the same. Consequently, it is difficult to intepret the needs of modern judo tournaments and matches in terms of instruction texts of the past. For that reason, it is imperative now to develop new judo training systems that meet the needs of accelerated judo, altered judging methods, stronger young bodies, and the many other things that have changed radically in the course of the century that has passed since judo was first organized. In short, the thing most needed at present is a living judo textbook compiling the characteristic techniques used by active judo men who have proved the merits of their methods in actual judo combat.
This book breaks completely with older judo-book practices by beginning with the question, 'What must one do in an actual match?' To answer the question, the authors have called on the services of top-ranking judo men of international status. These champions have presented techniques they have developed to suit their own needs and abilities. The revolutionary approach to the analysis of these techniques requires maximum use of modern photographic skills. The models in the photographs are men of worldwide judo fame. They have not abandoned classical judo teachings. On the contrary, they have first mastered the basics and then have devised variations and personalized techniques of proven value. Each man has worked out characteristic ways of applying attacks and of following them up with other techniques. Consequently, the variety of material offered in this book is extremely wide.
The combination of talents represented in the coauthors is unbeatable in the modern judo world. Isao Okano has won so many tournaments that he has virtually created what might be called the Okano age in judo. Tetsuya Sato, who has many years of experience in judo instruction, has explained each technique in a clear, concise fashion that makes the moves and their variations immediately clear. Any judo man eager to develop his own special skills and to develop a personalized judo of his own cannot afford to be without this invaluable reference work and practical manual.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
A graduate of the Law Department of Chuo University, Isao Okana, was born in Ibaragi Prefecture in 1944. His impressive list of judo victories includes the following: middleweight winner in the Tokyo International Sports Meet (Pre-Olympics) of 1964; winner of the middleweight division of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; winner of the 1968 All-Japan Judo Championship Tournament; Winner of the middleweight division of the Fourth World Judo Championship Tournament; second-place winner in the 1969 All-Japan Judo Championship Tournament; winner in the 1970 All-Japan Championship Judo Tournament.
After working for some time in the Physical Education Department of Tenri University, Okano transferred to the employ of the Nihon Budokan. He is judo coach for the Japan Motor Race Association. In addition, in April, 1971, he opened his own private school where he is at present engaged in an extensive program of training young men. Tetsuya Sato, who was born in 1925 in Akita Prefecture, participated in all-Japan east west tournaments and in many all-Japan police judo tournaments. After attaining the seventh dan at the Kodokan, he became instructor to the Imperial Guards Headquarters, the Police University, Meiji Gakuin University, the Medical School of Nihon University, and the Nihon Budokan. At the invitation of the Austrian Judo Federation, he became judo instructor in several European countries. Today, as one of the outstanding pupils of the late Kazuzo Kudo (ninth dan), he continues to put his wide teaching experience to good use in many training and advisory capacities.
Contents
Kouchi-Gari
Kouchi-Gake
Ouchi-Gari
Ouchi-Gake
Osoto-Gari
Osoto-Otoshi
Kosoto-Gari
Kosoto-Gake
Sasae-Tsurikomi-Ashi
Harai-Tsurikomi-Ashi
Uchimata
Okuri-Ashi-Barai
Deashi-Barai
Tsubame-Gaeshi
Seoi-Nage
Ippon-Seoi-Nage
Tai-Otoshi
Sukui-Nage
Kuchiki-Taoshi
Tsubame-Gaeshi
Utsuri-Goshi
Harai-Goshi
Koshi-Guruma
Yoko-Guruma
Tomoe-Nage
Ura-Nage
Hikkomi-Gaeshi
Ude-Gaeshi
True Meaning of Judo
Photographs by Hideo Matsunaga
This book breaks completely with older judo-text practices by starating out with the question 'What will work best in an actual match?' In answering their own question, the authors have called on top-ranking judo men of international status, who present
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techniques they have developed to suit their own needs and abilities. The revolutionary approach to the analysis of techniques requires-and gets maximum use of the latest photographic skills. The models in the photographs are all men of worldwide judo fame, who, after having mastered the basics, have devised variation and perosnalized techniques of proven value.The unbeatable team of coauthors have provided a concise, lucid text that makes the moves and their variations immediately clear. Any person eager to evolve his own special skills into a personalized judo style cannot afford to be without this invaluable book.
Tetsuya Sato, who was born in 1925 in Akita Prefecture, participated in all-Japan, east-west tournaments and in many all-Japan police judo tournaments. After attaining the seventh dan at the Kodokan, he became instructor to the Imperial Guards Headquarters, the Police Uinversity, Meiji Gakuin University, the Medical school of Nihon Uinversity, and the Nihon Budokan. At the invitation of the Austrian Judo Federation, he became judo intructor in several European countries. Today, as one of the outstanding pupils of the late Kazuzo Kudo (ninth dan), he continues to put his wide teaching experience to good use in many training and advisory capacities, including the post of judo coach at The Unversity of Tokyo (since 1981).
Isao Okano, born in 1944, in Ibaragi Prefecture, and graduated from the School of Law of Chuo Unversity, in 1966, has a long, impressive list of judo triumphs to his credit, including first places in all-Japan tournaments, world championship tournaments, and Olympic Games. In addition to actual judo matches, however, he concentrated much of his time and effort on educational work. In 1970, he founded the seiki-juku, a school where judo men from a many nations of the world are trained. Okano served as national judo coach from 1972 until the Montreal Olympic Games of 1976. Under his leadership, Japanese competitors won many first-place medals. And, at the world Championship Competitions held in 1973 at Lausanne, Switzerland, Okano's totally undefeated Japanese team won in all categories.
Currently he is Assistant Professor of Physical Education at the Ryutsu Keizai Universisty. Though he combines his work at the university with the task of training champions at his own school, the Seiki-juku, Okano does not limit himself to judo alone but actively guides young people in many social and cultural fields of endeavor.
Preface
Judo has speeded with the times. Especially in Japan, altered living patterns and stronger bodies in young men demand changes in judo. In addition, during the one hundred years since the founding of modern judo, the attitudes of young people have altered dramatically. New ways of thinking must be taken into consideration in judo instruction.
In short, it is imperative to establish, as quickly as possible, a technical instruction system including techniques common to both Japanese and overseas judo specialists. But, to speak frankly, this is not an easy task. This book is only one milestone in the process of establishing such a system. I hope it will be a base, or a starting point, for future growth. Moreover, I hope that judo men in other countries will use the Japanese judo techniques presented here as reference for their own research. In compiling this book, however, I have not intended to say that all judo textbooks of the past are unsuitable and therefore ought to be ignored. As thoughts on any subject advance, there is always the danger that people will tend to regard past ideas as no more than empty academic theory. Such an over-prejudiced attitude must not be condoned. In the present book I have attempted to concentrate on analyses of techniques as used in actual judo combat. Some people may feel that the book departs from what has formerly been considered judo common sense. Others may wonder whether some of the techniques actually exist in standard judo. In spite of these possible objections, the techniques shown in his book are both personalized and highly effective in judo combat. On the other hand, although these techniques work well for the people who use them, I do not claim that they are absolutes that will suit the needs of everyone.
The men who appear as models performing their own techniques belong to the first rank of contemporary judo specialists both in Japan and in the whole world. Starting with orthodox forms and principles, they have devised techniques that suit their own mental and physical characteristics. Individual traits occur in the opening stances, in the techniques, and in all of the ways in which these men take advantage of opportunities offered by the opponent, apply their techniques, and vary and follow up with other techniques. No matter how excellent a man is at a given point in time, however, advancing age inevitably brings loss of power. For that reason, I felt it was my duty to collect and present these special techniques now, while the men who devised them are in their prime. In planning the book, I have presupposed conditions prevailing in first-rank judo throughout the world. I have tried to present actual techniques in the manners in which judo men execute them. To make movements as clear as possible, I have taken full advantage of modern photography. Because I too much commentary would be distracting, I have limited myself to explanations of a few important points. In all things involving physical movement, it is better to see and understand with the eye and the body than to settle for theoretical, written explanations.
Since not everything in the world will fit into the rigid confines of mathematical formulas, it is difficult for me to make a flat statement that all moves shown here are absolutely correct. But this does not matter, because I am certain that by examining the actual techniques of judo specialists from a relatively free standpoint and by developing study and creative activity on that basis, it will be possible to evolve new judo ideas. In harmony with this feeling, I have limited personal opinions to a minimum and offer this book purely as technical research material. It may be that the material is insufficient in some respects, but it is nonetheless the fruits of the prolonged and sincere efforts of all people connected with the project. I hope that the reader will accept it in that light. If from this book people striving to succeed in judo find seeds from which to nurture imagination and inspiration, I shall be very happy.
In analyzing various techniques with actual judo combat in mind, I have become painfully aware of immaturity in our understanding and interpretation of judo in general. On the other hand, working with a group of leading judo men like the models in this book has provided me with a number of valuable suggestions. I have made every effort to expand the presentation of practical techniques of each man to such an extent that, unfortunately, it proved impossible to include newaza in this volume. I hope to be able to deal with them separately in a future book.
In closing this preface, I should like to express my gratitude to and respect for the following outstanding and enthusiastic judo men who understood the intention of the book and cooperated whole-heartedly on its preparation: Masatoshi Shinomaki, Shinobu Sekine, Nobuyoshi Sato, Fumio Sasahara, Isamu Sonoda, Eiji Maruki, Hirobumi Matsuda, Shozo Fujii, Takao Kawaguchi, Seiichi Goto, Kazuhiro Ninomiya, Hisashi Tsuzawa, and Takafumi Ueguchi. In addition, I should like to thank Takeo Ozawa, president of Japan Publications, Inc., and executive director Iwao Yoshizaki for their understanding of the needs of young judo men and their eagerness to produce books that help fill those needs. Finally, I offer my deep thanks to the photographer Hideo Matsunaga and to the editor in charge of the production of the book Toshihiro Kuwahara.
April 1973
Dustjacket Introduction
Times change, and judo itself does not remain the same. Consequently, it is difficult to intepret the needs of modern judo tournaments and matches in terms of instruction texts of the past. For that reason, it is imperative now to develop new judo training systems that meet the needs of accelerated judo, altered judging methods, stronger young bodies, and the many other things that have changed radically in the course of the century that has passed since judo was first organized. In short, the thing most needed at present is a living judo textbook compiling the characteristic techniques used by active judo men who have proved the merits of their methods in actual judo combat.
This book breaks completely with older judo-book practices by beginning with the question, 'What must one do in an actual match?' To answer the question, the authors have called on the services of top-ranking judo men of international status. These champions have presented techniques they have developed to suit their own needs and abilities. The revolutionary approach to the analysis of these techniques requires maximum use of modern photographic skills. The models in the photographs are men of worldwide judo fame. They have not abandoned classical judo teachings. On the contrary, they have first mastered the basics and then have devised variations and personalized techniques of proven value. Each man has worked out characteristic ways of applying attacks and of following them up with other techniques. Consequently, the variety of material offered in this book is extremely wide.
The combination of talents represented in the coauthors is unbeatable in the modern judo world. Isao Okano has won so many tournaments that he has virtually created what might be called the Okano age in judo. Tetsuya Sato, who has many years of experience in judo instruction, has explained each technique in a clear, concise fashion that makes the moves and their variations immediately clear. Any judo man eager to develop his own special skills and to develop a personalized judo of his own cannot afford to be without this invaluable reference work and practical manual.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
A graduate of the Law Department of Chuo University, Isao Okana, was born in Ibaragi Prefecture in 1944. His impressive list of judo victories includes the following: middleweight winner in the Tokyo International Sports Meet (Pre-Olympics) of 1964; winner of the middleweight division of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; winner of the 1968 All-Japan Judo Championship Tournament; Winner of the middleweight division of the Fourth World Judo Championship Tournament; second-place winner in the 1969 All-Japan Judo Championship Tournament; winner in the 1970 All-Japan Championship Judo Tournament.
After working for some time in the Physical Education Department of Tenri University, Okano transferred to the employ of the Nihon Budokan. He is judo coach for the Japan Motor Race Association. In addition, in April, 1971, he opened his own private school where he is at present engaged in an extensive program of training young men. Tetsuya Sato, who was born in 1925 in Akita Prefecture, participated in all-Japan east west tournaments and in many all-Japan police judo tournaments. After attaining the seventh dan at the Kodokan, he became instructor to the Imperial Guards Headquarters, the Police University, Meiji Gakuin University, the Medical School of Nihon University, and the Nihon Budokan. At the invitation of the Austrian Judo Federation, he became judo instructor in several European countries. Today, as one of the outstanding pupils of the late Kazuzo Kudo (ninth dan), he continues to put his wide teaching experience to good use in many training and advisory capacities.
Contents
Kouchi-Gari
Kouchi-Gake
Ouchi-Gari
Ouchi-Gake
Osoto-Gari
Osoto-Otoshi
Kosoto-Gari
Kosoto-Gake
Sasae-Tsurikomi-Ashi
Harai-Tsurikomi-Ashi
Uchimata
Okuri-Ashi-Barai
Deashi-Barai
Tsubame-Gaeshi
Seoi-Nage
Ippon-Seoi-Nage
Tai-Otoshi
Sukui-Nage
Kuchiki-Taoshi
Tsubame-Gaeshi
Utsuri-Goshi
Harai-Goshi
Koshi-Guruma
Yoko-Guruma
Tomoe-Nage
Ura-Nage
Hikkomi-Gaeshi
Ude-Gaeshi
True Meaning of Judo
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Genres
ISBN
870405160
Publication
Japan Publications, Inc.