JudoNotes

At the dojo-warming party, someone — I forget who — said the relocation of Oishi Judo would make a great news story, and that he was going to try to get someone to print it. I wonder if this article was due to his efforts.

Oishi did indeed fit the description of “a big kid” during a recent Monday afternoon class as he bounced around his new dojo. The students were men who devotedly use their lunch breaks to get thrown on the ground instead of eat. Oishi was right in the fray, stopping the group from sparring to demonstrate the proper way to do a certain throw. As his foil, a student decades younger and inches taller than Oishi crashed to the mat, his class of grown men beamed like children at his flawless technique.

I know that feeling, the "beaming like a child." A few days ago, Sensei stopped what we were doing to say a few words — literally, just a few words. He reached over to a black belt standing next to him and effortlessly slammed him to the mat without any footwork or, it seemed, much of a grip — just a deep understanding of balance and the efficient use of force. "Tai-otoshi means 'body drop,'" he explained.

I try not to be too awed by Sensei, because I know he doesn't care for over-the-top admiration, and I think that's a healthy thing. But at that moment I think my eyes got as big as saucers.

“Judo is educational,” Oishi said. “It’s repetition, it’s practice. You learn safety. You get strong, but you’re not trying to hurt anybody.”

Around him, men wrapped their hands around each other’s necks and tripped each other to the floor, but nobody got up angry or screamed in pain. In fact, they would hop up smiling through their sweat, and bow to each other, happy to have taken the spill.

Also noticeable in the group of 15 loyal students, many whom had already earned their brown or black belts, was the diversity that an activity like judo allows. Some were young and fit, others paunchy, others over 60. They were a mishmash of sizes, athletic abilities, income brackets and ethnicities, each grappling with his classmates and getting his daily workout.

Between you and me, my eyes kind of misted over when I read the article. It's a great story of our dojo's survival against difficult odds, and the author clearly "gets" the spirit of Oishi Judo. I am so proud to belong to a club where our camaraderie, "happy face," and love for the sport come across so clearly to an outsider.

Also, I was very impressed with Sensei's impeccable English.

Many thanks to Sonam for passing this along. It made my day. Sonam came across it from a link somebody posted at mma.tv.

You can catch people trying to rip you off:

Pham walked into Azia, the upscale Asian-fusion eatery he owns at 2550 Nicollet Av. S., and found the pair finishing off some expensive drinks after a hearty second dinner that included a rack of lamb.

"I thought, 'Oh my God, I can't believe my wishes are so powerful,' " Pham said.

When they tried to flee, Pham, a former judo instructor, chased Reginald Wilder into an alley, forced him to the ground and held him until police arrived. Lance Burrow was arrested a half block away.

I wonder what technique he used.

Jeff writes:

Following up on our discussion of last night as to why we do judo, I am setting forth below a list which I and others compiled a while ago (2000). I alone am not so creative. For example, I remember David Soto suggesting number 16.

I love it. Here's the list, with only one minor edit:

1. As years pass, you can still wear the same clothing, having sweated off the excess weight.
2. Free chiropractic through getame waza.
3. Free exfoliation through getame waza.
4. No need to go to a doctor; you know why you’re in pain.
5. Old judogi pants stylish and comfortable (if tattered) drawstring pants.
6. Ukemi useful when you slip on ice.
7. Mat burns are cheaper than tattoos.
8. Bruises and abrasions impress co-workers and family.
9. Judo headaches cover hangovers well.
10. Judo replaces psychological stress with physical stress.
11. Judo makes food taste better.
12. Judo gives you get full value for your medical insurance premiums.
13. Judogi jacket helps give slenderizing tapered appearance.
14. Judo ukemi useful in other sports such as rugby and skiing.
15. Judo prepares you for a career in the World Wrestling Federation (especially with the advent of Blue Judogi).
16. A clean choke is a good fix for a dirty neck.
17. Judo teaches you the value of a good sleep at night.
18. Believed by practitioners to promote charisma.
19. Judo may give you more humility than you ever wanted to get.
20. Judo heightens appreciation of Martial Arts movies.
21. Blue judogi are a foray into fashion.
22. Judo is more macho than yoga, but demands about the same flexibility.
23. Judo gives you energy, especially on the days you don’t go to practice.
24. Sweeping the mat after class is good training to become a Zamboni operator.
25. More clothing than sumo.
26. Implicit weight training in carrying blue and white judogi to tournaments.
27. Fewer splinters and brick chips than karate.
28. Judo politics put national politics in perspective.
29. Judo provides a socially sanctioned opportunity to pummel others.
30. Judo teaches you the subtleties of anatomy through injury.
31. Knowing those who practice Judo gives one a new perspective on mental illness.
32. Judo is a good cover for a tatami fixation.
33. Judo is a good cover for broken English.
34. Dojo locker rooms make other health clubs look opulent.
35. Blue judogi good training for wearing dark suits for formal occasions.
36. Judo makes all parts of your body hurt equally.
37. Easier to carry judo equipment than skiing equipment (even with blue and white judogi needed).
38. Less muddy than rugby.
39. The same flexibility as yoga, but no incense or tights.
40. Beer practically mandatory for senior training.
41. Strong muscles hold weak joints together.
42. Provides the chance to scare oneself to death on a regular basis.
43. Nothing else to do.
44. Trains the most delicate organ of the body – the ego.

Thanks to Bob for this link to a site with video of the New York Open. Nice video quality and I liked the commentary by Rusty Kanokogi and Carrie Chandler, but unfortunately I could only get it to work on Windows, and only in Internet Explorer.

For my fellow Mac users, there's always the home videos of the tournament on YouTube.

Here are photos of Jeff and Owen at Iguazu Falls, relaxing after the 2007 World Masters.

There's no judo in these photos, but there's a ton of judo in the people in the photos.

My favorite is the one with the huge thundering waterfall in the background, all noise and chaos, and in the foreground there's a man-made walkway, all straight lines and angles, and poised in the middle is Jeff. It's very, like, yin and yang, or something.

As usual, click on any of the thumbnails to go to the Flickr page.

Hot off the press — I just got this from Jeff:

Well, the judo was superlative.

Owen had three fights, one win and two losses. His pool was seven or eight.

I had two losses. The pool was twenty. The other kids had better days.

Beyond judo, we spent a few days in Sao Paulo. We also flew to Iguazu Falls overnight. Breathtaking.

Update: Thanks to Sandro for the URL for Judo Brasil, which posted the shiai results.

The following are links to PDF files.

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4

Jeff and Owen went to Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the 2007 World Masters. As far as I know, nobody's heard from them.

I've been hoping some other judo blogger would be live-blogging the event, but Google hasn't turned up such a person. I did find a list of US players who placed. The only names I recognize are Teimoc, who played at Oishi many years ago, and Clyde Worthen, whom I know by name only.

I also found an interesting thread on the kata part of the tournament, but Jeff and Owen didn't participate in that part, as far as I know.

Here's one of my favorite matches, from November 16, 1996. Just watching the judo I would have thought the girl was Nina, but Nina was older by then, and was playing in that tournament as a green belt. Nina has confirmed that this was her sister Lucca.

I don't mean to spoil the outcome, but note that Michael Spinks lasted three times as long against Mike Tyson, in one of the quickest and most brutal knockouts in heavyweight championship history.

One thing I've loved about these old videos is seeing the pleasure on Sensei's face when he watches the kids from the sidelines. In this match he's refereeing, but he still gets a chuckle at the end when he throws in a "name that throw" pop quiz.

Our dojo has another newlywed. Zuri and Reiko got married this morning at the Buddhist Cultural Center on Chrystie St. It was the first Buddhist wedding I'd ever attended. Will and his girlfriend were there as well.

I don't remember the full sequence of the ceremony (I'll review my videotape later), but there was a lot of bowing to elders, there was the exchange of rings, the priest made some pronouncements, and there was chanting. Good-luck gifts were presented to the couple by a procession of grandmotherly ladies. I thought that part was sweet.

After the ceremony tables were set up and a vegetarian meal was brought out from the kitchen. I especially liked the dumplings. The cake was excellent and there was lots to go around, but I limited myself to one small piece, because, you know, the weight thing.

Mazel tov, Zuri!

On Friday night, Sensei presented Austin Young with his black belt. Austin's wife was there to share the moment.

I completely spaced on getting her name. I'll update this entry when I find it out.

Click below for the Flickr page with the full-sized photo: