Books, The Internet and Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki

Books are often over looked by young people as a source of information. They grass on the internet skimming through lot of information. Though they don’t know the source and their credentials they will often cite things as being true because it was on the Internet.

The same can be true of Judo – player trying techniques they have seen on You-tube that are wholly in appropriate to their size, maturity and skill level.


Digital Natives in Judo is an excellent talk by Lance Wicks and forms part of a BJA coach revalidation day. For those of you who have seen his lecture it listen to this Analysis from Radio 4 broadcast on 15th March– it is on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00j17xt

There are 3 days left to listen to it, it explores youngster reliance and how different generations use the Internet.

I was coming back from London Last night from the Budokwai when I heard it and I had an idea – as a marketing tool or teaching aid – why not provide a class with example of a throw you are teaching taht can be found on You-Tube? Allowing them also to see the classics form the great masters of the past.

Which brings me back to books many youngsters prefer DVDs to book when learning or finding out about judo which is a shame.

One of eth nicest Judo books ever produced is Fighting Judo by Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki with Photos by Terence Donovan. A must for any true Judo library.

It was at the Training session at the Budokwai in London last night that I met Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki and experienced just how versatile his Yoko-Tomanage is and his amazing ground work skills. It was a mixture of randori and training session and I know his 5 students from Tokyo University had a great time.

I was saw things I couldn’t work out on the mat and so i trotted back to the book at home to revisit. It was an exceptional mat with 9th Dan’s, World Champions, former Olympic Medallists and it struck Judo is a beautiful sport – orange belts training along side and fighting Olympic champions in a warm fun environment no other sport could do this.

When I left I didn’t take photo to go on the web site as some might – for me it was about the experience and knowing – no matter what happens in the future I have met, trained with and experienced the beautiful judo of Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki, a Judo Legend and the author of one of the definitive books on Judo.

Speak again soon.