Not blogged for a while ....so happy New Year ........but a thread on the BJA website amused me recently about banned techniques and the new IJF rules ..... I then had a mad few minutes and the following is the result.......rant or madness or a marketing opportunity you decide....
If you look at modern judo the move is to the 'sport', talk of techniques now banned being forgotten, some argue these banned techniques should remain part of the sylabus. advocating is that the Martial Art side of Judo isn't forgotten, and yes there are techniques that are dangerous ...but there are in all combat sports - will we see arm locks go because if done badly or applied to fast can cause serious injury ....as for strangles .......
This one incident got a very effective throw banned – why because someone at World Level did it wrong .......
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4yuhq_yasuhiro-yamashita-jpn-sumio-endo-j_sport
So kani basami became illegal in contest now Latts has gone and even Classical upright Kata Gurma, we have to throw off the belt not arm around the leg. Given this was one of the first throws Kano put in his syllabus so have we severed a link to the past?
There are people coaching in the UK who spend hours daily looking at judo, reading researching planning and developing many professional coaches who teach these techniques to appropriate students, but with competitions and grading is there enough mat time to do it properly?
These techniques should not be taught willy nilly they are taught to students who have attend a level of understanding where learning the technique improves and enhances the judo......
We are possibly creating a situation where we will end up with a number of judo coaches who remember the Old LOURE, the mysterious banned technique ...students will flock from near and far to learn the mysteries of the Kawazu-gake and Daki-age, the Kanibasarmi and the Kata Guruma...the gyaku-hishigi and the kubi-hishigi, any kubi-kansetsu-waza....the tate-shiho-hiza-hishigi or the ashi-kansetsu-waza.....many popular in MMA or BJJ........so I have cave will travel ...........
Isn't that one the teaching practices that Kano was working against ...the mysterious hidden techniques only discovered after years of paid for training with a master ...only to find the mystery technique doesn't suit your body or fighting style? But if we forget these technique it is what we will create......... but like anything a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing........how many times has Tate- shio- gatame become tate-shiho-hiza-hishigi.....without a student knowing the transition when the legs are hooked......how many referees can spot the difference?
Rhetorical question ...
.......so.....now how to become a hermit and find a cave...............if you build it they will come................could I get funding?
Back soon
Marc
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Monday, 10 August 2009
Creativity in Coaching 1
I am very much into coaches being creative and thinking outside the box. if you ever get to see my warm ups for a childrens class you will know what I mean.
Often coaches teach the way they were taught, they don’t recognise the need to teach in different ways to different pupils.
I had the following on You Tube clip recommended to me by a tutor at Bath University, Andy Hibbert. Take 20 minutes to listen to it, it is informative and very funny, I will post my comments on it in a few days but please listen and apply it to your life, be that coaching or interacting formally with children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Hope it works and will come back to this ver soon
Marc
Often coaches teach the way they were taught, they don’t recognise the need to teach in different ways to different pupils.
I had the following on You Tube clip recommended to me by a tutor at Bath University, Andy Hibbert. Take 20 minutes to listen to it, it is informative and very funny, I will post my comments on it in a few days but please listen and apply it to your life, be that coaching or interacting formally with children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Hope it works and will come back to this ver soon
Marc
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Wild Horses
I haven’t posted for a while but have been thinking about lots of things in relation to Judo, Martial Arts and Sport in general so I thought it was time to pull this blog out, it is smoothing I have been thinking about for a while.
I love reading and have read a number of books on Genghis Khan in recent months. I am drawn to the basic brutality of the Stepps in Russia and the hardships face day to day. In a world of hardship the punishments they had for breaking rules were even harder.
The idea of a man being torn limb from limb, imagine having a rope tied to each limb, and then these ties to horses, the riders then take the strain and your body is lifted from the ground. You feel your body stretch in four opposing directions, limbs, muscles and sinews stretch and slowly tear. It is agonising you know you can’t fight it – eventually the limbs are ripped from your body and you die in excruciating pain.
Go from that to Wimbledon where last week the LTA have their championship and most British players get knocked out in the first round. This prompted the British Minster Minister for Sport to make comment along the line of If you don’t win you shouldn’t get funded
So you want funding you have to perform, so the athlete has one rope tied to one arm – Perform or don’t get funded, a policy from GOVENERMNET imposed on British sport. It is one of the cornerstone of Elite funding in the UK.
Some sports forgo much grass roots funding and focus on Elite performance – examples Sailing and Cycling and produce results and get more money. They did this by a centralised training centre – a performance institute. So other NGB’s adopt this.
So to the opposite leg we tie a rope of centralised training.
Then funding comes along for the use of Strength and conditioning, Sports Scientists nutritionalists, all have to be ‘approved’ by the NGB, another rope another arm. Can you imagine one of the best sports psychologists wanting to work with your Olympian – only to be told if he did his funding would be cut – because the psychologist wasn’t on a government list.
Then the NGB say we know best and will manage all events and you go where we say train and compete when we say – the fourth rope. Imagine a centralised performance system where 30% of the Elite players choose to stay in their own training centres and face funds being cut.
Now in some sports say cycling and sailing all the riders of the horses are told to ride together at the same speed in the same direction – toward performance success, they get there pull the athlete – who has to work to keep up, doesn’t always get it easy but is in one piece with Olympic success. At Bejing only one cyclist didn’t get a podium finish and that was due to a crash in the final!
However some sports in this case Judo the players don’t know who are riding the horses and those rider just seem to do their own thing – and the potential talent of the athlete isn’t utilised as the athlete and their chances of success are torn to pieces.
Think about your sport and the athletes you know – how many waste time fighting the system and how many try to change the system?
I love reading and have read a number of books on Genghis Khan in recent months. I am drawn to the basic brutality of the Stepps in Russia and the hardships face day to day. In a world of hardship the punishments they had for breaking rules were even harder.
The idea of a man being torn limb from limb, imagine having a rope tied to each limb, and then these ties to horses, the riders then take the strain and your body is lifted from the ground. You feel your body stretch in four opposing directions, limbs, muscles and sinews stretch and slowly tear. It is agonising you know you can’t fight it – eventually the limbs are ripped from your body and you die in excruciating pain.
Go from that to Wimbledon where last week the LTA have their championship and most British players get knocked out in the first round. This prompted the British Minster Minister for Sport to make comment along the line of If you don’t win you shouldn’t get funded
So you want funding you have to perform, so the athlete has one rope tied to one arm – Perform or don’t get funded, a policy from GOVENERMNET imposed on British sport. It is one of the cornerstone of Elite funding in the UK.
Some sports forgo much grass roots funding and focus on Elite performance – examples Sailing and Cycling and produce results and get more money. They did this by a centralised training centre – a performance institute. So other NGB’s adopt this.
So to the opposite leg we tie a rope of centralised training.
Then funding comes along for the use of Strength and conditioning, Sports Scientists nutritionalists, all have to be ‘approved’ by the NGB, another rope another arm. Can you imagine one of the best sports psychologists wanting to work with your Olympian – only to be told if he did his funding would be cut – because the psychologist wasn’t on a government list.
Then the NGB say we know best and will manage all events and you go where we say train and compete when we say – the fourth rope. Imagine a centralised performance system where 30% of the Elite players choose to stay in their own training centres and face funds being cut.
Now in some sports say cycling and sailing all the riders of the horses are told to ride together at the same speed in the same direction – toward performance success, they get there pull the athlete – who has to work to keep up, doesn’t always get it easy but is in one piece with Olympic success. At Bejing only one cyclist didn’t get a podium finish and that was due to a crash in the final!
However some sports in this case Judo the players don’t know who are riding the horses and those rider just seem to do their own thing – and the potential talent of the athlete isn’t utilised as the athlete and their chances of success are torn to pieces.
Think about your sport and the athletes you know – how many waste time fighting the system and how many try to change the system?
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Drugs In Sport 2
Following various comments on My Drugs In Sport post I have decided to continue the chain of thought this morning.
Given the death and the speculation around the death of Michael Jackson this week I want to talk about addiction. We often think of drug addicts as ‘Crack Heads’ or Heroin Users, the guy who smokes a joint of weed ever night, but it goes beyond this.
The speculation is MJ became addicted to prescription pain killers following the Pepsi hair incident, something that he stated to use as a crutch and it is this small piece of the world of addiction and drugs dependence I want to discuss.
Am I an addict? Am I addicted to adrenalin....I need to get a good buzz every week, be that through training, Windsurfing, a judo competition or performing on stage. I am dependant on tea – I can’t function in the morning without a good strong cuppa, and I don’t drink Alcohol but anyone who has seen me study knows the amount of diet coke I drink.
I am an aware of these things – I know I have an addictive personality but I manage it – I don’t find myself needing to feed these beyond what might be deemed ‘normal’ or high usage. Everybody in my opinion has an addiction something you can’t do without, it might be a daily routine that just makes you feel right........think what’s yours.
How many players do you see strapping a joint to support it during rehabilitation who then 10 weeks latter are still strapping it or putting on a knee brace – just in case. If it is needed this long it needs medical and rehabilitation work.
I know a former international who now takes an anti-inflammatory over the counter medication before competitions – just in case! I know a number of young players who at 16 are taking creatine supplements – way beyond the capacity of their bodies to process – because they have been told to by coaches. When they change coaches they DONT change the supplement programme.
All these actions could be explained as ‘athlete routines’ all of them could become additions and dependence. As coaches we need to manage them, my son has eczema and a number of allergies – it was recommend by a doctor to try a cod liver oil and vit supplement for 3 months. Now to ensure he took it we have given it to him at breakfast – as part of a routine, after the first month we ran out we got a replacement but it was a different brand and didn’t taste right for him so we went back to the original – as we enter month 3 he will only take the pills at the same tie otherwise its not right.
We are on the verge of it becoming a behaviour and a habit – it may be good it may be bad, we know because we miss days ‘ by accident’ and he doesn’t complain, but this could so easily go the other way if he was not being monitored.
So in Sport in general there is lots of drugs misuse, and dependence – and it’s not all steroids and high performance stuff. Te scary thing is many people don’t know they are doing. Take supplements many surveys have shown up to 20% of off the self products are contaminated with ‘banned’ substances.
In the past we have had high level cases or drugs tests failed due to Green Tea, high caffeine levels etc, but next time you with your team look around – who always straps up, who is taking medicine – just in case or I don’t want to get A or B........think about who is dependent on artificial stimulants to enhance performance. It might not be illegal but as coaches and players what should we do, what are the ethics of you as a coach, as a player. When does enhancing training become an athlete’s dependency issue?
I don’t have the answers, an those I find often lead to more questions but I welcome you comments on these few badly articulated thoughts.
Given the death and the speculation around the death of Michael Jackson this week I want to talk about addiction. We often think of drug addicts as ‘Crack Heads’ or Heroin Users, the guy who smokes a joint of weed ever night, but it goes beyond this.
The speculation is MJ became addicted to prescription pain killers following the Pepsi hair incident, something that he stated to use as a crutch and it is this small piece of the world of addiction and drugs dependence I want to discuss.
Am I an addict? Am I addicted to adrenalin....I need to get a good buzz every week, be that through training, Windsurfing, a judo competition or performing on stage. I am dependant on tea – I can’t function in the morning without a good strong cuppa, and I don’t drink Alcohol but anyone who has seen me study knows the amount of diet coke I drink.
I am an aware of these things – I know I have an addictive personality but I manage it – I don’t find myself needing to feed these beyond what might be deemed ‘normal’ or high usage. Everybody in my opinion has an addiction something you can’t do without, it might be a daily routine that just makes you feel right........think what’s yours.
How many players do you see strapping a joint to support it during rehabilitation who then 10 weeks latter are still strapping it or putting on a knee brace – just in case. If it is needed this long it needs medical and rehabilitation work.
I know a former international who now takes an anti-inflammatory over the counter medication before competitions – just in case! I know a number of young players who at 16 are taking creatine supplements – way beyond the capacity of their bodies to process – because they have been told to by coaches. When they change coaches they DONT change the supplement programme.
All these actions could be explained as ‘athlete routines’ all of them could become additions and dependence. As coaches we need to manage them, my son has eczema and a number of allergies – it was recommend by a doctor to try a cod liver oil and vit supplement for 3 months. Now to ensure he took it we have given it to him at breakfast – as part of a routine, after the first month we ran out we got a replacement but it was a different brand and didn’t taste right for him so we went back to the original – as we enter month 3 he will only take the pills at the same tie otherwise its not right.
We are on the verge of it becoming a behaviour and a habit – it may be good it may be bad, we know because we miss days ‘ by accident’ and he doesn’t complain, but this could so easily go the other way if he was not being monitored.
So in Sport in general there is lots of drugs misuse, and dependence – and it’s not all steroids and high performance stuff. Te scary thing is many people don’t know they are doing. Take supplements many surveys have shown up to 20% of off the self products are contaminated with ‘banned’ substances.
In the past we have had high level cases or drugs tests failed due to Green Tea, high caffeine levels etc, but next time you with your team look around – who always straps up, who is taking medicine – just in case or I don’t want to get A or B........think about who is dependent on artificial stimulants to enhance performance. It might not be illegal but as coaches and players what should we do, what are the ethics of you as a coach, as a player. When does enhancing training become an athlete’s dependency issue?
I don’t have the answers, an those I find often lead to more questions but I welcome you comments on these few badly articulated thoughts.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Sailing for Black
Todays blog is a mix match of thoughts, I have an number of things on my mind at the moment some I have blog written but its not yet appropriate to post yet.
One of my other loves is sailing, and a close family friend Alex Sizer is currently part a team all set to break the record of circumnavigating the British Isles in a sailboat. See the full story here:
http://www.aviva.com/media/news/4933/
So best of luck Alex and co.
I am off next week to Bath University for more coach training – this time the UKCC level 2 in Strength & Conditioning for Sport. It amazes me the number of coaches who assume because they are qualified to teach a job class they feel they can advise athletes on everything from nutrition to conditioning training. I hope that following this I can set proper well developed strength and conditioning programmes for my players, and do so knowing they are right not what I think is right.
Talking of my players I have just achieved what I believe is the aim of all participation players, I have just had two players who I taken from total beginners to their 1st Dan. One made national start up squad and then 12 months ago moved from the school I teach at, so had to advise remotely, the other started in the same class on the same day. I have taken him around over the past 12 months doing theory events, gradings and competitions. From a group of 6 boys at 14 who finished a 10 week beginners course 2 now are now Dan grade in 3 years and 8 months.
For a participation coach this I feel is eth point you know you have done you apprenticeship. Having spent years assisting and working different classes, to manage a player from white to black I feel is the ultimate goal.
The interesting thing is that I have only been able to do it because I acknowledge what I don’t know and get other coaches to come and teach techniques I might not do but suit the player, also to send him away to classes and coaches to develop different skill sets.
I suppose we should run coach education courses on knowing when to ask for help and knowing our own weaknesses.
Just a few thoughts.
One of my other loves is sailing, and a close family friend Alex Sizer is currently part a team all set to break the record of circumnavigating the British Isles in a sailboat. See the full story here:
http://www.aviva.com/media/news/4933/
So best of luck Alex and co.
I am off next week to Bath University for more coach training – this time the UKCC level 2 in Strength & Conditioning for Sport. It amazes me the number of coaches who assume because they are qualified to teach a job class they feel they can advise athletes on everything from nutrition to conditioning training. I hope that following this I can set proper well developed strength and conditioning programmes for my players, and do so knowing they are right not what I think is right.
Talking of my players I have just achieved what I believe is the aim of all participation players, I have just had two players who I taken from total beginners to their 1st Dan. One made national start up squad and then 12 months ago moved from the school I teach at, so had to advise remotely, the other started in the same class on the same day. I have taken him around over the past 12 months doing theory events, gradings and competitions. From a group of 6 boys at 14 who finished a 10 week beginners course 2 now are now Dan grade in 3 years and 8 months.
For a participation coach this I feel is eth point you know you have done you apprenticeship. Having spent years assisting and working different classes, to manage a player from white to black I feel is the ultimate goal.
The interesting thing is that I have only been able to do it because I acknowledge what I don’t know and get other coaches to come and teach techniques I might not do but suit the player, also to send him away to classes and coaches to develop different skill sets.
I suppose we should run coach education courses on knowing when to ask for help and knowing our own weaknesses.
Just a few thoughts.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Developing Judo
Today’s Blog is based on a chain of thought I have been developing over the past week given a few facts I came across whilst researching a job application. Some of the points I have made on the BJA Forum
It is based on Judo in the UK but will resonate in many countries
Interesting that in a recent survey by I think it was Sport England or Sport UK they assessed that there were over 100,000 people did judo in the UK but the BJA as the National Governing Body only represented 20-25% of them. A fact acknowledge by the BJA CEO- Scott McCarthy and the board of directors.
So the NGB represent directly the minority of participant – but are the largest single body. To which several of eth other larger groups, BJC, AJA and army forces associations are affiliated.
Recent funding funding from Sport England has been secured to develop the participation in Judo which should mean the BJA working with ALL Judo providers whether they like it or not. But the only figures they can track effectively are their own membership.
I believe there is nothing stopping other bodies being commissioned by Sport England to do participation development in Judo.
Then add the Government introduction of National Standards in Coaching - the UKCC level 1 and 2. Those in Judo have been developed by the BJA and currently these are only delivered by the BJA.
Many sports use Level 1 as a way to get parents into coaching, and level 2 as eth basic level for a club based coach. The BJA have set high levels of grade as a prerequisite for eth courses and introduced a competency test or assessment for non BJA judoka. The cost of this test – at LEAST £ 200.
The UKCC qualification is universal for ALL judoka to create a national standard regardless of organisation. You could argue the BJA are preventing that by making the competency test too expensive.
I have heard that the BJA have been questioned by the UKCC over the £200 min they charge to asses non BJA Grades re their standard in Judo (competency test). I believe the phrase they used is excessively high. Anyone got any input on this?
If this were to be true isn’t this the sort of thing that just alienates people or feeds their fears.
Bear in mind it is £ 20 for a technical Dan grade and most good coaches/examiners could assess you level of Judo even if you didn't have a BJA grade in 20 - 30 minutes. After all you do that with every visiting Judoka at your dojo.
Imagine what would happen if others started to deliver the UKCC level 1 or 2 in Judo, which in theory they could do with the right assessors and verifiers etc.
So on one hand the BJA is being funded to develop Judo in the UK. On the other they have a coaching system – designed to bring in National Standards that is not going to do so as it is cost prohibitive to non BJA members.
How to engage with other non NGB organisation in a productive manner?
The question is you need to acknowledge them, but how do you engage with those on the middle ground whilst avoiding the extremists and the loopy loonies who will react against anything?
If we are to trying to engage with other groups shouldn't we be consistent across the board?
As a BJA member I do Judo, I do Sport Judo, I do traditional Judo, I do Kata based Judo ( badly) I love Judo as do many others – I am happy to help develop judo and if anyone needs marketing help and advice for a club or group I would be happy to help.
Help Judo grow do you bit.
Mussings for the day.
It is based on Judo in the UK but will resonate in many countries
Interesting that in a recent survey by I think it was Sport England or Sport UK they assessed that there were over 100,000 people did judo in the UK but the BJA as the National Governing Body only represented 20-25% of them. A fact acknowledge by the BJA CEO- Scott McCarthy and the board of directors.
So the NGB represent directly the minority of participant – but are the largest single body. To which several of eth other larger groups, BJC, AJA and army forces associations are affiliated.
Recent funding funding from Sport England has been secured to develop the participation in Judo which should mean the BJA working with ALL Judo providers whether they like it or not. But the only figures they can track effectively are their own membership.
I believe there is nothing stopping other bodies being commissioned by Sport England to do participation development in Judo.
Then add the Government introduction of National Standards in Coaching - the UKCC level 1 and 2. Those in Judo have been developed by the BJA and currently these are only delivered by the BJA.
Many sports use Level 1 as a way to get parents into coaching, and level 2 as eth basic level for a club based coach. The BJA have set high levels of grade as a prerequisite for eth courses and introduced a competency test or assessment for non BJA judoka. The cost of this test – at LEAST £ 200.
The UKCC qualification is universal for ALL judoka to create a national standard regardless of organisation. You could argue the BJA are preventing that by making the competency test too expensive.
I have heard that the BJA have been questioned by the UKCC over the £200 min they charge to asses non BJA Grades re their standard in Judo (competency test). I believe the phrase they used is excessively high. Anyone got any input on this?
If this were to be true isn’t this the sort of thing that just alienates people or feeds their fears.
Bear in mind it is £ 20 for a technical Dan grade and most good coaches/examiners could assess you level of Judo even if you didn't have a BJA grade in 20 - 30 minutes. After all you do that with every visiting Judoka at your dojo.
Imagine what would happen if others started to deliver the UKCC level 1 or 2 in Judo, which in theory they could do with the right assessors and verifiers etc.
So on one hand the BJA is being funded to develop Judo in the UK. On the other they have a coaching system – designed to bring in National Standards that is not going to do so as it is cost prohibitive to non BJA members.
How to engage with other non NGB organisation in a productive manner?
The question is you need to acknowledge them, but how do you engage with those on the middle ground whilst avoiding the extremists and the loopy loonies who will react against anything?
If we are to trying to engage with other groups shouldn't we be consistent across the board?
As a BJA member I do Judo, I do Sport Judo, I do traditional Judo, I do Kata based Judo ( badly) I love Judo as do many others – I am happy to help develop judo and if anyone needs marketing help and advice for a club or group I would be happy to help.
Help Judo grow do you bit.
Mussings for the day.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Division and Participation
Today I want to look at the divisions in Judo
Interesting that a lot of the conflicts of opinion are in relation to traditional judo. Kano would be the first to admit that judo evolves. Modern 'sport' judo or Olympic judo has come about because of changes in society that Judo has reflected.
Judo is one of the most adaptive of sports responding to cultural and political and economic pressure. Examples - the move to sport was due to the treaties past WW2 when martial arts were not allowed. The affiliation/ return to co-operating with the BJA, of BJC and AJA to the BJA was part in order for there to be British Team at the Olympics in 1964 then 1972.
Judo was radically affected by the break up of the Soviet Union and we are the first International Sporting organisation to change qualification procedure to the Olympics because the global economic situation.
Judo absorbs moves and ideas from the cultures in which it practices, but those who try to re imbued it with traditional Japanese values misunderstand where Kano was going and therein lies the problem.
Judo has progressed due to conflict – a person grows up in a club wants to coach, the coach doesn’t want him to as he’s not ready – he get frustrated leaves sets up his own club....now we have 2 clubs not 1 doing judo. Similar situations have seen the formation f organisations – the BJA was the first in Europe and then leading to the formation of the IJF, we tend to do that a lot in England – codify sports.....But when someone doesn’t like you rules they do their own thing – BJC http://www.britishjudocouncil.org is a classic example – its formation was a reaction to the BJA www.britishjudo.org.uk
This can help the sport grow.
Various forums and blogs have discussed the World Judo Alliance. My personal opinion is it is a bit of a con. THE advertising standards in the UK would be aghast to see that this ‘world’ organisation is not even represented or have clubs in 5% of the countries doing judo at the Olympics
I believe the World Judo Alliance are a bunch of individuals who don’t know where they are going and someone wants to make money out of it. However there are some key points they address that are worthy of not in terms of support to clubs and coaches and these are things the BJA are doing – but what you do with 6 clubs or 18 clubs is a lot easier to talk about than what you do with a National Governing Body.
The key issue in the England over the next 4 years is participation Sport Englands plan to Grow, Sustain and Excell. www.sportengland.org
We a have to ask ourselves do we want people to be doing judo – in whatever from Kata, BJC AJA, or BJJ or a private company doing schools judo or do we want the whole of the UK to do just BJA/EJU/IFJ judo.
My personal opinion is you get them doing judo then you get them to find the best club to suit them, and eventually if they are informed enough to see if BJA is better for them or some other organisation.
TTFN
Marc
Interesting that a lot of the conflicts of opinion are in relation to traditional judo. Kano would be the first to admit that judo evolves. Modern 'sport' judo or Olympic judo has come about because of changes in society that Judo has reflected.
Judo is one of the most adaptive of sports responding to cultural and political and economic pressure. Examples - the move to sport was due to the treaties past WW2 when martial arts were not allowed. The affiliation/ return to co-operating with the BJA, of BJC and AJA to the BJA was part in order for there to be British Team at the Olympics in 1964 then 1972.
Judo was radically affected by the break up of the Soviet Union and we are the first International Sporting organisation to change qualification procedure to the Olympics because the global economic situation.
Judo absorbs moves and ideas from the cultures in which it practices, but those who try to re imbued it with traditional Japanese values misunderstand where Kano was going and therein lies the problem.
Judo has progressed due to conflict – a person grows up in a club wants to coach, the coach doesn’t want him to as he’s not ready – he get frustrated leaves sets up his own club....now we have 2 clubs not 1 doing judo. Similar situations have seen the formation f organisations – the BJA was the first in Europe and then leading to the formation of the IJF, we tend to do that a lot in England – codify sports.....But when someone doesn’t like you rules they do their own thing – BJC http://www.britishjudocouncil.org is a classic example – its formation was a reaction to the BJA www.britishjudo.org.uk
This can help the sport grow.
Various forums and blogs have discussed the World Judo Alliance. My personal opinion is it is a bit of a con. THE advertising standards in the UK would be aghast to see that this ‘world’ organisation is not even represented or have clubs in 5% of the countries doing judo at the Olympics
I believe the World Judo Alliance are a bunch of individuals who don’t know where they are going and someone wants to make money out of it. However there are some key points they address that are worthy of not in terms of support to clubs and coaches and these are things the BJA are doing – but what you do with 6 clubs or 18 clubs is a lot easier to talk about than what you do with a National Governing Body.
The key issue in the England over the next 4 years is participation Sport Englands plan to Grow, Sustain and Excell. www.sportengland.org
We a have to ask ourselves do we want people to be doing judo – in whatever from Kata, BJC AJA, or BJJ or a private company doing schools judo or do we want the whole of the UK to do just BJA/EJU/IFJ judo.
My personal opinion is you get them doing judo then you get them to find the best club to suit them, and eventually if they are informed enough to see if BJA is better for them or some other organisation.
TTFN
Marc
Sunday, 10 May 2009
A Judokas Charter
Start this blog at a ridiculous hour – 7.30 am having travelled for 90 minutes to get to a Judo competition for a 7.30 weigh in. Now I don’t mind early weigh in but this is for a Junior team event. Why is it is it so early? The reason is bad planning in my opinion on the part of the Hosting county.
Last year the Southern area team event in the UK was a four mat event, matches starting at 10 and finishing around 4. This year the hosts have decided a two mat event is enough. I hope so, but does the idea of players having to travel for 2 hours to weigh in at 7.30 am fit with NGB LTPD for junior athletes, I see children of 12 looking like they are burly awake as they try to get ready to fight. I hope the day doesn’t drag.
After the first team match for the boys which didn’t start until gone 9am the organisers decide to alternate as the girls have just finished weighing in and they might as well start was the official line!
In the UK with the recent change of grading structures many county and area organisations have lost revenue. This should be made up by an increase in low level completion- however it appears they are making the short fall by running large events on the cheap. two mats not four which mean less outlay on halls, on referees and officials.
This is not an isolated case. The British Master was last year a 4 mat event with close to 160 senior men and 30 senior women. A good days judo with a packed schedule of fighting. Initially the area hosting it wanted to run it along side there area 10/11 trails on the same day and same venue. It was only due to pressure from competitors they have now agreed to split the two events.
So the question I ask today is what do we as consumers, spectators and competitors want, are we going to be driven by the need of the NGB and its areas to make money or our need to gain competition experience for our players? Should the NGB under their new strategic plan to Sustain, Grow and Excell from now until 2013, consider us as consumers and adopt a marketing strategy to set expectations and fulfil them.
The NHS have a patents charter, Schools have a pupils charter so ....
Imagine a Judoka Charter for events. Every Judoka competing at an event has the rite to expect .... what?
Well here is my Judoka Charter for competitions:
Every Judoka has the rite to
1. Compete in fair and equitable completion under IJF rules and those of the NGB.
2. BE protect from intimidation by other players and coaches both on and off the mat.
3. Expect suitable and efficient First Aid provision
4. A nominated weigh in time which should be no more than 2 hours form the start of their weight category.
5. Be kept fully informed of the format of the day’s events
6. A safe well maintained changing area
7. Suitable warm up facilities
Would I be wrong to expect such basic things? Because from what I see at the moment you get this at some events and not at others. What do you think should be on it...?
Perhaps next time I will do a blog on a parents charter for what to expect from your Judo club...
Bye for Now
Last year the Southern area team event in the UK was a four mat event, matches starting at 10 and finishing around 4. This year the hosts have decided a two mat event is enough. I hope so, but does the idea of players having to travel for 2 hours to weigh in at 7.30 am fit with NGB LTPD for junior athletes, I see children of 12 looking like they are burly awake as they try to get ready to fight. I hope the day doesn’t drag.
After the first team match for the boys which didn’t start until gone 9am the organisers decide to alternate as the girls have just finished weighing in and they might as well start was the official line!
In the UK with the recent change of grading structures many county and area organisations have lost revenue. This should be made up by an increase in low level completion- however it appears they are making the short fall by running large events on the cheap. two mats not four which mean less outlay on halls, on referees and officials.
This is not an isolated case. The British Master was last year a 4 mat event with close to 160 senior men and 30 senior women. A good days judo with a packed schedule of fighting. Initially the area hosting it wanted to run it along side there area 10/11 trails on the same day and same venue. It was only due to pressure from competitors they have now agreed to split the two events.
So the question I ask today is what do we as consumers, spectators and competitors want, are we going to be driven by the need of the NGB and its areas to make money or our need to gain competition experience for our players? Should the NGB under their new strategic plan to Sustain, Grow and Excell from now until 2013, consider us as consumers and adopt a marketing strategy to set expectations and fulfil them.
The NHS have a patents charter, Schools have a pupils charter so ....
Imagine a Judoka Charter for events. Every Judoka competing at an event has the rite to expect .... what?
Well here is my Judoka Charter for competitions:
Every Judoka has the rite to
1. Compete in fair and equitable completion under IJF rules and those of the NGB.
2. BE protect from intimidation by other players and coaches both on and off the mat.
3. Expect suitable and efficient First Aid provision
4. A nominated weigh in time which should be no more than 2 hours form the start of their weight category.
5. Be kept fully informed of the format of the day’s events
6. A safe well maintained changing area
7. Suitable warm up facilities
Would I be wrong to expect such basic things? Because from what I see at the moment you get this at some events and not at others. What do you think should be on it...?
Perhaps next time I will do a blog on a parents charter for what to expect from your Judo club...
Bye for Now
Friday, 8 May 2009
What makes Good Judo?
I haven’t blogged for a while as I have been tied up with degree assignments and posting on the BJA forum. It is an area of the forum I wanted to try explore today.
Background
Someone posted 4 video clips
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2363
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2657
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2686
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2598
The thread title was Worst Olympian Ever!!!! The author said this must be the worst Olympian ever as he has no heart. Something I disagreed with. So the discussion then lead to what define good and the best Judo is it hoe effective it is – winning the fight no matter how, ...winning with Ippon?
Full thread is here:
http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=24&Number=46680&Searchpage=1&Main=2551&Words=&topic=1&Search=true#Post46680
When chatting with Lance Wicks (www.judocoach.com) we looked how do you judo good judo? If it is about beating the opponent then style doesn’t come into it nor does the level of the score – it is about playing the rules.
Playing the rules happens in other sports Formula 1 and the 6 wheeled McClaren of the 1970’s, or the current new diffuser boxes, or the Sailing final that saw Ben Ainsley win gold by not trying to win a race only using the laws of sailing to make his nearest competitor get a low ranking.
You might not like countries loading events with competitors pre Olympics to stop key players from other countries qualifying but it was within the rules if not the spirit of Judo.
So what is good judo?
Someone said to me it was about Ippon Judo nothing more or less – so is 4 minutes of negative judo getting 3 shido’s good judo... as long as you produce one attack that scores you Ippon?
I was looking for a way of rating items that went to good Judo at an ELITE OLYMPIC level...the list I came up with is
My idea on good judo for the Olympics performance judo– different at non recreational level – so if you have these qualities then your judo is good if not judo is bad, and by rating these on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the excellent 1 being the worst or nonexistent, and adding the score up you could create a scale to rate the best and worst performers at an Olympics.
It is not extensive nor is it exclusive. I would like to try and keep lists to 10, so what’s your list? If something on my list is in your opinion wrong please say why and what you would re place it with?
1. Commits to attacks
2. Moves and controls partner with skill as well as strength
3. Ability to use tactics and strategy in fights
4. Adapts the judo to opponent, both using pro active and reactive Judo, passive and aggressive states.
5. Wins fights
6. Doesn’t give up, eg. Carries on fighting to escape in Osekomi ( heart or motivation)
7. Has a variety of scoring techniques, sides and directions
8. Has a variety of gripping patterns and grips
9. Consistent, both fight to fight and from Tachi Waza to Ne Waza
10. Mentally sharp and switched on – able to think to adapt within a completion and fight.
I am trying to keep it to intrinsic quality regardless of the support network, coach etc. 3 Are Psychological, 3 are technical the other cross a couple of boarders.
So the thought I will leave you is what is good judo and how will you recognise it and recognise it in young players...as we have no frame work or points of reference....would love your comments.
Background
Someone posted 4 video clips
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2363
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2657
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2686
http://www.judovision.org/?p=2598
The thread title was Worst Olympian Ever!!!! The author said this must be the worst Olympian ever as he has no heart. Something I disagreed with. So the discussion then lead to what define good and the best Judo is it hoe effective it is – winning the fight no matter how, ...winning with Ippon?
Full thread is here:
http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=24&Number=46680&Searchpage=1&Main=2551&Words=&topic=1&Search=true#Post46680
When chatting with Lance Wicks (www.judocoach.com) we looked how do you judo good judo? If it is about beating the opponent then style doesn’t come into it nor does the level of the score – it is about playing the rules.
Playing the rules happens in other sports Formula 1 and the 6 wheeled McClaren of the 1970’s, or the current new diffuser boxes, or the Sailing final that saw Ben Ainsley win gold by not trying to win a race only using the laws of sailing to make his nearest competitor get a low ranking.
You might not like countries loading events with competitors pre Olympics to stop key players from other countries qualifying but it was within the rules if not the spirit of Judo.
So what is good judo?
Someone said to me it was about Ippon Judo nothing more or less – so is 4 minutes of negative judo getting 3 shido’s good judo... as long as you produce one attack that scores you Ippon?
I was looking for a way of rating items that went to good Judo at an ELITE OLYMPIC level...the list I came up with is
My idea on good judo for the Olympics performance judo– different at non recreational level – so if you have these qualities then your judo is good if not judo is bad, and by rating these on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the excellent 1 being the worst or nonexistent, and adding the score up you could create a scale to rate the best and worst performers at an Olympics.
It is not extensive nor is it exclusive. I would like to try and keep lists to 10, so what’s your list? If something on my list is in your opinion wrong please say why and what you would re place it with?
1. Commits to attacks
2. Moves and controls partner with skill as well as strength
3. Ability to use tactics and strategy in fights
4. Adapts the judo to opponent, both using pro active and reactive Judo, passive and aggressive states.
5. Wins fights
6. Doesn’t give up, eg. Carries on fighting to escape in Osekomi ( heart or motivation)
7. Has a variety of scoring techniques, sides and directions
8. Has a variety of gripping patterns and grips
9. Consistent, both fight to fight and from Tachi Waza to Ne Waza
10. Mentally sharp and switched on – able to think to adapt within a completion and fight.
I am trying to keep it to intrinsic quality regardless of the support network, coach etc. 3 Are Psychological, 3 are technical the other cross a couple of boarders.
So the thought I will leave you is what is good judo and how will you recognise it and recognise it in young players...as we have no frame work or points of reference....would love your comments.
Monday, 13 April 2009
The First Coach
Having finished at Bath University on Friday I had a 2 hour trip home a change of bags and a 700 mile drive to Oban in Scotland. During this time I reflected on the awesome time I had at Bath. I suppose one of the enduring memories will be chatting with four world champions and them reflecting on what made their Judo.
Some of this is available a pod cast of an interview session with three of them. But what was surprising was the common ground, the supportive nature of their parents and EVERY one of them and several of the Olympians who where there as well all noted that their first instructors where instrumental in their development.
So if they say this was important why is it that beginner’s class in the west are not taught by the most experienced coaches? Why is there no specialised training and coach education courses aimed at coaching beginners? I teach beginners and always have, my first coaching jobs were helping with a “Try Judo” Course. I was helping a 5th Dan and learnt a lot. Even now my 14 week beginner’s course with the Army has 3 experienced coaches, a 5th 4th and 2nd Dan, running it with every lesson review and improved.
Our National Governing Bodies talk about retention and increasing the number of Judoka who move from school to club judo, we talk about increasing the number of lesson for beginners and getting people to try but we never talk about raising the standards of coaches for beginners’.
This week I have had lectures on Pedagogy, now I have had these as a teacher and through CPD at some of the private schools I teach at , but I have NEVER had such in depth discussion in an academic way about different stages of physical, emotional and psychological development. I will need to develop this into my coaching ensuring a level commensurate with the pupils being taught but surely an NGB should be doing this not leaving it to university courses?
Next time your club runs a beginners’ class put the most experienced coach in charge, see if it makes a difference,. Try and think like a new comer to the sport would these classes encourage you to carry on and is the coach inspirational, will they encourage kids or adults to be the best Judoka they can be?
I will expand these ideas next time and hope to look at the environment within your club – and your classes and how this may help or hinder some players and what we can do about it.
Speak soon.
Marc
Some of this is available a pod cast of an interview session with three of them. But what was surprising was the common ground, the supportive nature of their parents and EVERY one of them and several of the Olympians who where there as well all noted that their first instructors where instrumental in their development.
So if they say this was important why is it that beginner’s class in the west are not taught by the most experienced coaches? Why is there no specialised training and coach education courses aimed at coaching beginners? I teach beginners and always have, my first coaching jobs were helping with a “Try Judo” Course. I was helping a 5th Dan and learnt a lot. Even now my 14 week beginner’s course with the Army has 3 experienced coaches, a 5th 4th and 2nd Dan, running it with every lesson review and improved.
Our National Governing Bodies talk about retention and increasing the number of Judoka who move from school to club judo, we talk about increasing the number of lesson for beginners and getting people to try but we never talk about raising the standards of coaches for beginners’.
This week I have had lectures on Pedagogy, now I have had these as a teacher and through CPD at some of the private schools I teach at , but I have NEVER had such in depth discussion in an academic way about different stages of physical, emotional and psychological development. I will need to develop this into my coaching ensuring a level commensurate with the pupils being taught but surely an NGB should be doing this not leaving it to university courses?
Next time your club runs a beginners’ class put the most experienced coach in charge, see if it makes a difference,. Try and think like a new comer to the sport would these classes encourage you to carry on and is the coach inspirational, will they encourage kids or adults to be the best Judoka they can be?
I will expand these ideas next time and hope to look at the environment within your club – and your classes and how this may help or hinder some players and what we can do about it.
Speak soon.
Marc
Friday, 3 April 2009
TV, Judo and Rules
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
Thomas Alva Edison
I start with a quote today because I have been involved in planning the next Bath EJU debate this year. In my opinion lots of good topics we dismissed because the research looked like it would be hard work.
Well we have a debate title and hopefully we will stream it live on the net on 6th August 2009.
I would like your help if you have an opinion on the following....
Do you feel that the IJF have had rule changes to try and get TV coverage? If so what example would you give?
Also do you believe influence TV has had has been positive or negative. If you can give example let me know.
The reason being we are going to be debating this and I want to try and see if there are common opinions from the rank and file Judoka.
I was also wondering what rule change do you think would help get TV coverage?
When exploring the idea I generally thought about TV and its effect on sport. For instance football kick off times being altered to suit TV companies, the swimming at the Olympics taking place in the morning so it can go live in the major TV markets...or the Athens Olympic Marathon taking place in the peak of the day...for TV.
I agree TV brings in money to a sport through sponsorship and broadcast rites. It raises the sports profile and therefore encourages participation. But is it something that a sport like Judo should chase? Could we compete with boxing and MMA as a TV spectacular?
I don’t have answers yet just questions....your thoughts please.
Thomas Alva Edison
I start with a quote today because I have been involved in planning the next Bath EJU debate this year. In my opinion lots of good topics we dismissed because the research looked like it would be hard work.
Well we have a debate title and hopefully we will stream it live on the net on 6th August 2009.
I would like your help if you have an opinion on the following....
Do you feel that the IJF have had rule changes to try and get TV coverage? If so what example would you give?
Also do you believe influence TV has had has been positive or negative. If you can give example let me know.
The reason being we are going to be debating this and I want to try and see if there are common opinions from the rank and file Judoka.
I was also wondering what rule change do you think would help get TV coverage?
When exploring the idea I generally thought about TV and its effect on sport. For instance football kick off times being altered to suit TV companies, the swimming at the Olympics taking place in the morning so it can go live in the major TV markets...or the Athens Olympic Marathon taking place in the peak of the day...for TV.
I agree TV brings in money to a sport through sponsorship and broadcast rites. It raises the sports profile and therefore encourages participation. But is it something that a sport like Judo should chase? Could we compete with boxing and MMA as a TV spectacular?
I don’t have answers yet just questions....your thoughts please.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Non Fomral Learning
I sit at a desk tonight as I type this, having spent two days at Bath University on the EJU Level 4 coshing course. This 3 year block route course is the only of its kind in Europe. An extensive course on coaching Judo at an Elite level.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/sports/foundation/judo/index.html
Over the past two days we have been discussing how coaches learn. I have been looking at a concept of non-formal learning – the discussion, experiences and reflective practices that allow a coach to develop, where there is no formal structure or aim.
Do you as a coach reflect and keep a diary or note book of what you do well and can improve?
I suppose that this Blog is a way of me expressing idea that I haven’t always formulated as part of my coaching philosophy. Any one reading this could consider it to be non formal learning – as long as you discuss the idea.
I find it interesting that many sports NGB’s don’t have a formal CPD programmes, the BJA in Britain definitely don’t. But they are a bit Jurassic in their approach. They don’t recognise discussion and reading a form of development, they are non formal learning if you start to act on the information and actively engage with the subject. However it is non-formal learning that they try and promote as part of their paid courses discussion groups, break out groups, work in pairs and think about ...etc.
Maybe I am bias as the BJA send their staff on the EJU level 4 and 5 courses but don’t allow coaches to carry the qualification on their coaching licence – as it is not recognised by the BJA, but they will acknowledge it for coaching revalidation.
Now when you have stopped laughing just ask yourself how good is your coaching, and when was the last time you consider what you do well and why it works or what you could improve on and how you could do that.
I personally have a couple of coaches who help mentor me and discuss classes and incidents. I find these inform feedback sessions and mentoring invaluable. I think every coach should be able to chat and develop ideas. Those discussions should be suitable to note down and put in your coaching portfolio.
Just a thought for the day
http://www.bath.ac.uk/sports/foundation/judo/index.html
Over the past two days we have been discussing how coaches learn. I have been looking at a concept of non-formal learning – the discussion, experiences and reflective practices that allow a coach to develop, where there is no formal structure or aim.
Do you as a coach reflect and keep a diary or note book of what you do well and can improve?
I suppose that this Blog is a way of me expressing idea that I haven’t always formulated as part of my coaching philosophy. Any one reading this could consider it to be non formal learning – as long as you discuss the idea.
I find it interesting that many sports NGB’s don’t have a formal CPD programmes, the BJA in Britain definitely don’t. But they are a bit Jurassic in their approach. They don’t recognise discussion and reading a form of development, they are non formal learning if you start to act on the information and actively engage with the subject. However it is non-formal learning that they try and promote as part of their paid courses discussion groups, break out groups, work in pairs and think about ...etc.
Maybe I am bias as the BJA send their staff on the EJU level 4 and 5 courses but don’t allow coaches to carry the qualification on their coaching licence – as it is not recognised by the BJA, but they will acknowledge it for coaching revalidation.
Now when you have stopped laughing just ask yourself how good is your coaching, and when was the last time you consider what you do well and why it works or what you could improve on and how you could do that.
I personally have a couple of coaches who help mentor me and discuss classes and incidents. I find these inform feedback sessions and mentoring invaluable. I think every coach should be able to chat and develop ideas. Those discussions should be suitable to note down and put in your coaching portfolio.
Just a thought for the day
Monday, 16 March 2009
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.
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.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Team Selection
I have had a hectic week with a number of events and competitions. As a coach one of my schools caused me a huge problem, the reason team selection. How do you select a team as a coach, 22 eligible players but only allowed to enter a team of 12.
Three age groups under 14, 14 – 16, and 16 – 19 year olds, you could then have up to 3 players in a weight group. With a team comtpeition based on medal rankings so how do you pick the team?
Do you select the 12 players with the best chance of winning in a weight group? Or do you select the 12 players who have committed and turned up at training?
Do you have a policy that is open and people know what they need to do to get in, then select the top 12, or do you look at the event selecting suitable players – perhaps excluding good players because their chances in an age/weight group may be limited?
Judo is an individual sport but when you put a team together how important is team cohesion. Some sports like Netball may exclude some players at higher levels because they don’t fit the teams cohesion but may be better than players included.
In my case I took 18 players everyone available, not with other commitments or injuries, no-one was told of weights to make, they arrived and we weighed them, then selected the team. I know some where disappointed but as a team 8 out of 12 had podium places, we came 2nd in the team event But the best thing was though 12 fought we had a team of 18.
Everybody had a role and function during the day and there was no stars, every fight was watched and supported the good and the bad, no criticisms just strong support.
At the end of the day I came to a conclusion that a coach shouldn’t worry about selecting a team it is a coach’s job to build a team, the team is more than the individual player it is the essence of your club, its’ spirit. When you chose individuals to fight it is the spirit of the player and what it adds to the team reflecting its values is important.
I am a participation coach first and an elite coach second – perhaps that effects my judgement but your comments are appreciated.
Till next time.
Marc
Three age groups under 14, 14 – 16, and 16 – 19 year olds, you could then have up to 3 players in a weight group. With a team comtpeition based on medal rankings so how do you pick the team?
Do you select the 12 players with the best chance of winning in a weight group? Or do you select the 12 players who have committed and turned up at training?
Do you have a policy that is open and people know what they need to do to get in, then select the top 12, or do you look at the event selecting suitable players – perhaps excluding good players because their chances in an age/weight group may be limited?
Judo is an individual sport but when you put a team together how important is team cohesion. Some sports like Netball may exclude some players at higher levels because they don’t fit the teams cohesion but may be better than players included.
In my case I took 18 players everyone available, not with other commitments or injuries, no-one was told of weights to make, they arrived and we weighed them, then selected the team. I know some where disappointed but as a team 8 out of 12 had podium places, we came 2nd in the team event But the best thing was though 12 fought we had a team of 18.
Everybody had a role and function during the day and there was no stars, every fight was watched and supported the good and the bad, no criticisms just strong support.
At the end of the day I came to a conclusion that a coach shouldn’t worry about selecting a team it is a coach’s job to build a team, the team is more than the individual player it is the essence of your club, its’ spirit. When you chose individuals to fight it is the spirit of the player and what it adds to the team reflecting its values is important.
I am a participation coach first and an elite coach second – perhaps that effects my judgement but your comments are appreciated.
Till next time.
Marc
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
LTPD and a great Manager
LTPD
Today I want to chat about Long Term Player Development. This has to ne a god thing as long as it is not just performance focused. Many LTPD plans are focused on performance and goals not on holistic player development. Too many coaches don’t see LTPD as part of there remit when they should.
Alex Fergusson the Manchester United Manager is an excellent LTPD coach. HE has player from 12 and many he takes to the pinnacle of their careers. Often the relationship only stops when one or two conditions are meet.
1.The player fails to maintain the standards Fergusson sets for off field and private life activities. E.g. David Beckham
2. The player is given a choice by Fergusson, you can play as a squad member with limited starts or as you are still a good player move clubs to play as a first choice.
Fergusson will blood a younger player and then remove them form the first team to build on their weaknesses, as he did with player like Wes Brown, he also allows for injuries and drops in performance as he did with Alan Smith and Ben Foster.
Fergusson plays the short game – season by season but has long plans 4 – 8 years for his future teams – he is on his 4th rotation of teams over 20 years – that is Long term Player devlopment. But Fergusson has gives his players exit strategies.
They hit 30 – 35 and they are already working towards coaching awards – look at the number of ex- Manchester United Players now managing in the premiership who all were put on the ladder by Fergusson. Ryan Giggs is the current older player moving on this path.
Now does this relate to Judo.....to me it is about a whole player – I have a student who is currently getting points for his Black Belt, once he get it he will slack off his judo because of exams – but in the next year he will do a coaching award.
So many times we see elite level athletes’ who get injury and leave the sport because the LTPD is focused on performance, at places like Bath the Elite players do degrees laying the foundation of the exit strategy. The problem is Judo like many sports is focused on the Olympic cycle if you might be too old you are out, a dip in form you are out. A true LTPD programme should support during injuries and help develop suitable exit strategies for players.
SO I think:
1. Every player recreational or performance should have an LTPD plan
2. It should reflect the needs and desires of the player.
3. The exit and contingency strategies are as important as the goals and time scales.
4. Coaches should be judged not just on immediate results but there LTPD.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Have a good day.
Marc
Today I want to chat about Long Term Player Development. This has to ne a god thing as long as it is not just performance focused. Many LTPD plans are focused on performance and goals not on holistic player development. Too many coaches don’t see LTPD as part of there remit when they should.
Alex Fergusson the Manchester United Manager is an excellent LTPD coach. HE has player from 12 and many he takes to the pinnacle of their careers. Often the relationship only stops when one or two conditions are meet.
1.The player fails to maintain the standards Fergusson sets for off field and private life activities. E.g. David Beckham
2. The player is given a choice by Fergusson, you can play as a squad member with limited starts or as you are still a good player move clubs to play as a first choice.
Fergusson will blood a younger player and then remove them form the first team to build on their weaknesses, as he did with player like Wes Brown, he also allows for injuries and drops in performance as he did with Alan Smith and Ben Foster.
Fergusson plays the short game – season by season but has long plans 4 – 8 years for his future teams – he is on his 4th rotation of teams over 20 years – that is Long term Player devlopment. But Fergusson has gives his players exit strategies.
They hit 30 – 35 and they are already working towards coaching awards – look at the number of ex- Manchester United Players now managing in the premiership who all were put on the ladder by Fergusson. Ryan Giggs is the current older player moving on this path.
Now does this relate to Judo.....to me it is about a whole player – I have a student who is currently getting points for his Black Belt, once he get it he will slack off his judo because of exams – but in the next year he will do a coaching award.
So many times we see elite level athletes’ who get injury and leave the sport because the LTPD is focused on performance, at places like Bath the Elite players do degrees laying the foundation of the exit strategy. The problem is Judo like many sports is focused on the Olympic cycle if you might be too old you are out, a dip in form you are out. A true LTPD programme should support during injuries and help develop suitable exit strategies for players.
SO I think:
1. Every player recreational or performance should have an LTPD plan
2. It should reflect the needs and desires of the player.
3. The exit and contingency strategies are as important as the goals and time scales.
4. Coaches should be judged not just on immediate results but there LTPD.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Have a good day.
Marc
Sunday, 1 March 2009
A bit of History and a Dream
Today I fulfilled a small dream.
I taught at the Budokwai in London.
http://www.thebudokwai.com/
The oldest Judo Club in Europe. I was fortunate enough to be on the coaching team for a training season for Boys attending the Headmasters Conference Independent Schools championship next week.
For those who have never been the Budokwai’s reception is full of photos of the great and good of British Judo from Palmer and Inman to Stevens and Jacks, form Sweeny to Adams they all have trained there.
Watching my boys look at the these and be more impressed by Guy Richie than Angelo Parissi, it made me realise how little they know about Judo in the UK. Now that may be my fault as a coach but how much do we teach our students about the history of Judo?
To me the Budokwai was a place my dad trained in the 1960’s and was iconic in my judo upbringing. It was hallowed ground, I wonder with modern training centres if there will be places like that in the future.?
So perhaps I will dig out old clip on You-tube of Starbrook or Jacks and recount their big wins. I am fortunate I have Jane Bridge as a tutor at Bath University but my students don’t know she was the first ever Female Judo World Champion in New York where she also won the Style Award. Perhaps we have Judo traditions on the mat but it might be time for me to start and let students know about the footsteps they are following in.
I hope 2012 in London will give 1000’s of young judo players an inspiration and the ability to say I remember when I saw....... today I added my own first ...the day i first bowed on as a guest coach at the Budokwai.
It is the small things that mean a lot.......hope you fill a small dream soon they make life feel sweet.
I taught at the Budokwai in London.
http://www.thebudokwai.com/
The oldest Judo Club in Europe. I was fortunate enough to be on the coaching team for a training season for Boys attending the Headmasters Conference Independent Schools championship next week.
For those who have never been the Budokwai’s reception is full of photos of the great and good of British Judo from Palmer and Inman to Stevens and Jacks, form Sweeny to Adams they all have trained there.
Watching my boys look at the these and be more impressed by Guy Richie than Angelo Parissi, it made me realise how little they know about Judo in the UK. Now that may be my fault as a coach but how much do we teach our students about the history of Judo?
To me the Budokwai was a place my dad trained in the 1960’s and was iconic in my judo upbringing. It was hallowed ground, I wonder with modern training centres if there will be places like that in the future.?
So perhaps I will dig out old clip on You-tube of Starbrook or Jacks and recount their big wins. I am fortunate I have Jane Bridge as a tutor at Bath University but my students don’t know she was the first ever Female Judo World Champion in New York where she also won the Style Award. Perhaps we have Judo traditions on the mat but it might be time for me to start and let students know about the footsteps they are following in.
I hope 2012 in London will give 1000’s of young judo players an inspiration and the ability to say I remember when I saw....... today I added my own first ...the day i first bowed on as a guest coach at the Budokwai.
It is the small things that mean a lot.......hope you fill a small dream soon they make life feel sweet.
Drugs in Sport – Biographies
Once again I open my paper to see a story about drugs in sport.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1157606/DWAIN-CHAMBERS-TALKS-TO-MARTIN-SAMUEL-How-drugs-shame-brought-brink-suicide-physical-cost-fight-win-gold-clean.html
But this is a bit greyer than most. It is a review as selection of writings from Dwain Chambers autobiography – Race Against Me, My Story.
Available from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Race-Against-Me-My-Story/dp/1905988753
Now fact Chambers severed a two year ban for using THG, he is banned form competing for Britain at the Olympics for life, and he is now back – clean – competing and winning Gold medals as a sprinter.
So the book raises a number of points should an athlete prosper from selling the story of cheating? Or is it part of the life experience and an autobiography can be justified? Should the athletic cheat be covered by the same laws that stop criminals prospering form book deals on bank robberies etc?
All that aside the book appears to be different to many other on a number of levels. The first is Chambers wrote it himself – no ghost writer hearing stories and creating a book that flows in a readable manor, Chambers just has had a friend tidy up the prose, so it is to quote Marten Samuel in the Daily Mail...
“It is , for the most part, a searing, honest account of his life in athletics and time as a walking junkie- Chambers Words – under Conte. Chambers goes further than any athlete in revealing how, why, when and where”
I hope the book will be a deterrent but it also highlights failing in managers and other coaches in spotting the drug use or not acknowledging the problem. Also the athletes mind set that others are doing it so why shouldn’t I.
I think the most telling comment I have read so far is ....
“There will be a lot of people out there cheating, though, people who know how to manipulate teh programme.”
This last statement made me think about all the coaches I have heard talk of “getting in the refs head” it is just playing to the letter of the law, or at the edge of the rules. Is that cheating – if so can one form of cheating or performance enhancement etc playing the letter not the spirit of the law be more acceptable than a performance enhancing drug?
The bottom line is to the average kid who comes to a Dojo to train drugs in sport isn’t an issue, it is only an issue to them when it is normalised in the hero’s or stars they idolised are seen taking drugs of any kind that it has a real impact on them. SO Chambers book I will buy and read, as a coach to see what went wrong and perhaps help me see signs to look out for, as a warning to other players....perhaps someone should send a copy to Mr Phelps.
Phelps and Chambers both part of teh same problem – misuse of Drugs – but is there a consistancey across sports, or sanctions and consequences applied faily to all?
Should Cambers profit form the book? I don’t know, should he have written it? ...yes – and every coach should read it.
Todays rant over, see you Tuesday,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1157606/DWAIN-CHAMBERS-TALKS-TO-MARTIN-SAMUEL-How-drugs-shame-brought-brink-suicide-physical-cost-fight-win-gold-clean.html
But this is a bit greyer than most. It is a review as selection of writings from Dwain Chambers autobiography – Race Against Me, My Story.
Available from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Race-Against-Me-My-Story/dp/1905988753
Now fact Chambers severed a two year ban for using THG, he is banned form competing for Britain at the Olympics for life, and he is now back – clean – competing and winning Gold medals as a sprinter.
So the book raises a number of points should an athlete prosper from selling the story of cheating? Or is it part of the life experience and an autobiography can be justified? Should the athletic cheat be covered by the same laws that stop criminals prospering form book deals on bank robberies etc?
All that aside the book appears to be different to many other on a number of levels. The first is Chambers wrote it himself – no ghost writer hearing stories and creating a book that flows in a readable manor, Chambers just has had a friend tidy up the prose, so it is to quote Marten Samuel in the Daily Mail...
“It is , for the most part, a searing, honest account of his life in athletics and time as a walking junkie- Chambers Words – under Conte. Chambers goes further than any athlete in revealing how, why, when and where”
I hope the book will be a deterrent but it also highlights failing in managers and other coaches in spotting the drug use or not acknowledging the problem. Also the athletes mind set that others are doing it so why shouldn’t I.
I think the most telling comment I have read so far is ....
“There will be a lot of people out there cheating, though, people who know how to manipulate teh programme.”
This last statement made me think about all the coaches I have heard talk of “getting in the refs head” it is just playing to the letter of the law, or at the edge of the rules. Is that cheating – if so can one form of cheating or performance enhancement etc playing the letter not the spirit of the law be more acceptable than a performance enhancing drug?
The bottom line is to the average kid who comes to a Dojo to train drugs in sport isn’t an issue, it is only an issue to them when it is normalised in the hero’s or stars they idolised are seen taking drugs of any kind that it has a real impact on them. SO Chambers book I will buy and read, as a coach to see what went wrong and perhaps help me see signs to look out for, as a warning to other players....perhaps someone should send a copy to Mr Phelps.
Phelps and Chambers both part of teh same problem – misuse of Drugs – but is there a consistancey across sports, or sanctions and consequences applied faily to all?
Should Cambers profit form the book? I don’t know, should he have written it? ...yes – and every coach should read it.
Todays rant over, see you Tuesday,
Friday, 27 February 2009
Coaching A Coach
I am fortunate that as I pen this blog – yes i wrote this long hand before i entered it – I am skiing in Switzerland. Though a very good skier I always take a series of lessons when I am away for a week or more.
Why? ...... Just to ensure my technique hasn’t got sloppy. It makes me realise that practice makes permanent, only perfect practice makes perfect.
So when was the last time you were coached as a judo player? Having someone critically look at a fight, a throw or a set up you use and then give you constructive advice and help.
That is a bit of an aside as to what I wanted to talk about today....when did you as a coach did you experience life as a student, being taught or coached perhaps in a different sport.
My Swiss ski instructor doing group lessons used different coaching styles and techniques which I recognised – some applied in slightly different manners and which I thought might be useful when doing Judo. It was the handling of group dynamics I found very interesting, in one group he had a family on holiday with teenagers who skied well, a young couple and me. His reinforcing positive points of techniques – only mentioning one teaching point at at a time, building on each, giving time to practice and then feedback.
He then started getting people to observe each other and pass comment on each other. He focused on positive statements it would only be ¾ of the way through the lesson he would mention a negative in an interesting manner .......It is worth saying sometimes people do .....but I haven’t seen it in this group but please be aware if you do this.......
So my skiing is improving and my coaching is too. As I see what a coach’s job is in a different light...I wonder if it could be a tax deductible......
Why? ...... Just to ensure my technique hasn’t got sloppy. It makes me realise that practice makes permanent, only perfect practice makes perfect.
So when was the last time you were coached as a judo player? Having someone critically look at a fight, a throw or a set up you use and then give you constructive advice and help.
That is a bit of an aside as to what I wanted to talk about today....when did you as a coach did you experience life as a student, being taught or coached perhaps in a different sport.
My Swiss ski instructor doing group lessons used different coaching styles and techniques which I recognised – some applied in slightly different manners and which I thought might be useful when doing Judo. It was the handling of group dynamics I found very interesting, in one group he had a family on holiday with teenagers who skied well, a young couple and me. His reinforcing positive points of techniques – only mentioning one teaching point at at a time, building on each, giving time to practice and then feedback.
He then started getting people to observe each other and pass comment on each other. He focused on positive statements it would only be ¾ of the way through the lesson he would mention a negative in an interesting manner .......It is worth saying sometimes people do .....but I haven’t seen it in this group but please be aware if you do this.......
So my skiing is improving and my coaching is too. As I see what a coach’s job is in a different light...I wonder if it could be a tax deductible......
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Perceived Danger!!
On a flight to Switzerland I overheard a couple of people comment on a newspaper report about Chris Hoy, Olympic Gold Medallist, and a cycling accident at the Track Word Championships in The Netherlands. (Article from International Herald and Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/14/sports/CYC-Track-Cycling-World-Cup.php )
The conversation was about was it news – a dad was saying kids fall off bikes all the time, he was dismissive of it. Mum was saying she didn’t think cycling was dangerous but at the speeds they go they don’t have much protection.
This brought about a thought and a recollection of a conversation I have had whilst doing circus skills workshops and magic workshops. Jugglers train to be technically perfect, never dropping a ball, just like a tight rope walker, they don’t want to fall off or wobble. Yet in order to entertain there has to be a perception of danger for the audience, a wobble and almost stumble on the tight rope or the aborted 1st attempt at a big move, a dropped ball or club them a successful attempt.
Cycling can be dangerous but it isn’t perceived as such. Judo can be potentially dangerous but when it is televised it is becoming sanitised. Boxing, Karate have blows to the head, cage fighting with its brutality all get good TV coverage, all have strong danger elements.
When the IJF remove a throw because someone breaks a leg, saying a throw is now to dangerous ( these where world class players), this reduced potential risk, but the reverse is true people want to watch the risk. This is what TV producers might call the car crash effect. When Joe Theisman's leg broke this was a highlight on TV news now it’s on the internet...here is the link .....
http://www.extremesportclips.com/video/299/Joe-Theisman-Leg-Break.html
Did you watch it ......if so why ...... You Tube is full of these.
The IJF want to make Judo a TV sport, a sport TV companies want to cover, we have huge throws, this is great but there is NO DANGER....we minimise risk. Look on You Tube for clips of O Soto Gari knocking someone out, strangles where the player is knocked out.
These elements make TV viewing – they are the danger in Judo. Give a TV company danger and watch viewers flood in. If you have to put in one martial arts event in your schedule for your TV company , you are looking for spectacular, danger and excitement would you be choosing judo over boxing, MAA or kick boxing or Thai boxing ? NO. Why the gap between fights and lack of action ...perhaps but no danger!!!
So we are cleaning up Judo for TV .......or are we removing the elements, the characters ( don’t get me started on mat side coaches) the danger or at least perceived danger. Some of it is just marketing...in MAA they CHOKE A PLAYER OUT ( sounds bad) in Judo we get him to submit ( much weaker how – talk him to death?)
Which sound more dangerous and which one would you watch?
Just an opinion and thought for the day.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/02/14/sports/CYC-Track-Cycling-World-Cup.php )
The conversation was about was it news – a dad was saying kids fall off bikes all the time, he was dismissive of it. Mum was saying she didn’t think cycling was dangerous but at the speeds they go they don’t have much protection.
This brought about a thought and a recollection of a conversation I have had whilst doing circus skills workshops and magic workshops. Jugglers train to be technically perfect, never dropping a ball, just like a tight rope walker, they don’t want to fall off or wobble. Yet in order to entertain there has to be a perception of danger for the audience, a wobble and almost stumble on the tight rope or the aborted 1st attempt at a big move, a dropped ball or club them a successful attempt.
Cycling can be dangerous but it isn’t perceived as such. Judo can be potentially dangerous but when it is televised it is becoming sanitised. Boxing, Karate have blows to the head, cage fighting with its brutality all get good TV coverage, all have strong danger elements.
When the IJF remove a throw because someone breaks a leg, saying a throw is now to dangerous ( these where world class players), this reduced potential risk, but the reverse is true people want to watch the risk. This is what TV producers might call the car crash effect. When Joe Theisman's leg broke this was a highlight on TV news now it’s on the internet...here is the link .....
http://www.extremesportclips.com/video/299/Joe-Theisman-Leg-Break.html
Did you watch it ......if so why ...... You Tube is full of these.
The IJF want to make Judo a TV sport, a sport TV companies want to cover, we have huge throws, this is great but there is NO DANGER....we minimise risk. Look on You Tube for clips of O Soto Gari knocking someone out, strangles where the player is knocked out.
These elements make TV viewing – they are the danger in Judo. Give a TV company danger and watch viewers flood in. If you have to put in one martial arts event in your schedule for your TV company , you are looking for spectacular, danger and excitement would you be choosing judo over boxing, MAA or kick boxing or Thai boxing ? NO. Why the gap between fights and lack of action ...perhaps but no danger!!!
So we are cleaning up Judo for TV .......or are we removing the elements, the characters ( don’t get me started on mat side coaches) the danger or at least perceived danger. Some of it is just marketing...in MAA they CHOKE A PLAYER OUT ( sounds bad) in Judo we get him to submit ( much weaker how – talk him to death?)
Which sound more dangerous and which one would you watch?
Just an opinion and thought for the day.
Videos
Today I thought I woudl share a project with you.
One of my Judokas at a school is a budding film maker. So I encourage him to do a promotional video for the Judo Club, I coudln't get it to load but you can see what he produced as the film producer Kit Harwood has his own blog http://www.kitharwood.blogspot.com/ with several other video on it.
Having helped with the filming and planning it has rasied a couple of questions I think are worth considering. If you are trying to promote your club what would you put in a video, would you focus on the atmosphere, impressive throws?
This was our attempt and it works I think. With the use of mobile phones as camera, the internet and U-tube it is very easy to put something together easily.
Lance Wicks www.judocoach.com will tell you this is what you need for the the modern Digital native.
I would love to see others - especially with origional video footage not just a rehash of Fighting Films DVD's (http://www.fightingfilms.com/) cut with a different sound track and a club logo.
If you have one to share please let me know.
A couple of videos worth looking at as a way of promoting Judo are by Rob Maurency
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp3sWe_Avo&feature=channel_page
This is a video of an Australlian University Team Comp - very theatrical coloured suit etc but works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOn-o1Bl6zY&feature=channel
A great Goshin Jutsu Kata with all the boaring bits cut out - film at the Kodokan with Rob being Tori. When he showed this to a class after having done the kata they lapped it up.
All these video apper with pomissions of the creators.
All for now
One of my Judokas at a school is a budding film maker. So I encourage him to do a promotional video for the Judo Club, I coudln't get it to load but you can see what he produced as the film producer Kit Harwood has his own blog http://www.kitharwood.blogspot.com/ with several other video on it.
Having helped with the filming and planning it has rasied a couple of questions I think are worth considering. If you are trying to promote your club what would you put in a video, would you focus on the atmosphere, impressive throws?
This was our attempt and it works I think. With the use of mobile phones as camera, the internet and U-tube it is very easy to put something together easily.
Lance Wicks www.judocoach.com will tell you this is what you need for the the modern Digital native.
I would love to see others - especially with origional video footage not just a rehash of Fighting Films DVD's (http://www.fightingfilms.com/) cut with a different sound track and a club logo.
If you have one to share please let me know.
A couple of videos worth looking at as a way of promoting Judo are by Rob Maurency
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp3sWe_Avo&feature=channel_page
This is a video of an Australlian University Team Comp - very theatrical coloured suit etc but works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOn-o1Bl6zY&feature=channel
A great Goshin Jutsu Kata with all the boaring bits cut out - film at the Kodokan with Rob being Tori. When he showed this to a class after having done the kata they lapped it up.
All these video apper with pomissions of the creators.
All for now
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)