Being 'Technical'

Rhadi Ferguson is a guy with a Phd in education. A CSCS, who's worked closely with some of the top names in Strength and Conditionig in the States. He's coached UFC fighters and Olympians.
He's the only guy I can think of who's hit 'the triple crown', if you will, of grappling by competing in the ADCC, Mundials and the Olympics in Submission Wrestling, BJJ and Judo respectively.

I pride myself on shutting the fuck up and listening when someone like this wants to say something about being a better competitive grappler.

Here's a recent post from his blog;

The Technical Myth

Most people I know with experience in martial arts, particularly the more traditional of the three of those mentioned above, insist that 'Technique' is key. I agree. Sort of. Rhadi agrees. Sort of. He mentions the French system of training Judo specifcally. I think more of the Russians.

I don't want to get into it, because I think really if you care at all about being better at what you do(whatever it is really) you should take a minute to read it. But to save us both some time, I will give you the gist of it;

If your definition of 'technique' is perfect mimicry of some famous asian master from long ago, you probably suck in competition.
If your concept of technique has evolved into 'the most efficient way for me to do what I want/need to do' then you're probably on your way.

The sad truth is, if you are 'ready' to hear this, you probably already know this. If you're not, you probably won't read it. If you do, you'll argue with it; deny, avoid, discredit etc. That's cool. Maybe later.

Whoever you are, it'll take 10 minutes to read, and can't be all that bad. When is more information or insight into someone else's opinion all negative?

Special Judo Workout tonight

I'm pretty excited about a special workout tonight.

In the last few months, I have had the pleasure of training with the collegiate champ of Japan, and now two Olympians.

I owe it all to Chuck at Fredericksburg Judo, a gentlemen and tireless promoter of our art and sport;

Fredericksburg Judo

Raise funds for US Judo Athlete Taraje

Earlier this week I made a post about Taraje Williams Murray
HERE

Please consider viewing the post, checking out the links;
his highly technical match against Japan's Hiraoka
his blog
his bio

and consider donating to his college fund

Taraje may have fallen a little behind on some of his other responsibilities while he was paying his own way around the world to compete in Judo to prepare for his second Olmypics.

Help an Olympian

Taraje Williams-Murray

overlooking Rio at the 2007 World's

From the Bronx, 24 years old, has been doing Judo since we has 8. Went to the 2004 Olympic games. Has spent the last 4 years sacrificing everything to make it the 2008 Olympic Games.

He made it.

http://www.judovision.org/?p=1747

Here's his match against Hiraoka, which he won by decision. He played an incredibly tight game, got up by a point, and played smart to run out the clock ahead, and beat a highly ranked Japanese player that, frankly, no one but his American fans expected him to beat. It wasn't the most romantic and exciting Judo ever played, but any international player would appreciate the strategy and tactical execution of this match.

What you may not know about Taraje, is that in the last 2 years he's medaled at the following events(this is in no way exhaustive, it's just the highlights);
Pan American Championships
USA Judo National Championships
New York Open
Tre Torri International B-Level Tournament (B)
USA Judo Pan Am Games and World Team Trials
USA Judo Nationals
NYAC New York Open
Liberty Bell Championships (66kg)
National Championships (66kg)
U.S. Open (66kg)

While no slouch, it is sort of a long shot to hope for someone from the states to win a medal in the Olympics. While Taraje has some international experience, including an incredible victory (GOLD) at Tre Torri, one of the most prestigious events in international judo, he still doesn't have near the mat time in Europe and Asia that most of his competitors would have.

Why?
Because he's lazy?

If you wonder this, please visit his blog, linked to above. Or look up his name on Youtube. Watch several intense strength and conditioning training sessions with coach Rhadi Ferguson (himself an Olympian, as well as a competitor at ADCC and the Mundials), or ask his Judo coach Jimmy Pedro if he's got any work ethic. Read his schedule on his blog, about the morning S&C followed by two technical sessions in one day and randori at night. Or about the diet that he's on to stay at 60kg (that's 132lbs).

The young man works his ass off.
All while trying to complete a master's degree from Boston University. Which brings me to my point; for the time being, it looks like it's time for Taraje to return to school. However, one of those sacrifices I was talking about earlier is rearing it's ugly head;
Tuition.

You see, in America, judo athletes receive no financial support from our Olympic committees. Nor do they receive a lot of support from say the national governing body of Judo, of which we have three rather than the more efficient or centralized ONE. They don't get scholarships, hell, Judo is not even a SCHOLASTIC SPORT at all, like it is an most of the countries that do best in Judo (France, Japan, Korea or Russia).

So, while doing all this training, and hiring all these coaches, Taraje still had to figure out a way to pay for plane tickets to Italy, rent in New York and tuition for grad school. The only answer he could find?
Credit Cards.
BU won't let him back in until he pays his outstanding debts (fair enough I guess). He's racked up a massive amount of debt trying to fulfill his 'Olympic Dream', but now it's time to come home.
Get back to work? London 2012?

The guy won Tre Torri. He can win an Olympic Medal. It would be the first one for the USA since Jimmy Pedro, and one of only a few in US history.
If you can, help him out. He's already had several donors so far, and he's almost a quarter of the way to his goal. Here's the link;

Donate to Taraje's School Fund via PayPal

Rick Hawn Seminar photos

Here's the local blackbelts! From left to right, Rick Hawn-Chuck Wall(host)-Handi-Leo Valda(Hantei Judo)-Chad Morrisson (Akari Judo)-?-Millie Osborne (Matriarch of the formidable Osborne clan)(Sport Judo)


I am right there in the middle, next to Matt, a student of Leo Valda's...
On the very far left is Jewel. Don't mess with her.


Rick speaks to me...



Watching a very cool turnover




One of the Sankaku into armbar set ups that Rick taught from the turnovers. Very cool. Nothing beats the triangle armbar for 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' efficiency!

All in all, it was a pretty great little seminar and workout. Made a lot of new friends.

How bad do you want it?

I'd like to share with you a post from my favourite blog. It's here;

http://drannmaria.blogspot.com/2008/04/another-of-lifes-unanswered-questions.html

This is the blog of Ann Maria Rousey-DeMars, and the following is extracted from wikipedia.org;

DeMars earned her MBA in 1980. She missed the first women's world championships while in grad school, but in 1981 won bronze in the British Open and Tournoi d'Orleans. In 1982, she was ranked #1 in the USJI rankings and won the US Open. However, she did not contest the second women's world championships due to having a baby that year.

DeMars enjoyed more success in 1983, including the Pan American Games and US Senior Nationals, and in 1984, winning the Austrian Open, Canada Cup (now known as the "Rendezvous"), Senior Nationals and the World Championships.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Maria_Rousey_DeMars)

She knows a thing or two about Judo. More importantly, she seems to get a thing or two about training hard to become great. It shows. She won the world's, and now her daughter is a top seed for an Olympic medal.

If you'd like to know a little bit more about what it takes to be great, do yourself a favor and read the post.

101 Ippons

Here are some highlights (Nage-Waza or 'Throwing Techniques') from 101 Ippons, a popular series of videos in Judo showcasing some of the best throws, chokes, pins and armbars that have ended competitions in recent years.

Hope you enjoy!