Julia's Blog Contribution: How Gymnastics Helps Your Judo

Julia wanted to do this episode of Sneakerdoodle Zebra Judo by herself because she says I am boring.

========== Judo Tip ====================
When teaching (or learning) judo, try to put the pieces together that fit. If a student is doing harai goshi well, which is a forward throw where her leg is on the outside of her opponent's legs (as opposed to uchimata, which is on the inside), a logical next step would be o soto gari - these two go together naturally. When the person pulls backward to block the harai goshi, you would react by following her backward, hooking your leg on the outside.

Too often, I see people teaching who don't seem to have a plan. They teach harai goshi for a week and then teach a foot sweep or o uchi gari. Think about your judo. What do you do well? What follows naturally from that?

Think this is obvious? Apparently not at all. For example, if a person does tani otoshi, he lands on his side, at the side of the other person. For a side four corner hold down (yoko shiho gatame), all you really need to do is flatten out on your stomach. To make the hold tighter, move your top arm under the person's head and hold tightly, so he can't bridge. Do people do this? Generally, no. They throw with tani otoshi, then LET GO, adjust their position and pin with kesa gatame, of course giving the person ample time to escape. Every time I see this, which is at least once every tournament short of international competition, I say to myself, "What the hell?????"

The reason people do such an illogical thing is they aren't used to thinking of judo, from gripping to kuzushi to throws to pins to armbars - as one connected whole rather than a bunch of separate techniques.

Shameless begging plug - send money to the USJA DEVELOPMENT FUND
Here is a list of what I want to give money to:

1. Reimburse some WONDERFUL coaches who paid for ten kids' camp fees this summer.
   They wanted the kids to go and our fund was low, so they paid for it and asked if they could get reimbursed when we had funds.


2. Send $60 to the person who ran the last Fight Like a Girl camp so they break even (they were $63 in the hole).


3. Send a USJA/USJF West Coast Training Center team to the All-Women's Tournament in Michigan in November


4. Pay for six young (under 25) USJA members to get coach certification - no I don't have anyone in particular picked out but unless we encourage young people to grow this sport it is going to die out.


5. Send a USJA/USJF West Coast Training Center team to the Continental Crown in November


6. Offset the hotel costs and entry fees for some of the foreign competitors coming to the USJA Winter Nationals


7. Underwrite the expenses of the Great American Workout in Rhode Island, so we can keep the cost low enough to have 100 people again next year


8. Bring Israel Hernandez to the west coast to give a series of clinics.

We are short on funds because we have funded events in Mississippi, Louisiana, Michigan, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas and California (please let me know if I forgot anyone).

THANK YOU FOR THE DONATION FOR THE NEW CRASH PAD AT THE WEST COAST TRAINING CENTER AND FOR THE VIDEO CAMERA.

You can mail donations:
USJA 21 North Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO USA 80909
Call the USJA 877- 411- 3409 and give a credit card number.

Also, you can, if you want to donate funds for a specific purpose, e.g., to support judo in Kansas (and why not? what's wrong with Kansas?).Please email me, drannmaria@fractaldomains.com if you have any questions.