A number of years ago I had the journalist of the local newspaper ask me what I liked about Judo. My response was that I didn’t like Judo....I LOVED it.
I went on to talk about how much I loved the feeling of putting my gi on, tying up my belt and bowing onto the mat. I talked about how when you begin training everything else is forgotten. I love that it doesn’t matter how much University work I have to catch up on - as soon as I begin training I forget all about it. I’m in the zone, trying out new techniques, refining others and trying to become a more complete Judoka.
I love the chess match of Ne Waza, the tactical gripping strategies of grip fighting and the feeling of getting cleanly underneath your opponent with an Uchimata or Seoi nage. Or better still the effortless feeling of a perfectly timed footsweep.
My question is. What do you like about Judo? What do you love about it?
Sometimes we get too caught up in the competitive aspects of Judo and we forget what we love about it.
Today stop and think about what you love about Judo.
Feel free to comment below on what you love about Judo.
Definitely the feeling of a good throw. Clean. Effortless, with perfect timing.
ReplyDeleteAlso when you do a good workout session, the feeling after, oh men! that's just irreplacable.
I love when I´m just so tired that I can´t even think about what to do and my body goes on his own. And then, did it. Throw my partner for ippon!
ReplyDeleteMy answer is very different from when I was in my twenties and competing internationally. Now I am 52 years old, I have four children, one grandchild. I travel a lot for my business and when I am in the health club of whatever hotel I am staying in, I look around and I still have the same body people do in their twenties. It's completely nuts. Yesterday, I went on a 12 mile hike in the mountains just because I felt like it.
ReplyDeleteThis is completely different from the benefit of judo I would have told you 26 years ago - the feeling of standing on a podium, watching the American flag go up, hearing the Star-Spangled Banner play - that would be one of the things I loved about it then.
Everything!
ReplyDelete