I was looking for a place to start training in the Seattle area and found this site.
http://www.judochampions.com/home
I'm not sure what to make of it. The "no bowing" thing and the general tone seem a little irreverent which is not something I'm used to seeing in Judo. My experience in judo is a couple years of judo in college 18 years ago. I've mostly done boxing and MT.
I have to admit, the hostility toward bowing that I see makes me wonder if as an Asian guy I should stay away. Other than that, the boxing and judo combination they teach seems like exactly what I'm looking for.
Checked out his website and he seems to have a strong political/religious agenda. I would look elsewhere. If you want Judo without Japanese culture try wrestling, BJJ or Sambo.
I would urge you to check out Seattle Jujutsu and Sambo. Aaron Fields is the coach and he's a great coach with tons of knowledge. He also has a very large and diverse group of people to train with.
Link. www.seattle-jujutsu.org
dezflag - Checked out his website and he seems to have a strong political/religious agenda. I would look elsewhere. If you want Judo without Japanese culture try wrestling, BJJ or Sambo.
Glad to know it wasn't just me. I'm not normally sensitive to that sort of thing, but something felt a little strange.
I personally have nothing against Judo with Japanese culture. I did 5 years of Kendo in college and some Judo back then. These guys just happen to be really close to me, and convenient
I was a teen, maybe 13/14. Holmes was coaching in Minnesota. I fought a full on adult from his club, the guy couldnt throw me, so he broke my nose by dropping his knee into my face to stop an armlock.
it is interesting to note that the guy wouldnt bow on of off the mat either.
in other meetings with people from his club they were wearing wide receivers gloves.... when officials tried to say they couldnt, he ran onto the mat with a rule book and dared them to find where it was specifically outlawed.. when told it was against the "Spirit of Judo" he went even crazier.
Now he is married to a Japanese lady, go figure!, lives in Washington and has a club that at one time was named "Olympic Judo"-- which from what I understand he got away with because it was on Olympic Street. His step daughter-- Leilani Akiyama is an awesome athlete, great Judo player, really nice young lady.
It is a very interesting thing... But, based on my personal experiences with him, I'd avoid going to his club for myself personally. Though, that doesnt mean his instruction is poor or that he doesnt know how to coach people to winning tournaments.
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JoshuaResnick - I was a teen, maybe 13/14. Holmes was coaching in Minnesota. I fought a full on adult from his club, the guy couldnt throw me, so he broke my nose by dropping his knee into my face to stop an armlock.
it is interesting to note that the guy wouldnt bow on of off the mat either.
in other meetings with people from his club they were wearing wide receivers gloves.... when officials tried to say they couldnt, he ran onto the mat with a rule book and dared them to find where it was specifically outlawed.. when told it was against the "Spirit of Judo" he went even crazier.
This guy's place needs to get dojo stormed if that's the sort of BS he encourages/allows. Unbelievable!
"Critical thinking is also discouraged through repeated bowing to the dojo, tatami, sensei, and kamiza (god shelf, usually including a pictrure of Jigoro Kano), all ways to insinuate the Shinto religion."
Oh for fuck's sake....
I know nothing of the man or his judo school so the comments are intereting. the first thought that came to mind is after the winner is awarded in Shiai you step back(right foot first) and bow out. The Japanese are very strict on this some bowing to the ref before the shiai sometimes. I think it is the respect for the sport to all those who have stepped on the tatami is way I looked at it. Or those who achieved Red/white belt( 6th Dan and above) have earned this respect in practice.
I have to LOL at his site, honestly. In my 4 years here in Japan, guess what? We bow into the dojo, we bow onto the mat, we kneeling bow to each other after practice, and we bow to each other before doing a randori round. And nowhere do I see anything Shinto. In fact, our "Kamiza" has a couple of bottles of sake, 1 Kirin Ichiban beer, and some tournament results certificates. Oh, and a little plastic figurine of a judo fighter.
This is in a prison dojo, working with guards, BTW. However, similar things were observed at both a private dojo, and at Nagoya University when I practiced there.
His inflammatory crap is just that. For example, his Christianity BS. Guess what? Japanese Christians bow just like all other Japanese do. They bow lower as kohai, shallower as sempai.
I swear, some people need to get off their high horses.
Disappointing the attitude of that place. I's right on my way home from work, but the attitude is kind of turn off. One of the things I like most about TMA and combat sports in general is the decorum and respect between players, rather than the bravado and chest beating you see in so many other sports.
I think you should just go and try it out. See how you like it based on what it has to offer to you. From your comments, convience and what you are looking for seem to match. And then let us know.
i'd never discourage somebody from finding out for themselves... but if you want to know what the experiences of others has been like.. well, now you know.
Seong gyeong - "Critical thinking is also discouraged through repeated bowing to the dojo, tatami, sensei, and kamiza (god shelf, usually including a pictrure of Jigoro Kano), all ways to insinuate the Shinto religion."
Oh for fuck's sake....
He sounds like the Judo version of Matt Thornton.
Seriously why do the biggest douchebag instructors seem to come out of Washington State? First Thornton and now this guy.
SamboMMA - Seriously why do the biggest douchebag instructors seem to come out of Washington State? First Thornton and now this guy.
Seattle, and Nirvana.
www.judochampions.com/videos
Clearly, all the guy cares about is teaching judo. It's a good thing he doesn't follow the normal practice of indoctrinating students into his political and religious ideas (like bowing) under the guise of coaching them.
Steve72 - <a href="http://www.judochampions.com/videos">www.judochampions.com/videos</a>
Clearly, all the guy cares about is teaching judo. It's a good thing he doesn't follow the normal practice of indoctrinating students into his political and religious ideas (like bowing) under the guise of coaching them. <br type="_moz" />
Yeah, nuttier than Bellevue.
Stay away from this nutcase. 1997 or 98 I was looking for an extra place to practice and went to his "Olympic" dojo to check it out. He was actually wearing a gun around,in the dojo.He has this persecution complex X 10. Everybody is spying on him.He needs to be on medication. Try out Budokan Seattle,Bert's club instead. Top notch instruction and some epic randori sessions.
I'm somewhat tempted to pull a troll job with his website's quiz; not sure if he'd really respond though...
"Test Your Judo Knowledge
Coach John Holm will respond with a brutal assessment."
1. Americans normally do very well in other Olympic combat sports such as wrestling and boxing. Why do Americans normally place near the bottom of world rankings in judo?
2. There are many different throwing skills. What determines which ones you should use?
3. Can you name 5 safety rules for judo?
4. How do you properly decide how good a judo instructor is?
5. Do you think any judo coach today could be a better coach than Jigoro Kano?
6. To improve your judo skills, is it best to train with someone more skilled than yourself or less skilled?
7. What is the very first skill taught in your judo club? Why?
8. Is it important to do uchi-komis? Why or why not?
9. Is off-balancing your opponent important and necessary when doing a throw? Why or why not?
10. Is it important to develop a "favorite throw"? Why or why not?
11. Is it important to learn nage-no-kata? Why or why not?
12. Is there such a thing as a perfect throw? Explain.
13. When entering into a throw, what determines what methods of entry you use?
14. Why would you throw to the left or right?
15. Is there such a thing as an "ideal build" for judo?
16. Do you see anything wrong in bowing to a picture of Jigoro Kano, the dead founder of judo?
17. Do you normally bow to people you respect, such as your parents or your boss, or their pictures?
18. According to the International Judo Federation (IJF), what are the official languages of judo?
19. When falling on your back and using your arm to help break the fall, which principle governs the striking of your arm on the mat? Explain.
20. In the fall described in #19, should the arm strike the mat before the back hits the mat, as the back hits the mat, or just after the back hits the mat?
21. When you are at a tournament, are you required to bow at the edge of the contest area (often the edge of the red "danger area") before walking up to the line where you bow to your opponent? Why or why not? (Note: the answer is on our bowing page.)
judojon - Stay away from this nutcase. 1997 or 98 I was looking for an extra place to practice and went to his "Olympic" dojo to check it out. He was actually wearing a gun around,in the dojo.He has this persecution complex X 10. Everybody is spying on him.He needs to be on medication. Try out Budokan Seattle,Bert's club instead. Top notch instruction and some epic randori sessions.
Thanks, I'll look him up. Hopefully their hours and location work for me.