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THE ENTHUSIAST AND THE EXPERT

It is my strong opinion that conteSting is not all of Judo. There are morę than enough Black Belt holders around who know only one or two throws, They are not educated in Judo as a complete Art. They have practiced their "winning" throw until they have perfect, though sadly limited, technique and are able to win points in contest. They are the legał wearers of the highly respected Black Belt. A better Judo player is the one who has taken the time to learn many techniąues and who can practice a variety of throws and holds. This type of player is morę eager to extend the ranks of Judo enthusiasts than to beat everybody in sight.

For this reason, I reąuire that students wishing to acąuire belt degrees must, in addition to winning points in contest, know a variety of throws and groundwork which they can perform with grace and excellence.

There are many levels of Judo contesting. The most common is the friendly play for pleasure only. No rank, trophy or honor is at stake. This is Judo for fun.

If your intention is to reach the level of serious competition (the U.S. Olympic Judo team, for instance), you will be reąuired to devote the major part of your life to this endeavor. Championship play demands time and effort which are beyond the ordinary. Nothing can take precedence over training. You must be prepared to give your complete attention to preparation for the achievement of the super-skill which is necessary to reach the top, you must make Judo your life.

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