Danny's Shinjido Blog

Once again my thanks to all those that have taken an interest in my health battle. this update is mainly for you. My new treatment routine has dropped the cancer count in my blood cells down and the latest scan shows that the tumours have got smaller. However more recently the after affects have worsened so my oncologist has dropped the chemo by 10%. Consequently the last 3 weekly cycle (1 week chemo + bio followed by 2 weeks bio) has left me feeling well apart from the hospital day. My bad experience with the insertion of the canella into my vein has vastly improved. The last seven weeks they have managed first attempt; prior to that I had my record of 6 attempts which left one arm severely bruised. The cancer count in my blood has been fluctuating at a low level. The best was 5.3 which went up slightly to 6.7; yesterday it was 5.8, so all in all I am quite optimistic.

I still very much enjoy my Tuesday classes which I take in my stride and we have lots of fun. Luckily my students don’t mind me using them as guinea pigs for my new ideas even if I scare them a bit!

I look forward to our seminar at High Wycombe Judo Centre 1st July. I hope to see some old friends and look forward to having first timers on a Shinjido course. There is always something new to share. Details are available on the website.

My best wishes to you all
Danny

Early response to Shinjido Evolution Innovation has been very positive. Here are comments from highly respected judoka and martial artists. I am also interested to receive comments from anyone that has seen the DVD, regardless of grade or experience.

I like to see something that’s different and what Danny has done is excellent. George Kerr CBE, 10th Dan Judo

I have viewed your latest DVD with great interest.
You continue to do our sport a tremendous service. I think your ideas and your methods are enlightening for judo players, and are of great interest to most, I am sure. There are few people in the sport who continue with development like you do, in fact, I know of very few who are actually developing technique. We all try to improve the sport, but your innovation is exceptional.
With every good wish for the future.
Colin (Draycott) 8th Dan Judo, Director of Ethics, Sport Director, Masters Judo, I.J.F.

Great concept for Judo fighters and coaches, if they are prepared to learn. Certainly the martial art world will take notice but their leaders are more receptive to new ideas. It’s now 6 years since Da Costa introduced Shinjido for Judo. The BJA should take note. It’s long overdue. Alan Petherbridge MBE 9th Dan Judo

“There are few martial arts instructors who make the access to learning as easy as Danny does – or with as much humour, or with as much thought and skill. Danny’s DVDs are thought provoking and captivating” –
Peter Consterdine 9th Dan Karate
BCA/BCKA/WCA

Thanks for your brilliant DVD – I think the concept is superb. If judoka can look at your DVD with an open mind and take just a single element from it, it will make a difference to their performance both as players and coaches. Professor Kano would have been proud of your efforts – continue the good work.
John O’Brien 6th Dan Judo

“If you want to understand the concepts of movement, balance in both attacking and defensive situations then Danny Da Costa’s study of Shinjido delivers.
His knowledge of Judo and Aikido have been brought together to formulate this unique martial art.”
Neil Adams MBE – 8th Dan Judo

As a student and teacher of Aikido over 5o years it’s nice to look at another martial art concept on a quality DVD. Martial arts should like life, be alive and evolving. Danny’s knowledge of Judo and Aikido jells in this new art of Shinjido. I recommend this DVD to any serious martial artist; be it the traditional Budo concept or the new styles of cage fighting and MMA. Just as the Gracie family further developed jiujutsu, Sensei Da Costa could be the new kid on the block
Shihan Gwynn Jones 8th Dan Aikido

I have just received an email regarding a scam perpetuated on our welfare system. It is inflammatory and inaccurate. It is also a warning not to take the many anti this and anti that emails that we all receive at face value. The email shows a photograph of a coloured family supposedly living in the UK, that are milking the system for all it is worth. It also makes the following claim:-

No wonder our country is broke! Worse, our Muslim brothers have been paying attention, and by mandating that each Muslim family have eleven children, they will soon replace the voting bloc above and can be running this country. Are we alarmed yet, is anybody listening?
Sincerely,
Sebastian J. Ciancino – Urologist,
Guys Hospital trust – London
Don’t forget to pay your taxes!!
There are a lot of “breadwinners”
depending on you!

This shows how facts can be distorted. I looked up Sebastain Ciancino on the web. He does not work at Guys Hospital. He is in fact an American.

The Truth:
Dr. Sebastian J. Ciancio, of Danville, Illinois, told TruthOrFiction.Com that he is the author of this commentary about a conversation that he had with an emergency room physician. He emailed his commentary syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh and a few friends. Soon afterwards his commentary went viral on the World Wide Web. Dr. Ciancio also told us that several unauthorized versions of his email have been circulating the Internet that have included photos and might have been modified by others.
Here is the Dr. Ciancio’s letter:
Dear Mr. Limbaugh,
I was speaking to an emergency room physician this morning. He told me that a woman in her 20′s came to the ER with her 8th pregnancy. She stated “my momma told me that I am the breadwinner for the family.” He asked her to explain. She said that she can make babies and babies get money for the family. The scam goes like this: The grandma calls the Department of Children and Family Services and states that the unemployed daughter is not capable of caring for these children. DCFS agrees and states that the child or children will need to go to foster care. The grandma then volunteers to be the foster parent, and thus receives a check for $1500 per child per month in Illinois. Total yearly income: $144,000 tax-free, not to mention free healthcare (Medicaid) plus a monthly “Link” card entitling her to free groceries, etc, and a voucher for 250 free cell phone minutes per month. This does not even include WIC and other welfare programs. Indeed, grandma was correct in that her fertile daughter is the “breadwinner” in the family.
I hope you share this story with your listeners so that they know how the ruling class spends their tax dollars.
Also, many thanks for the fine service you provide in educating people about the merits of conservative thinking.
Cheers,

Sebastian J. Ciancio, M.D.
Urologist, Danville Polyclinic, LTD.

Anyone that drives has access to a lethal weapon. A few years ago, I was driving home quite late on the dual carriageway that ends at the Penn Inn roundabout at Newton Abbot. As I approached I saw the road had been virtually blocked by about eight police cars with flashing lights. I slowed to a stop. My window was already down and I politely asked “What’s up officer?” “You” he replied. Apparently the police had received several phone calls from drivers on the M5, claiming that I was driving all over the road. They expected that I was either drunk, drugged up or both. I admitted to being tired after a long drive but felt capable of continuing. They did not breathalyse me and agreed that as I was almost home and had been shocked into wakefulness, that I could go. The drivers that had telephoned the police would be interviewed and accordingly I might be prosecuted. I was lucky. I got away with it and luckier still not to have caused an accident.

These days there are signs on the motorway to stop if you are tired. It has become common knowledge that many accidents have been due to falling asleep at the wheel. We will never know how many fatalities have been caused; for one thing the problem has only been acknowledged in recent years. I have been driving over 50 years and staying awake has been a problem since the introduction of boring motorways. Largely the problem is a state of mind. For example, I have driven on holiday, nonstop from Le Havre to Cannes, around 800 miles, completely alert. On another occasion it took me 10 hours to drive 100 miles from Bristol to Torquay. I felt sleepy and stopped at a service station. After a while I felt Ok to continue but soon got drowsy and stopped at the next service station. I set off again and the pattern repeated itself. Eventually I awoke after an uncomfortable but lengthy sleep.

There are two mayor problems to contend with; lack of brain stimulation and shallow breathing which will starve the brain of oxygen. I had various tricks to deal with it. I would go over a business plan in my head or sell product as if I was rehearsing a play with other characters. Once aware that my breathing was getting shallow, I would do breathing exercises, gradually increasing the count of both inhalation and exhalation. Sometimes I would try and sing anything I could remember from musicals. I would also drive with my window down. You have heard of the putting a matchstick in your eye ploy. This actually works. It physically stops the eyelid from closing completely. I once played around with an old pair of glasses, substituting a strip of Perspex for the matchstick. To be commercial, the contraption would need be adjustable and at the time I doubted that the retail cost would appeal to the average motorist. Patenting can be a costly process, so that idea went in the bin.

I will not drive now if I feel sleepy, largely because I had a terrifying experience. I was on the motorway and awoke to find that I was barely ten foot from the back of a lorry. It would be impossible to avoid a collision but I virtually jumped on the breaks with a loud kia. I expected to wake up dead! Imagine my delight when I realised that I was in a service station and a lorry had parked up in front of me.

Whenever one of my family is departing on a journey, I urge them to take a blanket and stop if they are sleepy. My stunt performing daughter listens to her dad. She parked in the services on the way back from Sheperton film studios; thinking she would have a few minutes shut eye. She awoke a few hours later to find that she had a £25 parking ticket. They know how to charge in motorway services. Just about everything is overpriced. Maria will continue to use their toilets.

If you are interested in self defence you could do worse than join the British Combat Association. I was recommended to them by an internationally respected Judoka and martial artist and I must say that I am very impressed with the BCA. Although the association was set up by Karate experts Peter Consterdine 9th Dan and Geof Thompson 7th Dan, they actually embrace all styles including Judo, with the emphasis on reality. I have been very impressed with their response to me. I am already a member of the BJA and the BAB; the BCA is a worthwhile addendum. The following is from their website:-

After nearly 18 years as the UK’s premier multi-style martial arts organisation, focused on the reality of personal combat, the BCA goes from strength to strength. With one of the most efficient administrations of all organisations, a home to nearly every martial art and led by two of the world’s acknowledged experts in self protection and personal combat, the BCA is still at the forefront of promoting quality martial arts and it’s leading role in Close Quarter Combat (CQC).

Whilst, over the years, we have been copied – but never bettered – the BCA has achieved a worldwide reputation as the organisation that has not only the least politics, but the innate depth of experience about both the relevance and practice of quality martial arts and also the role the arts play in a variety of close combat situations.

Some of the UK’s leading exponents of reality-based martial arts are Instructors within the Association and many have grown, within the family atmosphere and through the help and encouragement of Geoff and Peter, to build worldwide reputations of their own. Black Belt magazine in its April 2006 edition rated Peter and Geoff in the top 5 of the 20 best street fighters in the martial arts world.

This site is the meeting place for the BCA Instructors with their own private ‘Instructor’s Zone’ but also where martial arts Instructors looking for either a new, non-political home, or simply to extend their knowledge and network can find out all about the benefits to themselves and their students of joining the UK’s most respected organisation. The BCA is an association run by practising martial artists not briefcase warriors.

Both Peter and Geoff are renowned for their reputations as ultra-hard, uncompromising trainers, both of whom have long traditional backgrounds, years of competitive success and many years of handling face to face violence as a profession.

So what does the BCA offer that you won’t find with traditional organisations? First, we don’t play politics, second we have few restrictive rules and don’t build walls around our people and third we have built a reputation as the most helpful, responsive organisation that Instructors say have been with. Within the BCA there is simply an amazing network of first-class Instructors in all disciplines.

We can organise gradings, help with constructing your syllabus, promote your club or group and be a source of honest, quality information.

This site is only one of a family of special interest sites centered around the portal site of Peter Consterdine. In addition to the British Combat Association, British Combat Karate Association and World Combat Association, and as a member you can access the articles on these various sites for information on all martial arts and self defence as well as for Close Protection, CQB, police defensive tactics and specialist security subjects.

In the BCA we host some of the most popular courses held in the UK, with great attendance and tremendous feedback. Often, courses are open to the wider martial arts community, but always discounted for BCA members.

The BCA is a home to the following martial arts and defensive, combat systems;

Karate (Shotokan, Wado Ryu, Shukokai etc), Ju Jitsu, Krav Maga, Kapap, Filipino Doce Pares, Kali and Escrima, Judo, WW2 Combatives, Wing Chun, Boxing, Thai Boxing, Sombo, Russian, Wrestling, TaeKwonDo, English Martial Arts and many Chinese Systems. (this is not a definitive list of all the arts and systems in membership)

I have just been tagged in a photo with Denny Day. Someone made the comment that they did not realise how short I am. This reminded me of one of my theories. The following is taken from my lecture at the 1993 Hicks at Home. This is an annual event that has been going for over sixty years. My lecture covers several topics:-
“Because of the Official Secrets Act, I am bound to say that some of what I am about to tell you is for fun. Some is of vital importance to our national security and some holds the future for the Human Race. I leave you to decide which is which.
The other day I was thinking, which is not unusual, I think on most days but not always original thought. I was thinking that until recently my epitaph would have been quite simply “Friend of the Hicks and Art Connoisseur” and possibly “The man that gave the world the hit song and life support system, It’s Colder Here Than Africa.”
All that was before my invention. I would now like to be known as: Inventor, Scientist, philosopher, Friend of the Hicks, Art Connoisseur and depending on the royalty situation, Philanthropist. – Which is something I normally call my brother when he has had too much to drink. The invention to which I refer, is the Envelette; soon to be available in W H Smiths, Rymans and hopefully many other well known stores. ”
(My note – The Envelette was a conservation letter system, using one sheet of A4 paper that folded into it’s own envelope. There was a domestic and commercial design and I managed to acquire international patents. Unfortunately the project ultimately failed for lack of funding.)
“This invention first saw the light of day at the 1990 Hicks at Home. Let me show you how the product has evolved. Don’t forget to tell all your friends to buy it. Preferably write to them on an Envelette. This invention looks like being a mayor worldwide success; provided of course that the public take to it. It will then enable me to fund some of my other inventions, invest in Simon’s Judo films projects and also to buy food. Without the credibility of the Envelettes success, some of my finest ideas will not be taken seriously.
My patented Germ Trap for instance.
This is referred to in my unpublished Best Seller “The Danny da Costa Self Defence Against a Knife and Personal Hygiene book, Volume 3. Let me show you how this works and you should be able to make one for yourself. The broad principle of the invention is – Germ Attraction and Containment. For the containment you could use an empty jar of Crosse and Blackwells Salad Cream. (I used to recommend Heinz but they will not pay the advertising fee. I am still negotiating with Crosse and Blackwell.)
Fill one third of the jar with best effluent. I used to be quite fussy with this but my research indicates there is little difference between the relative merits of pig’s, camels’s or dog’s dung. If the consistency is too solid, add a little urine. Blend to a smooth paste with a mixer or juice extractor. Here is some I prepared earlier” ( My note- I give it a stir with my finger – it’s only peanut butter) “ideally it should be just a little smoother.
Now as you will notice, the lid has tiny holes punched in it. This serves two purposes. It allows the scent to attract germs and enables the germs to enter the trap. For ultimate personal safety, one of these contraptions should be worn around the neck. Any germs in the vicinity will be attracted to the effluent. Tapping the lid occasionally with the flat of your hand will force down any extra fat germs. And of course, you’ve guessed it haven’t you? Once they have gorged themselves, they are too fat to escape. I am not sure how long the trap is effective for but I have worn one around my neck, night and day for three months without any noticeable difference in the effluent level. Hands up those that would be interested in purchasing one of these?” (My note- I shake their hand with my peanut buttered fingers.)
“Of course, germs in their various varieties, are one of the mayor threats to mankind. But possibly one of our greatest threats is a combination of population explosion and pollution. I am proud to inform you, at a stroke, I have found the answer to both of these problems.
You would hardly believe that my early role models were Wild Bill Hickock, Jessie James and John Dillinger. I outgrew these by the time I was thirty. It might have been Gerry Hicks artistic influence but I was inspired by the Jewish painter Moshe Cohen. He painted the Cisteen Chapel before Michael Angelo. He used a nice pale blue emulsion. Later I much admired the versatile genius of Leonardo de Vinci. We all need role models. For some of you no doubt, it will be me. My new role model is Hiram B Birdbath Junior. Since my business collapsed four years ago, I have had financial difficulties, resulting in a few County Court Judgements. These makes it very difficult with banks if you are starting up a new business. So I have decided that until I am stinking rich, I shall change my name to Hiram B Birdbath the Third. As Hiram B never existed, not only can I endow him with all the attributes of a true hero and genius as my suitable role model but there will be no CCJs registered against his name. If you don’t mind, I might use your address.
But I digress. The Hiram B Birdbath the Third’s (alias Danny da Costa) theory to save the human race is Reduction Genetics. I assume that as intelligent people, you are familiar with genetic engineering and if not, you will at least have seen Jurassic Park.
The World is getting smaller. Not simply as a figure of speech because jets fly faster and British Rail has a new time table. The Polar ice caps are melting due to global warming. As water levels rise, the land is displaced. Meanwhile the world population is expected to double within the next fifty years and the M25 Motorway is already congested.
Did you realise that every time your pulse beats, 4 babies are born? At the same time one person dies. That’s a staggering birth-rate of 280 new babies, every minute of the day. There are 1440 minutes in one day. That’s 393,120 babies. It would take little over one day to re-populate Bristol. Literally it’s an immense fornicating problem.
As an interim measure, I would ask you all to get fit. Consider a personal fitness trainer. Margret Hicks still has a few vacancies. Getting fit will reduce your pulse. If it is currently around 80 beats per minute and you get it down to 60 – a 25% improvement, it could save, 115,000 divided by 4 or 24,000 births per day. At the same time it is going to save, 24,000 divided by 4, around 6000 people per day from dying. But this is only a stop gap measure.
We really must introduce my plan for Global Genetic Reduction. It is imperative that within the next 200 to 300 years, we reduce the average size down to 6 or 7 inches. We must start by realising that small is not only acceptable, it is beautiful. Look at nature. Small may be weaker but in a contest, small often wins. There is a joke about the lion, asking all the animals in the jungle “Who is the king of the jungle?”. They all reply “You are noble lion.” Until he asks the elephant, who wraps his trunk around him, swings him into the air and hurls him to the ground. Whereupon the lion says “You don’t have to get nasty, just because you don’t know the answer.” In reality the lion and elephant live in harmony but what happens when an elephant attacks a mouse? The mouse may be timid and attempt to escape but once cornered, he becomes a fighting loony. He goes straight for the trunk and blocks it. A charging elephant needs all the oxygen it can get. unable to breath properly it will collapse in its tracks. The mouse may then make it’s escape or if blood crazed, it will go for the throat.
As for the Lord of the Jungle, a determined wart hog will see him off and the lion is no match at all for the tiny flea. He ducks and dodges, nips here and there and all the lion can do with his massive paws is to make self inflicted wounds. A really determined flea can cause a lion to self destruct. Of course there are many animals that end up providing a meal for the lion but these have either been indoctrinated with the false belief that the lion is invincible or they are a weak member of their species, perhaps not fully developed.
Take a look at the human race. Who were the great conquerors? Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, 5ft 2in and 5ft 3in respectively. Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan, little fellows 4ft 6in – 4ft 9in. They spent a lot of time on horseback and appeared even shorter. Tom Thumb and Tim Pipin were about 6 inches but every inch a giant killer. Have you seen Henry V111′s armour in the Tower of London? Big man our Henry, very big for the time 6ft 3inch. And what was he famous for? Having his wives executed and why? Basically because he had difficulty in siring a son. In contrast, do you know how tall Alfred the Great was? About 3 ft. Why do you think he was great? it was not his size, believe me but he fathered dozens of sons. Hand to hand combat, look at 4ft 2 inch David, he slaughtered 7ft Goliath. Staying with the bible, you may think that Samson was a big man. Not at all, he was barely 4ft but he was 5ft wide. How else do you think he could reach the pillars of the temple and bring the roof down? When it comes to a showdown between a big man and a little man, the little man generally wins. Admitted this does not always happen in boxing. Here the limiting rules favour the big man. Even so Billy Conn nearly whipped Joe Louis and Max Bear outclassed Primo Carnero. Once we revert to the law of the jungle, the small as I have illustrated, often win. Take Ukio Tani, the Japans’ JuiJitsu exponent who is credited with introducing the art to Europe. He took on all comers. He challenged both the redoubtable heavyweight wrestling Schmitt brothers, Hacker Schmitt and Messer Schmitt, no one messed with the Schmitts. They refused. ukio Tani was athletic and a fine figure of a man for 3ft 9inch.
Go back to the teachings of the Bible. Remember “the meek shall inherit the Earth”. A more literal translation is the weak shall inherit the Earth; after all it was the weak that were meek. You see once we accept these realities, we shall be ready to reject the Big Mac and the Giant Burgher. We shall accept new legislation that forbids anyone over 5ft 5inch to breed. (Others will still be allowed to practice.) Within 20 years or so, we shall get the average size down to about 4ft 5inch. The breeding height restriction shall gradually be reduced. By the end of the century, we should get them down by another foot. By the end of the next century we should have the human race below 2 ft. Within the next century the average man would be just short of 6inches and women about 5 and 3/4 inches. Which is a nice height for a woman, especially for a 6 inch man.
look all the problems that are solved. One 3 ft long bus would take 60 people from Bristol to London and back on half a litre of fuel. Our current motorway system will easily cope with 3 inch wide cars. life will be altogether different believe me. We shall rediscover some of the simple pleasures of life. The joy of floating down stream on a lily leaf. Of camping out on a starry night beneath a mushroom.
Finally may I suggest that you secure a copy of my forthcoming book with a small deposit. Meanwhile I am off to take my medication.

I have always been fascinated in the power of the mind, the part it plays in sport in general and in martial arts specifically. Here are some further thoughts on the matter; beginning with an article from the Guardian , January 1981:-

Split-second advantage of the left-hander

If tennis court surfaces get any faster, left hander John McEnroe may eventually dominate right-handed Bjorn Borg for the simple reason that left-handed sportsmen in general have naturally quicker reflexes.

French sports researchers are convinced, after 15 years of experiments, that the growing domination of left-handers in tennis, particularly on synthetic courts, can no longer be put down to their unorthodox technique.

According to a team led by Dr. Guy Azemar at the National Physical Education Institute, everything points to left-handers having several thousandths of a second more to react.

The researchers, including a nerve specialist and a specialist in sciences related to sport, were struck by the disproportionate success of left-handers, particularly in tennis and fencing. Left-handers dominate at the top although 90% of the people are right-handed. Of the world’s top 200 tennis players, 16% are left-handed but five of the top 20 and three of the top four are left-handers.

Borg, therefore, is considered to be an exception – a right-hander who can make up with technique what he loses in reflex. Before the French research, it was presumed that he fought against the odds arising from unorthodox technique. He is forced to change his game to receive backhands, while left-handed opponents have a marginal advantage in a points system that favours unorthodox serving at game point.

Dr. Azemar found that left-handers were even more dominant in fencing, particularly with the foil where speed and precision at close quarters is crucial. (my note:- there are similarities in fencing, Judo, Karate and Taekwondo, where the body is propelled by a driving leg.) Three out of four fencing gold medals at the Olympic Games were won by left-handers who took all of the first eight places in the men’s foil. This advantage dictates the composition of the French foil team, which Dr. Azamar has been looking after for the past fifteen years.

His research team is convinced that the advantage is explained by the way messages are carried from the brain. “We want to show that the sort of information needed in sport – speed and direction of attack – are treated by the right-handed side of the brain which handles the organisation of time and space,” he said. “With left-handers the message is transmitted direct to the left-hand side of the body. With right-handers the message travels through the left-hand side of the brain first, the side which treats logic. Then it passes to the other side causing a loss of thousandths of a second.”

Dr. Azemar said that a series of exercises were being developed to prove the theory and to make a strict division between what left-handers gain by their unorthodoxy and what they gain by quicker reflexes. He thought that the exercises might prove that right-handers reverse the balance on slow courts, where Borg is still king, because they have more time to work out “elaborate strokes” devised by the brain’s logical side.

I seem to have accumulated a number of practical psychology and self improvement books over the years. By this time I should be much improved but sadly I am not. I have been watching a TV series called “Suits”. It is about an American Law Firm and one of the main characters is blessed with a photographic memory. I have always seemed forgetful and could quote outrageous examples. However at last night’s session, I surprised my students, by informing them that I had a photographic memory but I had to admit that was unable to remove the lens cover!

Accepting that left-handers appear to have a split second advantage in reaction time does not mean that right-handers should give up; not by any means. But it does emphasise the importance of the right side brain. This is the instinctive side as opposed to the logical, thinking left brain. In Tim Galway’s book, (the name of which eludes my photographic memory retrieval system) he describes coaching tennis players to constantly verbalise, saying “bounce hit”. This stopped the “logical” brain from interfering with the “instinctive” brain. The inference being that the right side brain should be dominant during play. This appears to be what happens when people are playing in the zone, i.e. everything seems to work.

This may be the underlying reason behind uchikomi practice. The continuous pattern of movement building up a sort of muscle memory. The drawback with uchikomi is that the movement is rarely completed and there is no response from the training partner. It is a bit like hitting a punch bag with only half power and the bag will not hit you back.

I am not sure if Shinjido moves could be adapted for uchikomi. Some would suggest that without being “uchikomiable” a move cannot be Judo. I have never heard a reference to uchikomi attributed to Kano, the Judo founder but he did emphasise the importance of Kata. The late Geof Gleeson, prolific author and the British Judo Association’s first National Coach, suggested that one could devise Katas to improve personal performance. This should have the same effect as uchikomi but the movement would be more natural and closer to reality. I had not thought about it until now but this is my approach with Shinjido. There is an attack followed by a response and a conclusion. this is repeated a number of times. Using the same attack we vary the response and repeat as before.

I try to get my students to be as relaxed and centred as possible and to move naturally. Although they may be responding in a certain way to a recognised attack, the objective is to accept anything and respond accordingly. This would be close to randori, free practice, which is the backbone of Judo. Unfortunately, many are incapable of a “light practice”; their randori becomes Shia, contest but without keeping a score.

So I say to the right-handers, don’t give up. There are many ways to compensate for the thousandths of a second advantage that the lefties have. The most important being awareness but your response time, will to a degree be affected by your level of tension. If you are focussed in a tense way, you may be prepared to stop an initial attack but you reduce your potential to avoid anything that follows.

Play fighting comes before actual fighting. This is the way of the animal kingdom. Let your randori be play. Try developing your own katas and above all, enjoy.

My new DVD will soon be available as Downloads from Fighting Films. Meanwhile you can see a short trailer on YouTube. “Shinjido Evolution and Innovation” for Judo and Self Defence, should be an excellent learning tool.

My experience of film making (having featured in Terry Pratchett’s Hog Father as the Veruka Gnome) is that it’s organised chaos. We set up at the Torquay Dojo but the Tiny Tots in the gymnastics room were too noisy. Thankfully the WBB Club Newton Abbot, promptly offered their facility. The four Ukis were rerouted and the Fighting Films crew took their van separately so they could return direct to Bristol after the shoot. I arrived to meet the Ukis but no sign of Fighting Films. Eventually they arrived. Apparently they had been following Sat Nav instructions but Dan O’Connell knew a better way as he had trained there years ago! Once in situ they quickly blocked out the natural light with black polythene and filming commenced. We spent six hours on the mat. Everyone was tired by the finish. I was about to have more chemotherapy so the FF crew were amazed that I was still standing.

It was then decided that there had to be an interview, so we dashed back to catch the remaining light in my garden. The interview was not only unscripted but had the added bonus of our resident sea gulls. Not for me the luxury of an auto cue or the time for multiple takes, which presenters seem to depend on but hopefully my adlibbing is understandable.

This DVD presents my ideas together with a number of examples. It is not meant as entertainment, it is purely a learning tool. Everything is clearly demonstrated and should provide much food for thought. Ultimately Shinjido offers a guide for players and coaches to innovate individual skills. It should prove useful for many martial arts and in particular for anyone that has attended one of my seminars.

Speaking of which, I have scheduled a seminar at High Wycombe Judo Centre 1st July. I am also doing two days at the Budokan, Modling (Vienna) in August. Do come to whichever is the most convenient. Closer to home, I shall be at Ladram Bay, Devon from 2pm – 4.30. 14th April. Places are limited for this one; booking will be essential. Meanwhile I am still trying to avoid the occasional parking ticket by informing them that I am dying, which technically is true but I don’t want my body to know yet.

ACCUMULATING THE SCORES
Every Judo player at some time or other would have attempted to explain our scoring system. As this does not follow the rule of mathematics it usually causes a little bewilderment. An “Ippon” is worth 10 points and ends the contest. That’s fine. A Waza-Ari is worth 7 points but two Waza-Aris equal 10? A Yuko is worth 5 points, 10 Yukos do not equal 7 or 10? A Koka is worth 3 points. Any number of Kokas do not equal 5??? his problem is further exasperated when the referee has to decide which score an attack merits. For example, a throw to score Ippon (10 points) has to have three elements, (1) largely on the back (2) with sufficient force. (3) with sufficient speed. A Waza-Ari throw is where there is the lack of one of the elements. A Yuko will lack in one of the elements for a Waza-Ari. A Koka is almost equal to a Yuko. As can be seen much will depend on interpretation. Frequently the referee will score player “A” a Yuko (5 points) and player “B” only Koka (3 points) for an equally skilled attack. This does not imply bias – simply human error. player “B” will try desperately to recover and may score several Kokas to no avail.. Accumulated scores would be fairer. The object of the game would be to score 12 points.

Ippon equals 12

Waza-Ari equals 6

Yuko equals 3

Koka equals 1

This is much easier for the commentator or members of the public to understand and would make for far more exciting contests. Penalties would result in a deduction from a player’s score and only be added to the opponent’s score if the penalised player had no score. It is certainly unjust that penalties should be accumulative but that some scores should not.

RESTRUCTURING OF IJF CONTEST RULES

Both the IJF contest rules and their interpretation are continually changing. The underlying reason for this is to popularise the sport and show the better face of Judo, i.e. the dramatic throws. Therefore, penalties have been introduced to encourage the successful “big throw”. The penalty system is not successful, either from the players or spectators view point. A chasm is developing between referee and player. In the early days a high grade player would referee a contest to the best of his ability and no doubt many mistakes were made but contests were won or lost through Judo techniques. Nowadays they are often decided by tactics, through one player incurring a penalty. The advent of scoring the smaller scores (Yuko and Kokas) was a good step in the right direction but the Shidos, Chuis and Keikokus (penalties) are spoiling the contest, especially when they outweigh a positive score. the best referees run their contests according to IJF rules but with a liberal interpretation. In which case the best player is likely to win. Some referees seem to regard the contest as a chess board. The players merely pawns to be penalised at the slightest infringement. in this game the concentration is focussed more on looking for penalties than looking for scores. This has to be for spotting the infringements require more concentration. Ever mindful that they are open to censor from their own organisation, they try not to let the infringements pass unnoticed. This combined with penalties for the most trivial offence has the effect of reducing enjoyment for both the player and the spectator. Long term, structure of the rules needs a complete overhaul. Short term referees should be expected to apply a liberal interpretation, with two main issues in mind:-

1) to safeguard the player

2) See the best man win

FIGHTING IN ROUNDS
With less contests to be fought off during a tournament, each contest could be fought in rounds. Two or Three, three minute rounds, with one minute breaks might be suitable. This could have several effects:-

1) The contestants would gear themselves to a faster pace, thus providing more excitement.

2) The supporters would see more of their favourite in action.
3) in the event of TV coverage, the breaks would either allow action replays – an educational benefit, or advertising slots in the case of commercial TV. Currently there are enforced breaks in competition when a player is hurt. Frequently the player is less hurt than tired. fighting nonstop for a round will still be very tiring but at least the rest period would be a known quantity that the player can rely upon. In any case, the competitive player often gears his training to suit fighting in rounds, i.e. he will randori for several minutes at a time and take rest intervals. this ensures that he is training for sprints and not marathons.

4) popular combat sports currently shown on TV, such as boxing and wrestling, are geared to rounds. Therefore the general public will find this more acceptable. There could well be an advantage gained, by having more similarity with professional wrestling. This entertainment has quite a following – many of whom would prefer to watch an honest contest. Judo made entertaining but maintaining its sporting tradition would have tremendous appeal with this section of the market.

THE COLOURED JACKET

This is an often discussed idea. It has many advantages. It is much easier to distinguish one competitor from the other. The idea would be wearing either a red or a white jacket. All competitors would have one of each; they could then wear their own belts.

One of the few things every member of the general public knows about Judo is that a beginner wears a white belt and a master wears a black belt. How confusing it must be to see World Class competitors wearing white or red belts. If they were wearing red or white jackets, the black belt would be worn and understood. It makes the distinction easier at all times, for the TV commentator, the referee and table officials but most importantly the audience, who in a major competition may be watching from a great distance.

CONCLUSION

This document shows what could be done to popularise Judo. Section 1. contains ideas that can be acted upon immediately. These ideas do not conflict with the current structure of Judo. Section 2. is more provocative and has been included as food for thought Some ideas from Section 2. could well add to the future popularity of Judo but at this moment they will appear controversial. The main argument is that TV coverage would be good for the sport and the report paints a scenario that shows how this could be achieved. There are indications that if the recommendations were carried out, judo could capture the public interest.

Judo is already one of the most popular participant and spectator sports in France. It enjoys ample TV coverage. This may or may not have come about through a large lobby of French judo licence holders. If we attempt to gain media recognition in this way it could take years and may still not be achieved.

The French national Champions are house hold names. In this country that status can only be achieved by regular appearances on programmes such as Superstars (Brian Jacks became a celebrity but not for his brilliant Judo) Angelo Parisi was unknown outside of London and the Judo fraternity. As a nationalised Frenchman and Olympic Champion, he became a popular hero. You could not pass a newsstand without a picture of Angelo on display. There is no doubt that the association would get the full support from our top competitors, together with the entire grass roots of judo, for any realistic efforts made to popularise Judo.

Timing is usually critical to the success or failure of any venture. The opportunity presented today may not be repeated for several years to come. The most popular televised spectator sport in the country, football is to have reduced coverage. Already other “sports” including darts and snooker, are clamouring for a bigger share of viewing time. Judo handled correctly could be far more interesting than these. Let us not waste the golden opportunity that exists today. The BJA could harness a Dunkirk spirit, with our combined energies pulling in the same direction, success could be assured.

Back to 2012 so this is my two penny’s worth. Most of the report was the work of Simon Hicks. I contributed and our company Business Images International fronted it. The main share holders of B.I.I. were myself and Gary Gillot. We would have willingly made both a cash and more importantly an investment in time contribution, by opening discussions with a TV company. At the time, the report was barely acknowledged.

Simon persevered in his own way. Matching his knowledge of Judo and Film craft. As a business man, he appalled me one day. He said that the filming was not commercial. It was being subsidised through the sale of mats and judo gis and he did not care as long as he could continue to make Judo films. Well, he did not die a rich man in terms of money but he was profoundly respected internationally by the Judo World.

Those in the know, will realise that some of his ideas became eventual reality. Sky now broadcast the Grand Slam events on one of their minor channels. This is an IJF initiative and Fighting Films produce the programs. They are very exciting to watch. At one time I attempted to notify the Judo public of the broadcast times but I am negligent (though totally reliable) One thing we could all do, is check for future broadcasts through the FF website. And then lets create a buzz. Take time to send a letter or email of appreciation to the broadcaster. Let them realise they have an audience out there that want more. in this way Judo could go up the scale onto one of Sky’s more important channels. It’s time we stopped relishing our role as a Cinderella Sport.

There is a growing demand for combat sports on television. MMA has several programs devoted to it and the events achieve packed houses. Undoubtedly there is a window of opportunity for Judo and the IJF is playing it’s part. For all the funds that the BJA receives and all the mouths they have to support, we are only a small cog in the IJF machine. This does not mean that the association cannot use some initiative. Perhaps in the labyrinth of the BJA HQ, they could find the report, dust it down and give it some consideration. Food for thought?

PRESENTING A MAYOR EVENT IN BRITAIN

Once the sport has an educated viewing audience some of the better competitions can be screened but it is important that they are shown well, as it is easy to put people off if we show them the more boring face of Judo. Ideal would be the World Championships or European Team Championships. It is nearly ten years since the BJA last hosted the Europeans; the time has come for another mayor event.

In order to appeal to the general public a little bit of show business needs to be bought back into the presentation of the big Judo competition. (My note 2012:- This was done to good effect at the Commonwealth Games, where the presentation was organised through Fighting Films involving my nephew!) This is difficult if there are two or three mats in action at the same time. It is also a distraction if the audience is lit. We need a venue that is exciting in itself. The Albert Hall is the obvious place. It has a history of showing top class sporting events including Judo. It is famous and the atmosphere when it is packed is superb. Television is used to covering events at the Albert Hall. It also has class. A single raised mat, strongly lit, the audience in darkness in the centre of the Albert Hall would be the ideal setting for a top class Judo competition that would attract TV coverage. The BJA should bid to hold the European Team Championships and present them at the Albert Hall. It is of course possible to fit two mats into the Albert Hall but one is infinitely preferable if we are to attract spectators to the sport.

This idea is not so radical bearing in mind that the Masters Tournament scheduled for 2nd/3rd July (1983) will be held on two mats only. It is to be a multi-national tournament held over two days. The sponsor for this event claims that holding it over two days with less mats is partly a financial decision, thus allowing more opportunity to recoup some of the costs. The principle is the same if the tournament is extended to three, four or more days. After all the Horse of the Year show at Wembley lasts a week.

WORLD RANKINS

All the top spectator sports in this country have rankings of some kind. These are continually changing as individual competitors or teams improve, deteriorate or maintain their position. For the spectator/supporter these guides to form are important, since they give them a regular or continuous indication on which to latch their hopes and fears. (My note 2012: The IJF now has rankings)

BRITAIN RANKS JUDO PLAYERS ONCE A YEAR

In this country Judo ranks its competitors only once a year at the National Trials. Throughout the world Judo players are unranked. It is time judo entered the modern age and introduced national and World rankings. The benefits are obvious. supporters would have their interests continually maintained. Players could quote their rankings and the media would have an important piece of information to attach to any competitor they reported. Most importantly it would provide an invaluable guide for seeding at competitions. How often have we seen potential finalists seeded to meet each other in the early rounds? And it happens at all levels. At the last World Championships at 86kgs the European Gold and Silver medallists, probably the two best players in the world, Bernard Tchoulloughan (France) and David Bovadeli (U.S.S.R.) met each other in the first round. The first round of the Open Weight saw one Olympic Champion Angelo Parisi meet another Olympic Champion, Robert Van de Valle with the winner to meet the All Japan Champion Yamashita in the next round. What lunacy. no wonder our sport appears to exist in dark ages sometimes.

ACHIEVING RANKINGS

How can rankings be achieved? It is quite simple; pick a number of tournaments whose results will be taken into account. Enter the medallists names into a computer. Naturally a simple program will have to be devised in order to ensure that the most important tournaments are given more weight in rankings allocation. It could be done simply in terms of points: A Gold Medal at the British Open rates 10 points, while one at the All Englands rates only three. Choosing which tournaments would obviously provide controversy but the entry at these events would be improved. In Britain I would suggest the the British Open, National Trials, all Englands, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Midland Open events. Internationally one would take into account the Olympics, World Championships, All Japans, European, Asian, Pan-American and mayor Open Championships.

PUBLISHING THE RESULTS

Rankings should then be published regularly. Initially perhaps only every three months but eventually after every tournament that affects them. Imagine the entry in the British Open if it were possible to improve your rankings by winning a medal in it: In the creation of National and International tables Britain could lead the world. Initially the world might not accept them but ideas when well carried through have a tendency to be recognised and eventually accepted as authority. The beauty of the idea is that it is virtually free to implement.

THE ONE MAT TOURNAMENT

Large tournaments traditionally use multiple (3 or 5) contest areas. This is a facility for the players and officials, with scant consideration for the spectator. With five contests in progress at the same time, a tournament can be completed in one day. It may be a day of drudgery commencing at 9am and finishing at 10pm but at least the competitors are only involved in one day’s expenses. it could be argued strictly from the participants view point, that this is the best solution. There is another way. A way that would have obvious spectator appeal and benefit the player also.

As an example, let us take a British Closed Championship orientated towards the spectator. The aim is to provide two or three hours of exciting Judo. With seven categories to contend, one is restricted to approximately twenty five minutes per category or around seven fights. On a knock out basis seven fights means eight competitors per category. This means that the top eight in each category have to be arrived at well before the date of the British finals. Eliminations to find these finalists will be held at separate championships; north Britain and South Britain. Each would provide four competitors.

The demarcation line is arbitrary but based upon results of the National Team Championships over the past ten years, a reasonable division would be, South Britain consisting of everything south of the Midlands, including Wales, while North Britain would include Scotland and Ireland. The universities and Combined Services could be allocated one either side.

There should also be eliminations for these North Britain and South Britain championships at area levels. A natural progression would look like this:

BRITISH CLOSED CHAMPIONSHIPS

Stage 1. Simple Club Eliminations – Clubs send club Champions to Stage 2. Stronger clubs could be permitted more entries.

Stage 2. Area Championships – each area send two competitors at each weight to the North and South Championships where they are seeded on opposite sides of the draw.

Stage 3. North Britain and South Britain Championship all medallists at each weight can enter stage 4.

Stage 4. BRITISH FINALS

Each fighter that progressed towards the finals would stand a good chance of attracting an individual following. North and South Championships and the British Finals would be a sell out. With ticket paying spectators, winners from stage 2 onwards could be paid out of pocket expenses, saving money and allowing more people to participate. The less able fighter should also gain more satisfaction from at least scoring a win a win at area levels. Furthermore with many fighters having been eliminated before the British Finals, many of these would forma paying and informed audience of the sort one encounters at a World or European Championship. With a guaranteed running time for the top class championships, it is much easier to ensure television coverage and audience enjoyment rather than frustration at events running hours behind.

A NEW CHAMPIONSHIP CONTROL BOOKLET

It will of course, be necessary to re-educate Championship Controllers. No longer will the main problem be the logistics of handling hundreds of competitors. The aim will be to make the tournament financial success, through adequate paying spectators. Until now, tournament organisers, have depended upon a large entry to attract sufficient entry fees. With only fifty six competitors (eight in each weight category) they will be dependent upon selling tickets.

SPONSOR REACTION

Without a re-education programme, this could cause an absolute panic amongst tournament organisers. However, apart from the fact that more spectators will be attracted, sponsorship should become a more viable proposition. Unless the sponsor is completely altruistic, he will be relieved to know that the Judo show is going to be seen by the public. At least he will be re-assured that this is the organisers policy.

POSTERS

A new Championship Control Booklet will be required. The emphasis will be on showing how spectators can be attracted. Help should also be made available by the BJA or Sports Council For example, posters can be circulated to all clubs, advertising local events. These posters would be part printed, so that the club could insert the place, date and time of the event. For National Championships the posters could be fully printed, except for an open box, Tickets Available From. This would enable club secretaries to assist with ticket sales. local people could order their tickets locally, instead of writing or telephoning London. The posters would not simply go on the club notice board, they should be strategically placed in shop windows. Many shop keepers are prepared to place a small, say A3 poster on their door or window if approached in the right manner.

PRESS AND LOCAL RADIO

It should be fairly easy to get some interest and free advertising from local radio. Disc Jockeys like to have snippets of local news intersperse with music. The Championship Control Booklet should contain advice for developing a link between club P.R. officer and radio. The local Judo Champion should be home town news. His/her results should be notified to the broadcaster; it is likely that an interview would ensue. Before the main event a radio “plug” would be requested as a reminder to supporters.

This principle remains the same for Channel Television which is rapidly developing throughout the country. it goes without saying that the local papers should be kept informed of results in the most interesting way as possible. They are usually prepared to do a write up, even if the National Press is less enthusiastic. preferably, the report should include, “Joe’s next event is at…….on……..” These ideas and many more, should be correctly formulated and the areas and clubs shown how to develop local media coverage.

CREATURE COMFORTS

Finally, to make the one mat tournament a success, we must consider our creature comforts. Apart from the Roman games, can you think of a worse facilities than the C.P.N.S.C (Crystal palace) Backless seating to guarantee stiff backs, hard wood to ensure a stiff backside and a heavily chlorinated atmosphere, that due course, could stiffen the remaining parts. The alternative is surely the comfortable facilities at Championship Boxing, that guarantees £30 for a ring side seat. Somewhere between these two extremes we should achieve a worthwhile compromise.

More to follow and I remind you that this was written in 1983