Since the BJA have opened their doors to other associations, members of the Young Judo Club (Sittingbourne Judo School) have taken out BJA membership taking gradings, coaching awards and entering competitions with some success. Although I am not involved personally with the BJA administration, I do hold a BJA license and as my students are part of the organisation I do take an interest in what the BJA are doing, this brings me to the BJA Syllabus for Grade Promotion.
The first thing I noticed they have returned to the 6 Kyu grades rather then having upper and lower grades, I preferred the latter and some years ago the IBF accepted this system something we will not change. I also noticed that they have copied the system we have used for 20 years where they can examine at Club level up to 1st Kyu, this better for the students and puts revenue into the club.
What I do not agree with is that there is not a competitive element i.e. contest to the grading syllabus to 1st Kyu, I strongly believe to understand Judo technically and philosophically you need a contest section. Contest helps to develop your mind and body plus you get a better grasp of the techniques you are learning. If Judoka do not enter Competitions where will our future Olympians come from, with the restrictive of how you can grade you can only go up one grade at a time and have to wait 3 months between successful gradings the earliest you can obtain 1st is 14 months, there seem to be no allowance for exceptional athletes or players crossing over from similar sports i.e. Sombo or Kurash. A couple of well known names of the 1970’s were Dave Starbrook Olympic Silver I believe he gained his 1st in less the a year and Vass Morrison was the same ( I hope I got that right). The B JA seems to go from one extreme to another one moment there is no theory for gradings only contest now it has changed completely the other way. I understand why they are doing it because society has become soft and weak and with Judo in decline they have rightly so tried another direction they may be right and we have to water down Judo and I am most probably wrong as I see no deed to drop to the lowest common denominator, maybe it time that we all tried to climb up the pit rather then slide further in?
On the Syllabus itself it seems quite reasonable with the exception of the throws in the 6th Kyu syllabus, the one thing you learn when teaching beginners is that they are afraid to be thrown, so teaching Tia Otoshi in my opinion should be first throw taught, This throw teaches the student to turn their body, it is an easily controlled throw which can be done slowly and is what Geoff Gleeson called a Roller throw your opponent rolls around the leg and does not fall heavy. I have never taught De Ashi Baria to beginners but can see that it can teach the basics of Judo if you must teach a Hip throw surely it must be O Goshi but I would prefer O Soto Gari an easily controlled throw with out heavy landing or should I say can be. The three Tia Otoshi, O Soto Gari and De Ashi Baria can easily linked to form combinations and even counters.
I will admit syllabuses like these are common but learning by ROTE which this is ,does not encourage spontaneity. Improvisation and individual talent all the credential that make a champion.,my grid system (Discovery Method)I developed years ago where every Judoka was treated as an individual was better but it was highly complex for the low coach to master and sadly my on IBF Membership rejected it.
My article is not meant to offend but just a method of throwing a couple ideas about hopefully some one will come back with constructive criticism
Martin Clarke 8th Dan
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