My Development in Kodokan Judo

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is to briefly discuss how Judo and Ju-Jitsu have helped me to grow as a better human being, and what I plan to give back to the martial arts during my life.

How I Got Started in Martial Arts

When I was growing up, I had the unfortunate combination of having a big mouth while being short, skinny and weak. Because I did better in school than my classmates I got bullied a lot. As smart as I thought I was, I must have been an idiot, because my defense to getting bullied was to look down and mumble about how dumb those kids were - which lead to more bullying.

The bullying continued all through high school (unfortunately, so did the big mouth), and by the time I arrived at college I swore to myself that I'd never be bullied again. I went to a couple of on-campus demonstrations, but as soon as I saw the Northwestern University Ju-Jutsu (an alternate spelling) Club's demo with men and women flying everywhere, spectacular throws and weapons techniques, I knew that this for me. The founder and head instructor, John J. Lewis, was a Major in the Special Forces (active reserves), a practicing lawyer, and had a PhD in Anthropology from Northwestern - he was a great teacher and mentor, and I miss him dearly.

How Judo and Jujitsu Have Helped Me Grow

At first, I thought of Jujitsu as a way to learn how to fight and apply some hurt back on those who might hurt me. As a white belt, I went to a bad area of campus one night looking for a fight. I've reflected on that night often with great embarrassment - I can't believe how stupid that was. I could have been killed, or worse, I could have actually hurt somebody. As time went on, Sensei Lewis taught me that Ju-Jutsu is a great responsibility; that I must always be ethical, lawful, and ever vigilant and aware of my surroundings. I learned that my response, both body language and words, had in large part encouraged the bullying I had received. I realized that bullies do what they do because they are insecure or frightened themselves. I learned to pay more attention to my non-verbal and verbal communication in stressful situations.

A few years ago, a student asked me if I've ever used Judo or Jujitsu "in real life." I realized that I use Judo and Jujitsu principals every single day: Stay in the moment, pay close attention to your surroundings, maximum efficiency with minimal effort, and do everything with the highest ethical standards. When the stuff is hitting the fan at work, I can stay calm, analytical and empathetic, pulling the team together to get the job done rather than fretting about that which is beyond our control, and getting them past the vapor-lock of indecision.

What is Important Going Forward

I feel that it is important to share my knowledge with others; to "give back" to the arts of Judo and Jujitsu. I intend to do that in several ways. First, I will stay current as a Certified Instructor with USJA and USJJF, with current CPR and First Aid certifications and background check. This is the standard in our dojo. Proper national certifications should be the minimum requirements for any martial arts instructor. Instructors with up-to-date national certifications and affiliations ensure that their students are learning standard and transferable skills. People who give "dojo promotions" are cheating their students because they won't be recognized anywhere else.

I will stay active as a Judo referee. It is difficult to find the time for this and being the center of attention on the mat when you make a critical call is not easy. But that makes it all the more important, because many coaches don't ever work as referees, even though without referees there can be no Shiai. Refereeing is a great way to stay up to date on the rules; there's nothing worse than a coach who doesn't understand the rules yelling at a referee about a call.

I will always be a martial arts teacher and student, even if I'm not on the mat teaching or learning techniques. That may seem an odd statement at first, but by "walking the walk and talking the talk" I will be setting an example for the people I work with, train with or just hang out with. I am also constantly looking for new things to learn to make myself a better citizen and person.

Conclusion

My journey in martial arts has certainly been filled with lots of learning and self-discovery. I feel that it is my duty to give back to the martial arts by sharing my knowledge and acting in the most ethical manner. Those who have been martial arts instructors for a while will understand what I mean when I say that I will always be martial arts instructor and student.

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