So...anyway...
Started Judo at the ripe age of 7 years. My father had taken me to the dojo about a good 6-8 months prior... really excited thinking I would love the prospect of learning a Martial Art (remember, being seven years old, I had no clue what any Martial Art was sans Karate). Anywho, I was NOT enthralled one bit and we left with my father's head hanging quite low. As it turns out... 6-8 months like I would get myself into an altercation (and this is how it's funny... some kids bounced me out of the way of a WWF Coin Op) in which I decided that my being small (I was a very small, light kid for my age) just wasn't going to be an excuse for me anymore. I wanted an up... an edge... and Judo would have to be it (little did I know that it is not the greatest form of self defense... but I've used it in MANY situations).
So I begin training with reknowned Nagasayu Ogasawara out of Westwood, NJ. The man has written a text book on Judo and his daughter was a World Champ and Olympic competitor (I've trained with two Olympians, couple of World Champs, and countless National, Junior Olympic and Internation Invitational Champions). He was also the Judo Team Coach for Westpoint (Army). Amazing man... and he believed in me... which at my size was something truly foreign to me.
So at seven years old... you really don't have much to offer... except heart and I had tons of it. I think that was what really drew him to me and my father... he saw how much I tried and, yes, how quickly I was progressing. So I quickly moved up the ranks... conditioning myself along the way (and when you are young... conditioning is a lot different... but as I was moving along through my years of training... I was a friggin rock). Because I was so light and so small... my strength (well... a Judo mantra is to fight with POWER not STRENGTH... I had plenty of both
) was really an incredible factor in competitions... as was my speed and flexibility (flexibility I would later learn on that is a condition hereditary in my family). Sensei Ogasawara taught me that being small meant absolutely nothing... taught me to use my speed and agility (even if I was strong) to best my oponents in every way. In many cases... he would put me up in weight classes just to test me... and I thank him for that.
In a nutshell... my accomplishments at my early age were large. In a single year I became National, International and Junior Olympic Champion in my weight class (one of the kids I beat was on the cover of the National Judo magazine... that gave me a huge hard on). However, although Judo was a major part of my life and aspirations were high for my future endeavors... it had to take a back seat for several reasons. Upon getting older (and doing it non-stop for 5-6 years), I had developed a mild case of asthma which hindered my stamina to a great extent... I had also gotten to a point where, for my age, there were simply no competitors around... both in the dojo and in the tournaments..... AND... school was more important to me. I regrettably hung my gi up for what I thought would be a final time.
Until I came to Scotland this year...
I was happy to finally be able to return to Judo with a chance at obtaining my black belt (I was the equivalent of an Adult Brown Belt at age 13). Things took a turn for the worse, however, when in only my first competition I destroyed my left shoulder... or at least... I thought I did (and I was fighting severely out of my weight class... 10 kilos off my weight class and in one case I think maybe 20). The damage I did to my shoulder this Novemeber would prevent me from further competing this year... unless proper exercise was to be had (which could not in the amount of time I would be here for).
I now take a "coaching" role within the team in the hope that I can impart some OLD wisdom to the newer guys of this team.
I look upon my experience with Judo as a blessing. It brought me closer to me... as well as my family. I've also seen some pretty interesting aspects of parental/child CRAZINESS (it's not just on the soccer field or the baseball diamond)... which is a slight blemish. But I know that I would recommend Judo to anyone looking for a good workout... good fun... and a rewarding, genuine Martial Arts experience.
lol: ), torn acl(in training), fractured wrist, i got jumped once way back in the day and these kids kicked me in the balls like 8 times in a row(they ran away so I never got to answer that shit). My dad hit me in the eye once and I saw spots for days. @_@
