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Judo Is Hard | The Shintaro Higashi Show

June 2, 20260 comments♥ 0
00:00The Shintaro Higashi show is sponsored by Judo TV, your premier destination for live and on-demand Judo coverage.Never miss a throat.Higashi brand.Train hard, live strong, wear Higashi brand.Hakuin AI.Hakuin AI helps you measure, predict, and solve customer churn.Visit Hacuin AI and start your free churn on it today.Welcome back to the Shantara Higashi with David Kim.
00:26Why is judo so hard?it's wicked hard manI canyou knowas an old man with my neck in my backit's very hardbut I think a lot of timesit's like we were talking about
00:40in an earlier episodea lot of it's timingyou know andthere's just so many things going on at oncethat you have athought in your mindof what you're going to doand none of it ever happens
00:52I'll tell youI don't want to start offat judo verseis BJJ, but I'll tell you whatJiu-Jitsu does well that judo doesn't.Yeah.Jiu-Jitsu used to be this way too.It used to be a collection of moves.
01:06Juji, Rene Gajok,Yeah.You know, a heel hook.Yeah.Bullfighter or something.Whatever, whatever, right?Judo still is taught like that.Oh, Soto, Tai Toshimada,
01:19Kouuchi, Haragoshi.It's just a collection of movestaught independently of each other.Right.At least with Jiu-Sut, it's like,okay, take the person down.try to pass to guard.You try to go bow fighter pass.
01:30They ship the ankle.They kick the leg over.And now there's sort of a game and a strategy.It's not like, this is how you do a juji.Even though some jiu-jitsu teachers still teach that way.There's sort of a path to success, a path to winning that's specifically taught.There's a hierarchy of positions that are very clearly defined.Back take is this point.
01:52Backmounds that.When you get here, you're looking for a rear naked choke.You may encounter these.these obstacles, this might happen, that might happen.What are the objectives chest of back?Judo a lot of the time is not taught like that yet.It's still the go-kill.It's still the old-school way.
02:08And then they go a little bit deeper into the three parts of the throw,the kuzhi, the kuzhi, the kakki, the off-balance,the make of the throw, and the execution of the throw.It's just not enough.And I don't think not enough judo teachers are teaching sort of the contextual stuffof, okay, first point on.Right versus left, right versus right.first end on what is the strategy i'm trying to go here or here what are the reactions right oh this person
02:32stiff arm in me they're supposed to stiff arm you yeah it's the same as frames in jiu jitza yeahthey've evolved in a way where the learning is oh when you pass the legs you clear the hip linethey're going to frame yeah how do you clear those frames you go here you go there and evenstill some of these jiu jitza classes we go to oh you pass you go knee on though you grab the collarand then you're good.Yeah.Maybe,maybe not.
02:57It's not,you know,because the frame'sgoing to come in,people who are goodat frame,and then reframingwith their lower...
03:02And I'm just floatingout there,like,why can't...Exactly.Why can I get chest to chest?It's the whole skill in itself.Right.
03:07In judo,I feel likea lot of the teachershave not explored that enoughto teach that enoughbecause that's how they,they didn't learn it that way.And it does feel like
03:18there's kind of this bimodal,like this divide in judo,because you have kind ofon the,hobbyist level or the recreational level.Yes.I feel like they're taught a lot like this.Yeah.
03:29Right.It's a lot of, we practice the throat.You know, a lot of technical, uh,instruction.Yep.Right.You know, almost academic in this way.Yeah.
03:41Like physical academic.Mm.But when you go to the competitive scene.Yeah.It almost feels like they just like they just train a lot.You know, like they just do a lot of Randori.Yep.They do their essence.
03:54see. And then they just do a lot of Reddori.Yep. And then maybe they'll like school around, you know, some people will school arounddoing some jiu-tutsu or they'll school around doing some, you know, some other stuff.But it really feels like that. And it really is like two branches that kind of diverge veryquickly. So sometimes when you talk to someone who's even on the national circuit or somethinglike that, their understanding of judo is very different from someone who's going to theirneighborhood, you know, class.And you know it's the Rondori-based training that helps them grow the most.
04:31And once people figure that out, oh, I need to do Rondori to learn and get better, right?Injury risk goes up.And then self-preservation happens because you're going from Uchikomi and drilling and learningindependent moves to going live.And there's a huge discrepancy between drilling and then going full-throvers.alive. And in Jiu-Jitsu, yes, you do that same thing, but the risk is much lower becauseyou're not going to get thrown on your head. There's no gravity, you're not going to land in yourshoulder, and the risk of injury is a lot lower. Don't get me wrong. Get still hurt and get
05:04hurt and doing Jitsu. Right? But when you're getting slammed, it's like, oh, that personshouldn't learn how to fall. That's not always the case. It's always the guy's fall. Someone who spikesyou up to the back of your neck. Sometimes you can't take a breakfall. Sometimes your arms are trapped.Sometimes you don't know it's coming.Yeah.How are you going to take a break for when you don't know what's coming?Yeah.You know what I mean?
05:24Yep, no, 100%.Yeah.Yeah.And that happens all the time.Someone's arm gets strapped.Yeah.And they just, you know, whack the back of their head or having my son in wrestling.Oh, wrestling dangerous too.
05:35Yeah.I mean, his head just bounced off the mat and he was like, wait.You know, it was just the funniest, you know, conversation afterwards.Funny.Well, I mean, I was concerned at the time.But, you know, in retrospect, it was kind of funny because he was like, wait.I was wrestling on that mat, right?Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:52Wait.Yeah, I was just wrestling, right?On that mat, right?And I was just like, oh, no.This is not good.Yep.I had one of those experiences.I got slammed on my head by the National Champion of Spain.
06:07Oh, no.And then I walked off the mat and I started warming up.It's like, my friend Aaron is like, yo, what are you doing?I was like, I'm warming off of my match.He's like, you just fought.I'm like, you're listening, man.There's no way.Get out of my face.
06:20You're distracted me.I got to stay focused.He's like, you just went out there and got thrown.I was like, I did.Yeah.That's exactly, yeah.That's exactly it.He's like, yeah, dude, you lost.
06:31You're out first round, buddy?Yeah.He's like, damn it.Are you sure?I was pretty, that sucked.Yeah.I forgot about it.Yeah.
06:38You know?Yeah.Those head injuries are for real.And then I went to the medic and was like, what happened?I don't know.I think I'm supposed to be out there.I think I lost.I think I lost?
06:48I think I was up and it was like, all right, you know.So that's setting the stands after that.But that's, I mean, that can be definitely the risk.It happens, you know, all the time, you know?And, you know, that's, the risk is one thing.But I also think, I don't want to put too much way on that too,because a lot of people don't understand the risk.No.
07:08You do.Yeah.Because you're experienced in this sport.I do because I'm old.But most people, they're happy to be like hanging.their knees out there to like, you know, in crushable situations, like they don't understandthe risk.So there are other reasons, I think, why people think you those hard.
07:27It happens instantaneously, right?It's like, oh, my Tanya Toshi is safe.I hear this all the time.But it's like, yeah, I guess, you know, what makes you say that?Oh, I know when you do Tanya Toshi, your initial foot has to be behind the other person.And Donahir said this.If your back foot is in front of them and you go Tanya Toshi, you have a risk of sitting.But if you're behind me, you're behind me.
07:48them you're safe yeah okay but in an instant yeah you the person could turn yeah right here okayyour foot's here i turn real quickly and now of a sudden that foot is in front of me yeah yeah yeahquarter of a second this can happen yes and then your knee is gone yeah you know so that's why judo'shard and speaking on that instantaneous nature of judo it's very difficult to troubleshoot because alla sudden we talked about timing in another episode you get your legs kicked out from underneath youholy shit, what happened?Yeah.At least with Jiu-Jitsu, it's like, oh, you know, I got past the knee line,
08:24I ran into the frames, and I was suspended there for a second,and that space was filled with the knee coming in.Yeah.Right?Oh, I was trying to pass, but then, you know, these guys cross-collar grip.I keep running into that arm, and you could troubleshoot it and talk yourself through it.Hey, man, I was in this position, 50-50, I got caught like this, blah, blah, blah.Judo, it's like, Sente, did you see I got, I got thrown?
08:45No, I didn't.No, I didn't.I wasn't watching you.Right.And even if I was watching you, I was watching for safety.Yeah.Not for your technical.Exactly.
08:57And maybe it seems like you just got caught a basic foot sweep,but maybe he did something earlier on in the match.To make you.To make you react that way.And then the timing.Good timing.Good time.Yeah.
09:09Right.Yeah.And I think for judo also, I think there's kind of pent up,if you're on the record.recreational side, I think there can be pent up frustration because at least on the jihitsu side,because it is safer, because you're on the ground, all that kinetic chain is not being appliedin the same way, you spar.Yes.
09:30Right.Like the randori is there, right?So that kind of pent up demand to like use the techniques you've learned is satisfiedbecause you're going to do at least five rounds or something, right?Whereas I feel like in judo, depending on the club, and for good,reason i'm i'm not criticizing it at all but for good reason you may do a lot of technical stuff a lot oftechnical study a lot of instruction and stuff and you never get to satisfy that like um you knowtrying it live yes right and it uh it can create a a weird dynamic right and then maybe when you do
10:08get to go randori people go a little ham you know maybe because they're just like oh yeah i'mgoing to do all this stuff i learn i know all this stuff i know all thisstuff. I've done the kata. I've done the, you know, whatever the names of these different exercisesare. We brought out the crash pads. My thing is perfect. I'm going to do this. And it turns intolike a guerrilla fight sometimes. And you know, I'll give you an example with this guy,the Joe, you know Big Max? He was on that chip on the pen. He's been working on his Uchimaforever. He's a big boy. He's like 240. Yeah. And it's getting better and better and better.And I know for a fact he could throw all those lightweights over there with the biggest which
10:46But he's not allowed to.Because he outweighs him by so much.Before he might have not been able to.Now his Uchamara is good enough to be able to do it.But throwing those guys...100 pounds lighter.Would be very, very dangerous.He's in 40 pounds lighter.
11:01So it's like, all right, you want to try this new skill that you've developed over the last six months.It's gotten a lot better, but you can't throw all those guys over there.Right.But you could try it on those heavyweights over there.Yeah, yeah.And it won't be as clean.It won't be as satisfying.Yeah.
11:18You know?Right.So that's also the problem.To do a clean pass on someone, you could do it.Yeah.And it doesn't really matter necessarily.I mean, it's easier when they're lighter.Yeah.
11:29But it doesn't make as much difference.No.And then you get there, and then you finish your juji or whatever it is.They tap.You can do that to anybody.Yeah.And you let go.And say, hey, great job.
11:39Yeah.But with judo, someone's getting slammed.Yeah.Yeah.Which is a big issue.Yeah.Yeah.So this is extremely frustrating, I think.
11:49Especially if they're much smaller.Yeah, because you know, in jiu-jitsu, like, you know, passing the guard,there are plenty of women and I can't pass their guard.Yeah, you know, and they might be, you know, 80 pounds lighter than me, right?Very true.But they can retain their guard.Yeah.And, you know, but I think it's harder to do that if you're 80 pounds lighter than someone.
12:09Yeah.You just, you can't.And all these movements are very athletic-based.In Jiu-Jitsu, you don't have to be athletic to make these shapes of these moves.Yeah.You know, there's mobility requirements.I'm not saying Jiu-Jitsu isn't athletic.I'm not saying that.
12:23But anyone can make the shape of a half-guard or a deep half-guard.As long as you have two legs.As long as you have a leg of arms.It's a little bit harder to do rubber guard if you don't have the mobility.But you could do 90% of the things in J-Jitsu.Anybody.Yeah, right?The same for Judo.
12:40A lifting Uchimada where you're on one leg.creating amplitude on one legwhile keeping your court tightwhile keeping your balancehands doing this and thatand then workingin a very demandinga synchronized way
12:54in a dynamic waywhere you balance is importantbut your uke's doing as importantit's very difficultI like to put it this wayis bodybuilder versus Olympic liftingyeahyeah so how do people make it easier
13:08without dilutingwhat they're doingdiluting their trainingAnd I know you've talked about this,people are like making judo easier,but I think this is a little bit of different,you know,direction on it.
13:22But how can peoplesolve some of these problems that we've brought up?So people do,what you call me, they do Rondori,and the outcome is sort of a zero-sum game.Majority of the time.It's like you win or you lose,you feel really bad about yourself,
13:41good about yourselfand it gives youthis survivor biasof like oh I did thisit workslet me just keep doing thatyour game never gets betterright
13:49so you have to gamifyall these contextual thingsin betweenlike grippinglike positional fightingyeah you knowI was going with Dannythis kid he's a blue belt
13:58he's 140 poundsat the gymyeahhe actually just competed in a tournamentwent six and allI wantedintermediate tournamentsnice
14:05he's there likelittle vizant starhe's my superstarI did judo with him yesterdayyeahbut he was able tooutgripped me a few times in a couple of exchanges.Was he able to throw me? No.
14:15But because we gamify a lot of these different aspects of the game,he outgrip me.And then his friends were like, oh my God, you outgripping Sensei.Sensei sucks, whatever it is.And then it was fun.Yeah.You know, so at least he has these little wind along the way.It's kind of like these dumb advantage points in jiu-jitsu.
14:33Yeah.You almost passed my bar.You almost went for an arm bar.Good job.And these guys say, oh, I swept the black belt.Yeah.Yeah.Right?
14:40There is no equivalent of sweeping a black belt or a vantage point in judobecause it's either you throw the guy or you submit a person in judithu.So having these little incremental wins, I think, makes it much more fun.It's like a handicap, kind of.Yeah, a little bit.Have these things that you could train specifically that's not full-blown Rondori.Yeah.So it's an in-between between drill, cooperative drills, non-cooperative, combative, full-blown Rondori.
15:08There has to be all these things that you focus on.in between and they all have to have sort of little wins that you kind of enjoy italong the way yeah something you can say I won that I won that exchange yes exactly Ididn't throw him but I won that yeah I'm and I'm and I'm four and oh that's rightthat's right so I think these are the kind of things that you should do and uh yeah all rightcool well judo is hard jiu-jitsu is easy okay I'm kidding but uh you know but there aredynamics thatyou know you have to keep in mind between
15:42the two different sports and judoI mean just as someonewho pretends he does itI mean you know as you get olderit becomes very clear you like you knowevery time I go to your spotand like for you know I used to go on likethe Friday and I would just be like
15:58horrified I'd just be likethese guys there's all these legshanging out everywhere and it's likeI'm too old for this manSergeant MertaAnd you know, there's one more thing that makes judo harderis you go to these local tournamentsand it's not well attended
16:15and there is no glory.Yeah.I be JJF.You could go to a local tournament,New Jersey Open.Yeah.You could be an older guy.It may not be well attended,
16:25but you have this wonderful shot of you on the podium.Right.Maybe it's three guys in the division.Maybe it's two guys in the division.And the community gives each other love.Yeah.They like each other, tag each other.Congratulations to my boy.
16:40Double gold medal, whatever it is.He's a machine.He's an animal.It doesn't matter if you're in the M-Ford Blue Belt Division.They have that.They have the title.They have the pride.Judo, you're an intermediate player.
16:53I put you in the Liberty Bell.You might get a Russian guy.Who's wearing a green belt.Been probably doing judo for 12 years.Yeah, right.That guy's a killer.Yeah.And at best, if you beat him, you get a plastic metal on milk crate in the dingy gym.
17:07Yeah.There's zero glory.You post that picture.People make fun of you.Come on, man.But the Liberty Bell tournament is a very tough tournament.Yeah.You know, so it's like, that makes it harder, I think.
17:19That there isn't this sort of smoke and mirrors feel good delusion.Yeah.You know?But having this like, hey man.Yeah.You know, I've had people tell me I'm a professional jiu jih Tzu athlete.Yeah.Oh, this guy must be a blackball.
17:35He must be amazing.Yeah.And then he shows up, he's a boo-bo.Yeah.I'm like, what makes you a professional athlete?Yeah.You know?But they could say that with pride.
17:46And they allow that in that community.In judo, whether or not you're on the IJF circuit, that's the only criteria.Yes.Yes.World champion?Very black and white.IJF.That's it.
17:56There's no brown belt division.Blue belt division.There's none of that stuff.Nobody cares.That's why it's so hard, I think.Because there's zero love and zero support for that kind of thing.you either make it over here or you just suck.Yeah.
18:11And I still feel that too.I was on the international circuit.There's another tier above that.Are you an Olympian?Yes.And the answer is no.No.And to those guys, Chantan is just a YouTuber.
18:21You freaking sucks.And that makes judo hard for me.Yeah.Because it's like, wow, you know, I dedicated my whole life to this thing.Yeah.Right.Yeah.And it's another thing that.
18:30But it's you too.Yeah.I'm a legend.I am.Yes.I won one tournament.It was the New York Open good fight.Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:40I won one tournament.I have a black belt.I'm a freaking legend.Yeah.Yeah.So it's a funny thing.Big, big fish in a small pond, I guess.We could do a whole other episode on kind of like American versus international judo and kind of misconceptions on that.
18:57Yeah.But we'll save that for another time.So judo is hard.Accept it.And try to, in your training, you know,slice it up a little bit more. It's not just the full-blown Randori. It's kind of likemini-randori. Yes. Right? So thank you guys. See in the next episode.