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OUR BLOG
DECEMBER 2024
Judo
by Raymond Torres - Team IJC Judo Grandparent
Judo is not only about enhancing athletic ability; it also fosters personal growth. Engaging in judo instills crucial values including discipline, respect, strength, endurance, determination, punctuality, resilience, and self-esteem. These attributes are essential for achieving success and are valued in society. Individuals who win modestly and accept defeat with grace are highly regarded. This is why my 7-year-old granddaughter, Aria, has been studying judo with IJC Martial Arts for over two years. She enjoys it and eagerly anticipates each class.
A significant aspect of Aria’s training is the focus on respecting others in the dojo. Through judo practice, her respect for others translates into increased self-confidence and discipline. Consequently, it is uncommon to observe her and the young IJC judo students misbehaving or showing disrespect to adults.
Judo is both a martial art and a contact sport, yet the training that children receive at IJC equips them for life’s challenges. Similar to Judo, we do not always achieve victory; that is, we do not always win. Observing Aria participate in free-style sparring (randori) and compete within the established guidelines demonstrates her understanding of persistence, problem-solving, and perseverance. Aria learns that winning is not the sole focus; rather, it is the effort she invests in her training and the courage required to compete that distinguish her from her peers. In essence, judo fosters character; it stems from the willingness to be thrown to the mat and then rise again to continue competing. This resolve and resilience should always be valued. The young IJC judokas are taught to endure in defeat and to learn from every result, whether victorious or not.
Aria gains insights into responsibility, particularly the importance of taking ownership of her own successes and failures. She recognizes that performing well in promotional tests or competitions necessitates attending classes, heeding her instructors, mastering techniques, and applying them in randori. Insufficient effort in her training will be reflected in her outcomes. Aria finds joy in playful experiences and discovers that achieving success in games, earning belt promotions, or winning competitions is highly gratifying. Over time, she will come to understand that the medals hold less significance. The true value lies in the acceptance and respect she earns from her peers in the dojo. The acknowledgment and praise from her instructors, Senseis Saro, David, Vartan, Aren, and Edward, will carry greater weight and remain with her longer than any colored judo belt.
In conclusion, judo imparts important life lessons and cultivates robust character traits that aid children in navigating their formative years and transitioning into adulthood. These qualities may seem to extend beyond the training conducted in the dojo, but they align seamlessly with Sensei Jigoro Kano’s vision when he established Kodokan Judo in 1882. A fundamental principle in judo is mutual welfare and benefit highlighting the deeper purpose behind judo practice. One day, Aria will understand that we pursue personal growth to enhance our ability to support others. I anticipate observing that moment in the
future. Thank you IJC Martial Arts!
NOVEMBER 2024
Judo: The Art of Gentle Strength
by Daniel Malayev - Team IJC Judo Athlete
Judo is a martial art that teaches you how to use an opponent’s strength against them, instead of relying on force. The word “judo” means “the gentle way,” and it’s all about balance, timing, and technique. I’ve been training in judo for two years, and I’m currently a green belt. What I love about judo is that it’s not just about fighting—it’s about discipline, respect, and self-control.
As an Olympic sport, Judo is one of the most popular sports in the world. Although it’s popularity is not evident in the States, if traveled anywhere overseas the recognition of Judo adds to excitement. Watching judo matches can be intense because they’re fast and tactical. The athletes are incredibly skilled, and seeing their techniques in action is inspiring. It reminds me that every throw or hold I learn in practice has a deeper purpose, and with enough dedication, you can achieve amazing things.
One of the most fascinating things about judo is that you don’t need to be the biggest or strongest to succeed. It’s about being smart with your movements. Instead of trying to overpower someone, you use techniques like throws, pins, and holds to gain control. For example, if someone pushes you, instead of resisting, you can use that momentum to flip them over. It’s all about using their energy to your advantage.
Training in judo helped me build confidence. Knowing that I have the ability to defend myself if necessary has made me feel more secure, but it’s also made me more respectful and considerate. I’ve learned that self-defense isn’t about proving strength or intimidating others; it’s about feeling empowered and treating others with the same respect I expect in return.
Judo has a strong emphasis on respect. You always bow before and after practice or a match to show respect for your opponent and the sport. This teaches you to be humble and to honor the effort everyone puts in. It’s not just about winning; it’s about improving yourself physically and mentally.
Judo deeply impacted my life outside of the dojo. Learning to stay calm and focused on the mat has helped me handle challenges in everyday life. I’ve learned that just like in judo, life’s obstacles don’t have to be met with force; they can often be overcome with patience, understanding, and a calm mindset. For example, instead of reacting immediately to stressful situations, I take a step back and think about the best approach—just as I would when facing an opponent.
Judo has also played a significant role in my physical and emotional development. Physically, the training has made me stronger, more flexible, and more aware of my body’s movements. The constant practice of throws, holds, and groundwork has improved my coordination, balance, and overall fitness. Emotionally, judo has taught me resilience and patience. Every training session pushes me to step out of my comfort zone, and I’ve learned to embrace failure as a part of the process. It’s helped me manage stress, stay calm under pressure, and maintain a positive mindset, knowing that growth comes through consistent effort.
Overall, judo has helped me grow both mentally and physically. It’s given me the tools to handle challenges, to respect others, and to continually improve myself. Whether I’m practicing for fun, self-improvement, or competition, judo has helped shape me into a stronger and more balanced person in all aspects of my life.
OCTOBER 2024
Judo: A Pleasant Change In Life
by Jonathan Yusupov - Team IJC Judo Athlete
To say that Judo is a way of life would be the understatement. Judo has not only helped me mature physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Coming into the dojo at IJC Martial Arts my first thoughts were, “What can I hope to achieve with the practice of such a demanding martial art? What can I hope to gain, and would this type of sport be beneficial for me as an individual in the long term?” In retrospect, it wasn’t until after my first competition that I had realized that slowly but surely Judo had begun to hone me into the person that I am today and had created a passion for learning and studying its style.
To most beginners, Judo is an Olympic contact-sport whose focus is for two contenders to throw, pin, or submit the opponent. However, once one begins to ask questions about why such a practice takes place or what one hopes to achieve by accomplishing such a feat, then they begin to understand the true purpose of Judo.
Consequently, what distinguishes Judo from other sports is the amount of time, dedication, and commitment that one is willing to put in to truly grow beyond the sport. Rather than aiming at prizes and awards, Judo focuses on how one evolves as a person, thus its name Ju-Do (the way). Furthermore, every session of training is a series of personal tests that builds mental endurance and sheer discipline that can later be used to relieve pressure in real life situations and encourage clearer thinking.
Throughout my experience, I had realized that Judo is not just a sport to be practiced, but also a knowledge base from which an individual can reuse and repurpose Judo’s teachings into life. Starting Judo, my only focus was to train. After training for months, I had wanted to employ my skills in tournaments and decided to attend my first competition. I hadn’t expected much, yet to my pleasant surprise I had been placed first. That day I remember being so ecstatic that I had called every member of my family to proclaim how proud I was of earning my first trophy. In essence, that competition had changed me. Naturally, I had begun to understand that commitment and a desire to learn unlock not only room for personal improvement and character development, but also traits of yourself that you never really knew you had. After that tournament, I had listened closer to what my sensei was saying, had more interest as to what the art was about, and had developed an eager desire to learn more day by day.
Ultimately, someone recently suggested, “Always leave the mat hungry… Try to learn this grip…Try to learn that throw”. Remembering it vividly, I had discovered that in a sense, life offers more than what one perceives it to be… that life, like judo, offers many opportunities where all we as people of passion must do is stand up and grasp it.
Conclusively, the art of Judo is an investment in yourself. Though it may feel unnecessary at times to dedicate yourself to a sport as demanding as this, one must always remember that his or her sacrifices lead to an immense amount of increased endurance, tolerance, and immeasurable discipline. Thus, though I have yet to learn a lot, I am excited for what the future holds in store for me and thankful to the world of Judo for providing me with the eye-opening experiences that have transformed my life and character into the person that I am surely becoming.
September 2024
Judo: The Role of Competition For Personal Growth
by David Konner - Team IJC Judo Athlete
Competition is a powerful force that drives individuals to achieve their best. It can be seen in almost every aspect of life, from academics and sports to the professional world. While some may view competition as a source of stress and anxiety, it plays a crucial role in personal development and growth. I believe without competition a person can’t truly grow. Judo provides the outlet to express your growth and test yourself. Competition fosters motivation and drives you to push your limits. This helps develop a strong work ethic. Judo helps with this by providing you with a hurdle to overcome when first starting.
During your first couple of practices you may be scared to even do a randori. Which is understandable, fighting is scary. But after you concur that fear, you only grow stronger. When faced with a challenge, you are left with 2 options improve or fail. Once you choose to improve, not only are you making your body stronger but your mind as well. Once you get over the fear of randori you may be interested in competition. Competition is where you are truly putting yourself out there and testing yourself. Personally my first competition wasn’t a success. In one of my matches I winded up gassing out and losing. This experience pushed me to work on my cardio so that does not happen again. My second and third competition went a lot smoother. But in one competition in Boston I was on track for gold but winded up fumbling because of my lack of technique. This then pushed me to hone my technique coming into practice everyday looking to improve. This heightened motivation not only helps you achieve your goals but also instills a sense of discipline and perseverance that is valuable in all areas of life.
Competition encourages innovation and creativity. In a competitive environment, individuals are constantly seeking new ways to improve and gain an edge over their opponents. This drive for innovation can lead to the development of unique ideas, and solutions. For instance, let’s say your favorite technique is tai otoshi and you find that you are just not able to hit it on a certain level of competition. This should result in you trying to fine tune your technique, maybe coming in from a different angle or having a different setup. This drive for creativity on a personal level can stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills, as you look for novel approaches to overcome challenges and achieve success. Lastly, competition helps build resilience and adaptability. Facing competition means failure and setbacks along the way. It sucks but that just a fact of life. But you can’t let these experiences break you. You have to overcome and adapt. These experiences are valuable opportunities for learning and growth. When faced with a setback you could either choose to grow or shrink. When you choose the former. You are strengthening your mind. You can’t get bogged down by your losses. You could only grow. This resilience is crucial for long-term success and well-being. Not everything in life comes easy. There’s ups and downs, judo helps us by giving us an outlet to experience loss and grow off the back of it. Additionally, competition requires you to be adaptable and open to change.
Every person is different and requires a different angle of approach. Let’s say you are facing someone and you keep going for a certain technique that just isn’t working. You need to have an arsenal of techniques so you could try each approach until it works. This adaptability not only enhances one’s competitive edge but also prepares individuals to navigate the uncertainties of life. Competition is beneficial as it motivates individuals to strive for excellence, fosters innovation and creativity, and builds resilience and adaptability. Judo could be that mechanism to realizing your growth. Through competition you will experience personal growth and gain the development of valuable skills that are essential for success in various aspects of life. Therefore, rather than fearing competition, one should view it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential.
August 2024
Judo: A Way of Life - Indeed
by Jake Pierides - Team IJC Judo Athlete
It has become almost cliché to discuss how much Judo has done for me in my life. It has been an unbelievably rewarding experience to transition from a white belt with almost no knowledge of martial arts to a black belt that is now passing on my knowledge to others. This experience has provided me with the confidence necessary to take on a lot of challenges in life and perform as well as possible. Perhaps the most significant of those challenges occurred in the past couple of months, when I began working for a Fortune 500 company. Starting a career in Finance is stressful for anyone, the entire industry is extremely competitive and there is very little room for error. It would have been easy to become overwhelmed by the pressure and give up on a career in this industry. However, the perseverance and discipline I learned from Judo allowed me to perform at the highest possible level throughout my internship. I was always willing to go the extra mile, even on days when I was mentally and physically exhausted. I don’t believe this would be the case if not for the experiences I’ve had in Judo. Working on excel sheets in an air-conditioned office is relatively easy when you compare it with doing 10 randoris in 100 degree weather while training in Korea or Florida. Beyond this work ethic, Judo also gave me the confidence and self-belief needed to deal with my co-workers and managers throughout my internship.
It is easy to be intimidated by people that have been working in this industry for many years and have experience at several companies. However, my time as a coach in Judo made me confident around all types of people. From older managers, to co-workers that are my age, I was able to view everyone as just being a person because I have coached others like them on many occasions. I believe this ability to treat everyone equally allowed me to make a good impression on whoever I encountered and prevented me from being nervous or timid around others. A great example of this was a lunch I attended with some of the top managers in my firm. It was a group of six interns and three managers, so it was difficult to find common ground for real conversation. However, once my background in Judo came up I saw everyone became genuinely interested and asked me a variety of questions on things like competing and weight cutting. This experience showed me once again how Judo can draw people together that aren’t even necessarily practitioners of the sport. The interest in such an amazing martial art is universal.
Overall, joining Judo was probably the best decision my parents ever urged me to make. It has proved to be helpful in every facet of life and has allowed me to excel not only as an athlete but as a person. When I walked in to IJC Martial Arts 11 years ago, I could never have imagined it would be such a defining moment in my life. I hope to continue to learn and give back to the sport that has given me so much.