The Judo Manual [antikvár]

foreword Charles S Palmer As a modern Olympic sport judo IS practised and competitions take place in over 100 of the countries which are in membership of the International Judo Federation, In Britain alone there are now over 1,000 judo clubs and in Europe judo figures among the top ten leading sports in many countries. In most of these countries judo is now accepted as a part of the schools curricula. Education authorities have found it to be an ideal indoor activity for young people. Judo has a special social' value in that more people.take part in the sport than merely watching it. Services and police forces have found for many years that judo provides a good basis for physical development along with the significant in-built self-disciplme so necessary for service life. People practice judo for many different reasons. Some consider judo to be an "art form', developed over the centuries and steeped in tradition. To such people judo IS almost a religion and a way of life. They study meticu'ously and spend many hours of the week perfecting their skills and trying lo improve their skill range. They are prepared to go on to the end of their lives striving to develop and perfect those skills, such is the absorbing interest of judo for them. At the opposite end of the scale there are people who find judo to be a reasonable means of keeping fit while at the same time learning somethmg that might be useful. There are the competitors whose aim is to achieve their goals by way of grades, championships and competitions. There are people who recognise in judo a certain value in the area of self-defence. Whatever the reasons for people wanting to do judo there has to be proper tuition, and together with such tuition the reading of judo books can be of immense value. What has been needed m recent years has been an up-to-date book which between its covers, contains all the aspects of judo- One which encompasses all the differing readers, with differing interests; one which they can read and have available to use for reference, A book that is useful not just to the competitor, not just to the beginner, not just to the instructor — but one that is prepared and presented in such a way that it has some value to all. a manual which deals with the wide range of judo for all levels of interest. Such a book should be presented in such a way as to help the uninitiated to understand what judo is really all about. This book, The Judo Manual', goes a long way towards doing just that. Both of the co-authors of this book are members of the British Judo Association. One of them, Geoffrey Hobbs, is still competing at our national events and his youthful enthusiasm for judo illuminates Its pages. The other author, Tony Reay. commenced judo twenty-three years ago at the famous Budokwai where I was then a senior instructor, Tony then followed the course taken \ by many of us and dedicated ate his free tinne to judo. Following', in the footsteps of those who \i had pioneered the 'pilgrimage' East, he studied for almost fou years in Japan with the Tokyo Police and at Tokyo University. Tony was competing before judo had any weight categories' and his 63 kilos and five feet | four inches obliged him to trairi and study much harder than most in order to acquire the skill and technique which was i so necessary to enable him to I survive an international contest career — one in which he never knew from one contest to the ! next whether his opponent i would be his own weight and j size or 1 26 kilos and six feet foi inches! After an impressive 1 contest career he became a i full-time judo instructor and eventually Manager of The Budokwai. Having founded a number of local judo clubs, Tony Reay assisted with area , administration and eventually ; became a senior executive of i the British Judo Association, As a judo instructor he was i involved with all levels of competition and has been j described by a leading sportswriter and judo correspondent as being one of : those rare people with the ability to teach at all levels - from beginner to international standard. Charles S Palmer QBE 7th Dar President of the British Judo Association President of the Internatioi Judo Federation fiopa' 11