I’m competing in a small, local judo tournament this morning. It’s a monthly “shiai,” which is traditionally an opportunity for students to get real competition experience in a friendly and supportive environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I’ve been working out vigorously and even doing “randori” (loosely translated as ‘free play’), I haven’t actually competed in a very long time. Shiai is very different from randori. Randori is an extension of class. You’re expected to work hard – but also to support your partner. If they execute a technique well – and you’re thrown – the expectation is that you go with it. You bounce back up after a throw and continue to work. In particular, you do not focus all-out on blocking, countering, and cranking your partner into the mat. The key difference here is “partner” as opposed to “opponent.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Competition is something else again. For one thing, only a few matches go on at a time, and everyone watches. There’s a referee. Also – the ‘one point’ aspect of Judo comes into play. Winning and losing is sudden and complete. A well executed throw simply ends the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it’s time to go pack my full day’s exercise into perhaps 10 minutes. Woo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes it’s useful to go back through the archive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I took my first judo lesson in late November, 2007.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looks like the last time I actually competed was in January<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In mid March I got my knee scoped<\/a> (about seven months ago). Apparently that was also the last month in which I brewed beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n