Freestyle Judo?

**WhiteBeltJones** · 03-08-2010, 14:01

Is anybody here familiar/involved with the Freestyle Judo movement? I've only recently heard of it, but it definitely sounds closer to the kind of Judo I want to practice. There's a few videos about it here:

http://www.okcdt.com/?p=788

**wildwills** · 03-08-2010, 14:31

Originally Posted by WhiteBeltJones

Is anybody here familiar/involved with the Freestyle Judo movement? I've only recently heard of it, but it definitely sounds closer to the kind of Judo I want to practice. There's a few videos about it here:

http://www.okcdt.com/?p=788

I've heard of it, and our club even considered joining. Most, if not all, Freestyle Judo falls under the AAU. I admit too, looks more like my kind of Judo.

http://freestylejudo.com/

http://aau.aausports.org/sprt_martialarts.asp

**Erik** · 03-08-2010, 14:34

It looks like "new sport judo" as my old coach called it.

I can't watch the videos in the office but I get the impression that there are no timeouts for stalling on the belly, etc., so the players can really get into the ne waza. Is this right?

If so, sounds like the absolute best combination of Judo and BJJ!

**Webmaster** · 03-08-2010, 14:39

I like it. Much more like how Judo was played when I was a youngster.

**WhiteBeltJones** · 03-08-2010, 14:40

Some of the stuff they incorporate:

- A /lot/ harder to score an ippon or wazari. No more of these soft 'rollover' throws.

- No win by osaekomi (except for junior divisions where you can't choke or armbar).

- A lot more time given to work on the ground.

- Point-based system, including points for passing guard, sweeps, etc.

This kind of Judo seems way overdue.

**Erik** · 03-08-2010, 14:56

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Judo like this pre-WWII? Wasn't this how Judo was when Helio Gracie was doing his thing?

And yes, this is a GREAT take on our sport!!!

**WhiteBeltJones** · 03-08-2010, 15:03

The Judo Podcast lists the full guidelines for AAU's Freestyle Judo here: http://thejudopodcast.com/?p=549

I'm about to listen to the podcast.

**Aaron T Fields** · 03-10-2010, 11:13

The judo counter-culture movement gains a head of steam, good for them. (Count me in!)

Aaron Fields

**Erik** · 03-10-2010, 11:46

We need to split into rule-categories without a resentful split in the community (like some of the Korean MAs seem to have done).

Like Greco-Roman vs. Freestyle vs. Collegiate wrestling, simply different systems and cross-training is not an issue of loyalty.

**jabonn** · 03-12-2010, 04:51

Kurt, thanks for the plugs to our Judo site and the Judo Podcast.

We have been looking at Freestyle Judo and the AAU system for competition for a while. The concept to reality was largely sparked by the IJF changes that came about earlier this year.

I am unsure what type of backlash we may see from die hard JF, JA, and JI sport Judoka. It may come in the form of forum postings, boycotting an event to not finding enough qualified refs to hold an event. While it seems easy - only time will tell.

What sport Judo really needs is a Players Association. Create an organization like the Pro Golfers Association and provide players a voice in changes that impact the sport. The Professional Judo Association will never be as large as the PGA here in the states; however, it may have some size and weight in Europe.

When we hold our first event, I expect everyone that posted to this thread to attend.

**Abbax8** · 03-12-2010, 15:49

From what I can gather, freestyle judo is a step in the right direction. Current judo comp rules make me gag.

Dennis

**jabonn** · 05-08-2010, 17:02

Well we had our first Freestyle Judo event today - OKCDT hosted the Southwestern Slam Freestyle Tournament. We had a little over 130 competitors (juniors, seniors, masters) on two mats in the open air out at Lake Hefner. The brackets went smooth and the tournament moved along quickly. With the freestyle rules, there is less ref stoppage and the clock runs almost continuously.

This will be the first of many OKC AAU Freestyle Judo events.

I did have the pleasure of meeting Kurt Nordstrom (aka White Belt Jones). He came up and represented Denton Jr. Optimist Judo. Thanks Kurt.

**kbarrett** · 05-09-2010, 13:46

I don't practice Judo, but watching the video's it looks great, Mr. Anderson brought us Freestyle Karate back in the 70's and now we have Freestyle Judo, I think that's a really great thing.

Ken Barrett

**Chuck C** · 11-13-2010, 13:52

Our club has participated in Freestyle Judo events, and we love the concept. It's more like "the new old school judo". It takes a good slam to earn ippon, and there is much more time allowed for newaza/ground work. Plus, there are gi and no-gi catagories. We also like that the numerical points system (more like wrestling or bjj) rewards action on the ground. It was a great idea to keep the ippon score for throws, and a very good idea to NOT implement the IJF leg grab rule. Dr Kano created Judo as a functional art, and all the new rules of IJF are destroying this aspect of judo. AAU and Freestyle rules are helping to keep Judo real.

**Webmaster** · 11-13-2010, 16:28

Originally Posted by Chuck C

Dr Kano created Judo as a functional art, and all the new rules of IJF are destroying this aspect of judo.

Can we get a hallelujah brother!

It's so nice to hear from other Judoka with that opinion.

**Abbax8** · 11-13-2010, 18:00

Originally Posted by Webmaster

Can we get a hallelujah brother!

It's so nice to hear from other Judoka with that opinion.

Hallelujah and Amen!!!

Dennis

**drivica** · 11-17-2010, 07:15

Everything (or most things) about freestyle judo sounds fine - except the "no-Gi" division, which does not deserve the name of judo. as far as the change of rules in judo, there are similar groups and movements all over the world. In Jujutsu sport organizations in USa and Europe "ne waza" is implemented as a new discipline, it is basically judo with more "BJJ" techniques allowed. Most sport jujutsu organizations in the world have already implemented changes regarding "koka" and "yuko", there are no such things, grabbing belt and pants during attack is allowed, groundfight is longer, etc.

Sad side of everything is that the two dominating forces in "mainstream" judo, the JIF and Kodokan Institute are simply too slow and too conservative for these changes. add to this the IOC, and there you have it - no way to make real changes in "mainstream" judo - and all the money is there.

In small independent national organization and in the international association that I run we already have most of these rules implemented through "sport jujutsu", and we even had smaller judo tournaments with rules similar to what is nicknamed here as "freestyle judo".

An additional remark: freestyle judo would certainly need different promotional rules, right? I mean, I am in judo for past 31 year, tasted almost everything of it, went to Kodokan and back, competed and quit, got promoted, rejected Dan grades, got promoted again, learned and taught... - and I never wanted to learn kata like Ju no kata, Itustsu no kata... I know the first three, Nage, katame and Goshin - but even that is something I hardly forced myself to learn. It simply does not seem functional.

**starkjudo** · 11-24-2010, 08:42

I fully support freestyle Judo and hope I can find a way to grow it in my area. Sport Judo is trying way too hard to be exclusive. The more you try to pidgeon-hole, the fewer people you get interested. Judo's always had a "take on all comers" feel to it. The current IJF rules prevent that.

I'd rather lose to a wrestler than tell him he couldn't do a fireman's carry because it's "not in the rules."