Judo Skill Acquisition: Coaches' Handbook

By Petteri Pohja

This book is invitation to rethink judo with the goal of developing skill acquisition and coaching in judo in a way that corresponds with individual needs and abilities, modern times, and is compatible with Western culture and its operational environment.

The book answers the following questions: What do randori and fighting consist of? How to create order in the chaos of learning? How to create the necessary freedom for individuals to learn judo in a way that suits them the best?
Technical know-how and technical teaching have always been the strengths of successful coaches. In a way, this has impaired our thinking. This single system has been so ingrained into our thinking that we have had few other ways of operating. Another asset of Western judo has always been development of physical attributes. In these aspects, we stand our ground in comparison to the rest of the world. I believe that the central problems in judo are a large drop-out phenomenon, and the lack of comprehensive understanding of fighting skills, and the underdevelopment of teaching methods that follows from the lack of understanding.

Our duty as coaches is to develop our expertise and judo itself while holding on to our strengths. Instead of constantly operating in the same way and agonizing over weak results and the small number of competing judoka in our club or country, let us take a step into a direction that combines more advanced judo knowledge with a motivated individual, judoka, and athlete, who is committed to the community and to realizing their full potential.

This book delves into a single part of coaching by introducing the ecological theory of judo skill acquisition. The theory creates a up to date theoretical base for skills coaching. First, the concept of skill is defined. Furthermore, the book will analyze what skill is in general and what comprehensive judo skill is. Next, the concept of skill is discussed in more detail from the perspective of performance and learning. Finally, to aid coaches in practice, the book showcases models for skills coaching. The objective is understanding the skills required in judo, how they can be learned most efficiently, and how to most efficiently steer the learning process.

This coaches' handbook delves into the secrets of comprehensive judo learning with the help of modern sport science. However, there is nothing secretive about this, as the information has available for quite a while. The judo culture around the world is very diverse, and Geoff Gleeson (1927-1994) already discussed similar ideas in his books during the 1970s.

"When I began to advocate the discarding of ukemi, kuzushi, and uchikomi, I was accused of being mad." Says Geoff Gleeson. He ponders a moment, then ads, "Maybe I still am."
(Black Belt, February 1973)

Competition skill (shobuho) is one of the three corner stones of judo with physical development (renshindo), and mental development (shushinho). The Latin word "competere" (competition) means striving together for the better, for us to become successful men and women, and the ability to feel pride in oneself and to benefit one's community. The focus of this book is mainly on developing competition skill in judo.

Jigoro Kano's five principles for learning and teaching judo are:
1. Closely observe oneself and one's situation, carefully observe others, and carefully observe one's environment
2. Seize the initiative in whatever you undertake
3. Consider fully, act decisively
4. Know when to stop
5. Keep to the middle

I'll also try to shed light on what Jigoro Kano meant by these maxims. I hope that after reading this book, you can expand your understanding beyond these maxims.

I hope that this book directs the reader to a path with no return. The principles in this book are easy to understand. While the theories behind them might be complex and multidimensional, applying them to practice is fortunately quite easy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098386047

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© Petteri Pohja 2019

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Cover and pictures by Tytti Muurinen

Translated by Tommi Valtonen

Distribution and partial copying of this material without the consent of the author for purposes other than individual use defined by the latter of the law is prohibited under legal penalty and liability for compensation.

© Nuori Herra

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ISBN: 978-1-09-838604-7

Table of Contents

Foreword

1. Definitions of Skill

What does skill include?

The puzzle of skill

On talent and abilities

2. The Skills and Components of a Judo Fight

The components of a basic judo fight

The components, stages and actions of the basic fight.

3. The Ecological Theory of Skill Acquisition

The theory of ecological judo

Perception, action, and decision making in judo

4. Teaching Judo Skills

Principles of skill teaching

The Strategy of Teaching

Training methods

5. Self-determination theory

Afterword

Further Reading

About the Author

Foreword

This book is invitation to rethink judo with the goal of developing skill acquisition and coaching in judo in a way that corresponds with individual needs and abilities, modern times, and is compatible with Western culture and its operational environment.

The book answers the following questions: What do randori and fighting consist of? How to create order in the chaos of learning? How to create the necessary freedom for individuals to learn judo in a way that suits them the best?

Technical know-how and technical teaching have always been the strengths of successful coaches. In a way, this has impaired our thinking. This single system has been so ingrained into our thinking that we have had few other ways of operating. Another asset of Western judo has always been development of physical attributes. In these aspects, we stand our ground in comparison to the rest of the world. I believe that the central problems in judo are a large drop-out phenomenon, and the lack of comprehensive understanding of fighting skills, and the underdevelopment of teaching methods that follows from the lack of understanding.

Our duty as coaches is to develop our expertise and judo itself while holding on to our strengths. Instead of constantly operating in the same way and agonizing over weak results and the small number of competing judoka in our club or country, let us take a step into a direction that combines more advanced judo knowledge with a motivated individual, judoka, and athlete, who is committed to the community and to realizing their full potential.

This book delves into a single part of coaching by introducing the ecological theory of judo skill acquisition. The theory creates a up to date theoretical base for skills coaching. First, the concept of skill is defined. Furthermore, the book will analyze what skill is in general and what comprehensive judo skill is. Next, the concept of skill is discussed in more detail from the perspective of performance and learning. Finally, to aid coaches in practice, the book showcases models for skills coaching. The objective is understanding the skills required in judo, how they can be learned most efficiently, and how to most efficiently steer the learning process.

This coaches’ handbook delves into the secrets of comprehensive judo learning with the help of modern sport science. However, there is nothing secretive about this, as the information has available for quite a while. The judo culture around the world is very diverse, and Geoff Gleeson (1927-1994) already discussed similar ideas in his books during the 1970s.

When I began to advocate the discarding of ukemi, kuzushi, and uchikomi, I was accused of being mad. Says Geoff Gleeson. He ponders a moment, then ads, Maybe I still am.

(Black Belt, February 1973)

Competition skill (shobuho) is one of the three corner stones of judo with physical development (renshindo), and mental development (shushinho). The Latin word competere (competition) means striving together for the better, for us to become successful men and women, and the ability to feel pride in oneself and to benefit one’s community. The focus of this book is mainly on developing competition skill in judo.

Jigoro Kano’s five principles for learning and teaching judo are:

1. Closely observe oneself and one’s situation, carefully observe others, and carefully observe one’s environment

2. Seize the initiative in whatever you undertake

3. Consider fully, act decisively

4. Know when to stop

5. Keep to the middle

I’ll also try to shed light on what Jigoro Kano meant by these maxims. I hope that after reading this book, you can expand your understanding beyond these maxims.

I hope that this book directs the reader to a path with no return. The principles in this book are easy to understand. While the theories behind them might be complex and multidimensional, applying them to practice is fortunately quite easy.

I want to thank my loved ones for their patience during this project.

Petteri Pohja

1.

Definitions of Skill

What does skill include?

Being curious is the basis for learning, and there is certainly a lot to be curious about. However, defining skill and categorizing its different sub-categories is still necessary. In reality, only a single skill exists – the overall skill. However, due to the complex nature of skill, I will define it using a few different views and categorizations.

To put is simply, skill can mean a particular action that the individual can execute well. Using this definition, skill is a specific and highly specialized action that can be achieved by learning and practicing. Skillfulness is the ability to achieve the desired outcome and to reach the desired goal with the greatest reliability. Skillfulness entails the concept of cost-efficiency, which means that the outcome is reached as fast as possible and/or by minimal energy expenditure and effort.

Skill always has a definitive goal. Individual movements without a goal, such as rolling one’s limbs, can’t yet be called a skill. The goal of a judo fight is throwing one’s opponent or pinning them down. Skills can consist of several different movements, but they are all clearly connected with the singular purpose of achieving the desired goal.

Skill acquisition can be defined as a chain of events inside the mind and the body that result in permanent biological changes in the ability to perform movements and actions (Schmidt & Wrisberg). As skill level increases, the quality of actions increases, the movements become more stable and standardized, and the acquired skills can be performed successfully in new and distinct environments. Modern skills training is therefore defined as an interrelationship between the individual, the environment, and the desired goal.

Judo skill is the ability to control the movement during the action in such a way that the desired outcome is achieved.

In this book, judo skill is defined as the ability to control the movement during the action in such a way that the desired outcome is achieved. In judo, this desired outcome is throwing the opponent, pinning them down, performing a controlled strangulation technique, or performing a joint lock against the elbow joint.