Over the weeks I managed to learn many different throws, Mr. Jacobs explained to me of a method of how to train judo without having to throw anybody and it can be practiced almost any place. He said whilst he was training in Japan, the Japanese would work out with the use of rubber ties, these ties were usually an old Cycle tube cut into two halves and secured to a couple of wall rings at about chest high, this representing positions of the sleeve and jacket of your imaginary partner. Once you take grip of the ties you can move into various throwing positions, it allowed you to get maximum pull, and improved your throwing extension.
Mr. Jacobs continued to say we would make our judo entry a thousand times a night with the use of this training method. I was impressed with what he told me and I was soon at the cycle shop talking the owner for any old cycle tubes.
With the thought in mind I set up a training spot outside my house and tied the tubes to our drainpipe, soon I was into my new form of training. I remember the first time I made my movement to make a throw, I came in with such vigor and speed, the recoil of the rubber tubes forced me to smash the back of my head against the down pipe. It did not take me too long to learn how to handle the stretch of the rubber without smacking my head again.
After struggling to do one hundred entries, I began thinking of what Mr. Jacobs told me, he use to do one thousand entries every night. I was to improve one hell of a lot to get anywhere near his level.
After a couple of weeks of this I decided to set up a second training spot at work, this would give me the extra training that I needed. I thought I would set it up in the mens toilet, it was a rather spacious toilet, here I could do my training during my lunch break nobody would see me.
It came to a sudden halt one day, somebody complained to the boss of all the noise and grunting going on, and unable to use the toilet. The boss was a good sort; he laughed at what I was doing and suggested that I kept my workouts to the Judo club.
My interest grew more and more for the want of judo,
I was going to the club with Brendan three times a week to study the Breakfalls and to practice the judo throws, I learned to understand the reason why members bowed to the Dojo and to the mat area, before stepping onto the Judo mat.
It was to show respect to the founder of judo, and bowing to a picture of a Japanese man called “Kano”, he was the founder of judo. Later I was told of many interesting stories of what Kano had got up to before finding Judo as it was then known.
One of the stories that I found most interesting about Kano, as a young man he was small in stature, he like myself was teased and bullied at school by much larger boys. I had a bully at my school named Harold Nash. I will tell you of some very interesting moments with Harold Nash later in my memoirs.
It got to the stage when enough was enough for Kano. On leaving school he traveled to many parts of Japan learning and trying out fighting movements from various forms of Martial Art, He noted special movements that would be an asset to his small stature. Over the years Kano practiced them and re-developed them into a fast and workable movement, eventually he was satisfied with what he had developed, it was fast, explosive, and very satisfying, it got great results, he called it “Kodokan Judo”.
The word got around in certain quarters of Japan that there was a Martial Arts man called Kano who could not be beaten in combat, he was using an unbelievable form of combat called Kodokan Judo.
People came from all over Japan to watch this new fighting form. It was true, Kano beat everyone who challenged him, size made no difference to him, and he beat men twice his size into submission. It was not long before people wanted to learn this new fighting art named Kodokan Judo.
I mentioned earlier in my memoir about Harold Nash! Harold was a big schoolboy who didn’t have too much respect for the class teachers, or anyone else for that matter. He would cause havoc with smaller schoolboys and I, unfortunately was one of them.
Many occasions he would take my apple or food from my bag that mum had made up for me for the day, some times he would make fun of me, at times punch me on my arm, or take money from me. Other times during class he would spoil work that I had done, all this went on whilst at school.
I was relieved when it was announced that Harold was to be expelled from our school. I met up with Harold Nash once more some years later through my judo exploits. I will finish my tale of Harold later in my Memoirs.
By now I had been going to judo classes for roughly two months, this particular evening there was a notice on the club wall, it read, people wishing to enter for grade promotions sign form below. I was not too sure if I was allowed to go for a grading, as I had not been doing judo that long. I decided to talk to Mr, Jacobs about it and see what advise he could give me.
Mr., Jacobs told me the grading was not for another few weeks, by then I would have studied judo for about three months and this would allow me to enter the examination.
I was quiet excited about the fact that I had a chance to improve my level of Judo, Mr,Jacob hasten to add to his comments that it was most important for me to study the grading syllabus for 5th Kyu, this being the “yellow belt” criteria. For the next three weeks I frantically studied all the necessary information required for a yellow belt.
The Grading night arrived, I can not remember what I had to do inthe way of demonstrating the throws, but I had done enough to begraded to 5th kyu (Yellow Belt) I was happy with my efforts andpleased with my promotion.Brendan who was a lot higher grade than myself, had trained hardfor this examination, he entered the green to blue belt grading.Unfortunately he lost his fight and was not promoted to the highergrade that he was hoping to achieve; he was disappointed butmade the effort to congratulate me on my promotion.
The time had come for me to buy my own judo suit.Until now I had to use what the schools loaned out judo suit.It was a dirty over sized judo suit, this was fine and I was appreciative of having the use of it, but now I’m a yellow belt, and I would want to look the part wearing my own judo suit with a flashy new yellow belt.
During the time I started to do judo there were two Judo company’s that sold Judo suits, one being Mombassa Judo Suppliers, the other was a new company called Milom`s Judo Outfitters, I chose the first because they had a weekly payment system.
Time had passed when my Judo suit arrived; I rushed to my roomto try it on and my newly dyed yellow belt around my jacket andhips.I looked in the mirror and thought that I just looked the cool cat ofJudo.I quickly had a photo taken of myself posing in a fighting stance.Years later I had the photo painted by an artist in oil, and the photois shown in this book.I phoned Brendan and told him of my new Judo suit and said I willbe wearing it at the next training session, I think he was pleasedfor me. For the next three months all my interests were for Judo.I gave away the Swimming and Gymnastics. I was going along toJudo more than Brendan.
One night at training, Mr, Jacobs wanted to make a point to me of how an explosive movement could enhance my judo. He called the class and me over to him, sat us down and said, what I am going to show you is a trick that was demonstrated to me in Japan. This trick made me speed up my Judo throws Mr. Jacobs said, its known as explosive action / reaction. Hold out your hand, “Palm up” and extend your arm, said Mr, Jacobs to me, I done this, I will place a silver half crown coin onto the palm of your hand, Then what I will then try to do is, before you react and clinch your hand to safe guard it, I will try and snatch the coin from your hand with explosive speed before you can clinch your fist to stop me. I thought at the time no way was this older person going to be faster than I was and take the coin. So here I am, my arm out straight, palm open, coin in hand. Mr, Jacobs closed hand was slightly over and in front of my hand ready to grab my coin.
Within a split second his hand lurched forward to take my coin, but I was so fast he had no chance of taking the coin. I could tell that he had not managed to take the coin with my feeling the coin still in my now closed fist. I laughed and said, a good try, but unlucky Mr. Jacobs you didn’t get it. He quietly said, open your hand Brian and tell me what you see,
I was totally blown away, not only did he take the silver half crown coin from my hand, but had replaced it with a copper penny coin. I just looked at him with astonishment; I was so amazed that this could have been done so fast. And “Brian” I have done this not to impress you, but to make you realise that speed is one of the major keys to top Judo.
This was a top lesson that I have never forgot, I have seen the trick used many other times to get a point over to sporting athletes, but used slightly different. After experiencing this fantastic lesson I was quick to get back onto the judo mat and try the judo throws with more vigor, explosive action and speed, it worked.
The following months I felt more confident with my attacking judo and at times managed to beat some slightly higher graded members. I was getting a few knocks and bruises but nothing to worry about.
Another three months had passed and time was up again for members to have another grading. This time Mr, Jacobs told all of us that we will travel to the headquarters of British Judo Association for the grading at the famous Budokwai in Gilston Rd, London. He further mentioned that judo clubs from all over London will be there in attendance. Our examination would be under the eyes of some very high graded Black Belt Officers. One name that I remember there was Mr, Trevor Leggett a 5th Dan and the highest grade outside of Japan.
I was among some fifty or sixty judo players of all grades, thisincluded Black belts going for gradings, it was a nervous time forme, and for my judo colleagues. Soon it was time for me to fight aguy who was wearing a yellow belt, he was tall, but did not look tooheavy. I said to myself I would try my ”Seoinage” on him, it worked.The contest lasted less than a minute when I managed to applythe “Seoinage” and he went over my shoulder and onto his backgiving me the win.I was so delighted with the result; it now put me into a morepositive and determined frame of mind.
Soon I was called out again to fight two more Yellow belts, and one Orange belt, again I beat them with not too much effort using my Seoinage.
The examiner asked me some questions on Judo. How long have you studied judo? What club did I practice at? Who is your instructor, How often did I go to judo classes. I answered all the questions to his satisfaction. He then said have a rest we may need to see you later for more contests.
Brendan and Mr, Jacobs congratulated me on my performance they both thought that I had fought very well and should expect to qualify for my Orange belt.
As time went on, I was able to watch and see some spectacular contest judo. Unfortunately Brendan again had failed for his Blue belt, I felt sorry for him having failed previously at our club three months ago, he had trained so hard during those months.
My name was called once more, this time I had to demonstrate four different throws, two hold downs, and apply a strangle on a Judoka of their choice, I managed to complete all that was asked without too much showing of nerves.
Mr, Gleeson a high graded 3rd Dan was one of the examiners, he stood up and spoke on behalf of the grading panel. Mr. Cloynes, he said, the panel agree that they have seen enough of you skills and that 3rd Kyu was my level, then congratulated me.
I quickly worked out that the colour for 3rd Kyu, was Green, “Oh God” I said to myself I’ve jumped a grade, I’m the same grade as Brendan.
The next day I was off to the linen shop to buy the darkest green dye imaginable. I asked Mum to do the change of colour just in case I spoilt it. Mum finished the dying the belt, in the finish the belt looked so dark it looked almost black, I thought maybe it will dry lighter next day, it didn’t! The following night was judo night, and I was the first one there to change into my judo suit with the newly coloured belt, I laid the mats out for the evenings session, and waited for others to turn up. Soon I was on the mat displaying my new judo grade, Just like a peacock showing off its feathers, I was showing off my new coloured Belt,
It was not long before I came down a peg or two.
Mr, Jacobs was not at all happy with the dark colour green, he simply said, Brian, if you think that dying your belt to a colour resembling black will make your judo better, you will have to think again, I can see hard knocks coming your way, I would suggest that you lighten up the colour and make it a definite lighter green, I took his advice.
