Does USA Judo suck compared to Japan, France, Germany & Russia?

Question

If so then how come?

Why can't the US win a gold medal?

Answer 1

depends on your teacher

Answer 2

Yes, American Judo does suck compared to those countries.  But there is a very good reason.

Europeans in general, accept inovation, but also respect tradition.  Please do not forget that Europe, collectively, as a culture, is much older than the United States, so in most of the countries there is a deeper respect for all things with the word "tradition" tagged on them.  Whereas in the U.S. Judo people will add all kinds of c**p to the training, supposedly to make it "more effective," in Europe, they practice it, unchanged, in a very "by the book" fashion, whereas in the U.S. they don't.  Now, talking about Japan, the scene changes completely.

To Europeans, Judo is an exotic foreign martial art, worthy of respect because it has a long tradition behind it that brought about its existence, but ultimately, just another sport.  To be practiced as traditionalists dictate, but ultimately just a sport.  In Japan however, Judo, is more than a sport, to the Japanese, Judo IS Japan.  Think of, all things patriotic, a religion, and a sport everyone is fanatical about; to the Japanese, that is Judo.  Bigger than baseball, bigger than any religious denomination, and bigger than any political party, combined.  Judo, in Japan, is bigger than football is in Brazil and, yeah, I'm calling it football, because you use your foot, I am not calling it "soccer."

Judo was only invented by Dr. Jigoro Kano, I think, in the early 20th century, but, the art itself uses techniques from various Japanese grappling styles that are much older, some dating back to the Yamato clan, an ancient ruling dynasty of Japan.  Because the techniques, some of them, have been handed down for that long, it is indeed VERY Japanese.  Not only that, many Samurai developed Jiu Jitsu forms sometimes, both from actual battle experience, and long meditation sessions in Zen temples.  So, in a way, Judo even has a connection to Zen.

Everything about Japanese culture, from Zen Buddhism, the distinctive Japanese interpretation, to the Shinto religion, to the Samurai class, eventually led to the creation of Judo.  Not only that, but because modern Japan has no religious belief, and few Japanese follow religious beleif, for many the martial art is the only thing that gives their lives meaning.  The Japanese, many, suffer from intense psychological problems, because the culture teaches them to shut themselves out from the rest of the world into an imaginary world in order to deal with the overcrowding.  Packed like sardines in a subway train, to cope, they go someplace else in their head.  Some stay there so long, they shut everyone out; friends, loved ones, etc.  The only way for some to fight off the resulting depression from, obviously enough, the loneliness brougth about from that pattern of mental behavior, is to keep busy by doing Judo.

When you don't have religion, when nothing exiting ever happens in your country, and you practice Judo, and because Judo is very much, the soul of Japan, there is pressure on you to represent Japan well, because to lose in Judo, is to shame Japan.  Indeed, many Japanese Judoka posses almost monstrous levels of skill in Judo, the least of which were not Masahiko Kimura and Kyuzo Mifune.  The Japanese, practice with borderline fanaticism, because despite not being religious anymore, some Shinto beliefs are still entrenched in the Japanese psyche.  Judo, in a sense, connects them to their ancestors, so to honor them, they perfect the art to the highest level they can.

That level of respect, does not exist either in Europe, or the United States although, Europeans have more respect for it than Americans, they have respect for anything with the word "tradition" attached to it, like I said.  If, your country had a martial art, that deeply entrenched in it, wouldn't YOU train fanatically hard so as to not shame it in an olympic competition?  Ever since Judo became an Olympic sport, at least ONE Japanese Judoka, every single Olympiad, has brought home a gold medal, regardless of weight category.  In fact it has gotten so ridiculous, that whenever Japanese competitors compete, almost no one watches because the matches have become predictable.  There is also a strong fear factor; very few non Japanese Judoka can keep their cool when they know they are up against a Japanese competitor.

Indeed, the Japanese are proud of their Judo, so much so that if you go to their country, bragging about how great your martial arts style is, if you can not beat their top Judoka, or at least one of their Judo black belts, they're not interested.  Tai Chi Chuan, Baiji Quan, and American Catch Wrestling, all got a foothold in Japan, because said representatives of those martial arts defeated Japanese Judoka.  One thing I was told, by a Japanese friend and that I am certain of, is that if your martial arts style can not beat Judo, they won't go near it.  And indeed, the list of fighting styles that have beaten Judo, when Judo is in the hands of a well trained Judoka, is very short.

I hope that answers the question.

peace out.

Answer 3

Judo,within the olympics has different rules.Actually it all boils down to yourself ,and your SenseiMartial arts are actually a way of life,you must be totally dedeicated.I have been in the Arts 30 plus years ,and learn something new everyday.

Answer 4

Other countries take a different approach with respect to some of the sports and how teams or members train than this country does.  Their training, is usually more along the line of full time, year around and that is their job and livelihood with many of their training expenses also picked up by the country that they compete for.  That is not quite the case in this country and especially for lesser sports like Judo, or Karate (which is in the World Games but not the Olympic Games).  Still the US was making a very strong effort in the 90s to be competitive in Judo and did have some good competitors who are now much older and retired from competition.  Major sports in this country have largely siphoned off good athletes since those sports are the ones that you can get a full college scholarship in and all that is also a factor in this.

Answer 5

Even if they do, I ain't going to be the one who tells 'em!

Answer 6

aaaaaaah, my un-wise friend! USA CANNOT DO MARTIAL ARTS. PERIOD. Have you seen Napolean Dynomyte? 3 words: REX. KWON. DO.

I suggest Tang Soo Do. Very traditional Korean.

Answer 7

For the same reason that USA Soccer isn't on the same level as teams from Europe and other places in the world.  Judo is not as big in the US as it is in those countries.  Judo is huge in other countries, especially in Japan, France and Russia.  Most American athletes that would do well in Judo go into other sports and don't take up Judo.  For example, I had no idea what Judo was until I got into college and took a Judo class for the h**l of it.  After that, I got hooked.  If I had known about Judo before, I would have gotten into that instead of playing football in High School.  In the countries you mention, Judo is one of the top sports in that country, which is why more elite athletes go into Judo.

The US doesn't suck, per say.  We are competitive, and many of our athletes do have a good chance, but the fact is that Judo schools are on another level in the countries you mentioned.

Answer 8

Yes, Its is hard to say but they suck campared to most contries in the world. Countries like Korea, Japan, China, Canada, Russia, amd Brazil are top countries! For example Canada won a silver medal in the First Olympics with Judo in Tokyo! They are soo far away, they didn't even have as much years practice as other counties, mostly in Asia.

Answer 9

Here is a link to the All Time list for Olympic medals. The results for the United States are not as bad as people would have you believe. You can make your own determination as to how the USA stacks up against others.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/judo/medals/i...

Great Britain and Russia (post Soviet Union) have not won gold medals either.

Mike Swain and Jimmy Pedro had the talent, heart and preparation to win gold medals for the USA.  If Kevin Asano did not get a penalty in his final match against the Korean player (at the Seoul Olympics) he could have been the first Olympic Gold medalist for the United States. He missed it by the smallest of scores.

Neil Adams, Graeme Randall and others had the talent to win for Great Britain. There are many Russian athletes as well that could have won on any given day.

We don't pretend to know why they fell short at the Olympics on that particular day.  We do know that they were very special athletes, and nobody would have questioned how they got there if they were the ones at the top of the podium.

We don't question that the USA judo athlete faces several disadvantages. There are many people who would only be too happy to mention all of them.

Yet, we have been blessed with some athletes who rose above the noise, the negativity, and the obstacles to become legends, even if they did not win the Olympic Gold medals. What they did on the mat was often magical. Mike Swain beating Koga in the semifinals of the 1987 World Championships on his way to the gold medal. That is magic. Jimmy Pedro coming back at 32 to win his second bronze medal. That is a great moment in judo history.

We do not know what will be in Beijing.  We only know that we pray every day for an athlete who deserves that gold medal as much, if not more than any other athlete competing.

That athlete is Ronda Rousey.  She won the silver medal at the 2007 World Championships, and at 21 years of age, she has many more magical moments on the mat in front of her, if that is what she pursues. It would not come as a shock to anyone if she has a magical moment in Beijing that is golden.

Sincerely,

Orange County Judo Training Center

http://www.ocjudo.com