Everyday Judoka - An Interview with Jimmy Pedro - The Shintaro Higashi Show

In this special episode sponsored by ⁠FUJI Sports (fujisports.com/)⁠, Shintaro sits down with Jimmy Pedro to discuss the most important demographic in Judo-the everyday Judoka. Jimmy goes into detail about how hobbyists, everyday Judokas, can get the most out of Judo, and what the broader Judo community can do to help them succeed. Check out ⁠American Judo System (www.americanjudo.com/)⁠ for valuable resources for the everyday Judoka!
Find More Episodes on Spotify!
open.spotify.com/show/343IXJD...
Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: / shintaro_higashi_show . Any amount helps!

[@mmongiello722]

I have no discipline, I don't know anything about Japan, but I respect other people on the matt. Judo for life

[@rubbaz]

I took my kid to Judo starting this January it's been 2 months, we take the same class together and it's great fun, I hope he doesn't get discouraged

[@jsthiffo9568]

At my dojo in Quebec, they prohibit leg grabs for all judoka because of the few competitors (mostly young people) I find it extremely frustrating since I am 35 years old and I would probably never compete....

[@zacharywiesel900]

Jimmy just conducted a seminar in Columbus and it was amazing. Thank you Jimmy!

[@johnbwill]

Shintaro and Jimmy make me want to take up Judo. I've been in BJJ since 1987 - and my lack of Judo is one of my very few regrets. My next visit to the USa - I'll try to call into Shintaro's dojo. Thanks to both.

[@thecollector6746]

My coach says the same thing.....I tell him to JUST DO IT. Find a competitive dojo....and put on that white belt....and keep it moving....but I think he might be a bit insecure about it all....

[@maxd1744]

​@thecollector6746 yeah, it's like switching jobs from something you studied for and did for decades to something you have no experience in at all. Maybe even a bit of ego. (A white belt? I am not THAT person! :))

[@thecollector6746]

@@maxd1744 I keep telling him what he has been teaching me these past 10 years IS JUDO...just with a different focus (and culture...but that's whole other conversation). He has mastered Ne-Waza.....now it's time to get better at Tachi-Waza.

[@maxd1744]

That's a great perspective.@@thecollector6746

[@wolfkingAD]

Dang, you were doing BJJ before it was cool.

[@iTuber012]

I started as an adult and have no illusion of competing at the Olympics or even international or national so I'm good with just drills and randori(ground and standing)

[@mrt862]

This was great. I love Jimmy's attitude. Champion

[@symptomal7914]

Really looking forward to the other interviews with Jimmy-always great to hear from him!

[@LocNguyen82]

Hope you see this Jimmy. Thanks for the amazingly well produced instructionals on AmericanJudo. I love that it's part of the USA Judo membership. My young boys train Judo and BJJ and they're able to review what they learned in class while they're at home.

[@sonamatuk]

I remember that Starrett Cup when Jimmy Pedro started his comeback run for the Olympics. Every eye in the hall was on his mat when he stepped up for his matches, Don't remember all the matches as I was competing in the beginner-intermediate level end of things myself, but I remember he pretty much wiped the mats clean that day without much effort.

[@patrickjunger8706]

I agree with most of the discussion topics, but it's really strange to even think about Judo (especially getting a Dan) without Randori - especially since Kano's idea was really based on it. Sure 90%+ don't want Shiai-like Randori, but to make Randori totally optional? I think it's the same thing with striking arts where the same discussion is currently taking place on lots of KZbin channels: Full on hard sparring isn't for most people, but light sparring (e.g. 'assaut' from Savate) or sparring games/drills? Learning only throws (or strikes) without handling the distance, anticipating movement & resistance by the partner etc. imho removes any chance of actually applying it against a real opponent.

[@Dynamic6000]

The black belt is a symbolic achievement, so that path to black for a hobbyist is huge. Even if it’s longer term, it’s an achievable goal. This is also why American Judo as a whole needs to solidify the belt progression for 18+. Like BJJ, a four belt system would be ideal. Forget yellow and orange if you’re an adult, an official year more or less to green would be good. It makes that first promotion special, just like many strive for the BJJ blue. Then from there maybe a blue belt since like Jimmy said, purple is generally for kids, then brown. Bjj did this real well, Establishing those mile markers so everyone who practices understands the general level of skill/ commitment. This gives validity to each belt rather then belts that can feel like incentives, lacking the understanding of what it represents.

[@Tr3vor_charl3s]

hell yeaaaa love this

[@stevestanley5183]

Thanks for sharing.

[@stlouisix3]

Fun podcast. Thanks, Shintari.

[@moloned]

What about kodomo-no Kata which the IJF has laid out for kids and beginners

[@BillyTheKidsGhost]

We need some new Fuji stock in the Europe shop...

[@BB-jg6wj]

Its kinda funny seeing 2 super champion judokas discussing about the average joe experience

[@Karen-fs6lf]

Watch out world veteran's jimmy is back

[@Yupppi]

I don't think it's even the problem that there exists great athletes in more local tournaments. The issue is more like the archaic tournament system of judo. Where you just fight whoever you get dealt with and go home or progress. It should be more like team sports tournaments where you fight at least let's say a couple of guys and at least one or two are your skill level and then you get the draw for bracket based on your points. I recognize that tournaments are already drawing quite long and nobody wants to make a casual tournament a two day tournament, but people really want to play judo when they enter the competition and have at least one or two even matches. It's fine to play a better player or two as well and learn something new, see the skill gap and perhaps figure out your personal level better. Nothing wrong with that when you enter a competition and know there are some much higher level players in and you don't expect to win the tournament. But having at least 1-2 good matches for it to be worthwhile experience. I really dig Pedro's inhouse tournament ideas where you don't get shidos etc for rules that have nothing to do with playing judo for people that aren't competing professionally. It indeed should be educational competition, learning to play judo seriously in a different setting than technical practice. When it's big time serious, then by all means every rule counts, but for learners they shouldn't be held to the same arbitrary standards. And 100% agree on IJF streaming all tournaments, I've never seen a sport federation do something as supportive to the community. Weightlifters dream of that stuff, they already have quite a niché sport that has strong competitors in terms of attracting audience and their federation is doing about every move to make it less approachable. Not selling the rights to something like Eurosport, but giving it for free for the viewers. It poses some problems (like you and Travis Stevens have discussed how US judo can't even hold any tournaments for how expensive it is, without selling rights it's tough to generate income), but it's what made me get excited about judo again. I was dreaming of returning back to judo for 10 years for sure, but finding out that IJF streams everything for free made me spend some days watching tournaments and commit to judo again. This made me think about how I should suggest my club that we have a watch party the next big tournament since we have a fresh champion in Finland. Stuff like that surely increases community experience and the IJF stream allows it to be very easy.

[@patrickjunger8706]

How would you determine who is on the same level before starting the point based system? Wasn't that the point of separating based on participation in higher-end tournaments? Also I've seen multiple people being injured by highlevel judoka in tournaments because they themselves didn't know that their opponent wasn't on their level at all, so I'm not sure if potentially 'learning something new' is worth the risk here. Then rather combine the tournament with an open mat afterwards where you can do randori with those guys in a less competitive environment.

[@adrianarroyo937]

I don't like where this is going. The no sparring plus the kata competition/demonstration start to sound a lot like McDojo. We should not forget this is supposed to be a martial art. People come to judo first and foremost to learn how to defend themselves. If they want to be fit they can go to a regular weightlifting gym. If they want to learn to control their body they can go to dance class. If they want to make friends they can go to a social club. But in none of that places they can learn how to slam someone against the floor when they're fighting. Being fit, and making friends are great, but are byproducts. Let's not put the car before the horses. Though I know what Jimmy is saying is the way to make way more money, and that's what gym owners will focus on at the end of the day... I like the different ruleset for the average Joe and the elite guys, though.

[@Vscustomprinting]

I dont like the nationalist theme Im glad american and japanese are becoming just locales as opposed to peoples... Everyone does it differently even inside the spots.. People go back and for, and they ascribe style based on geographic location.. but its all a bit ridiculous.. American and japanese kids need a place away for our past sins, and the showcase idea seems like it would encourage a dispelling of separation between the same damn species of human.. Its time to homogenize.. Our desire to hold onto the past will be refined by the free children of the future.. if we will let them.

[@mrt862]

♥♥♥