BetterJudo.com - Page 4 of 28 - Lafon's Judo Blog: Telling it like it is!BetterJudo.com | Lafon's Judo Blog: Telling it like it is! | Page 4
Description: Lafon's Judo Blog: Telling it like it is!

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content

# Setting up a Promotion Committee

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Gerald Lafon
5

In my last blog post, I offered up the idea that national promotion committees were not the only game in town, and suggested that those of you fed up with the politics of rank could and probably should look into creating your own promotion committees. This resonated well with many of you. Now, my fear is that some of you will engage in the behaviors, favoritism, and nepotism that have made national promotion committees a farce. Here are my suggestions to prevent that.

Continue reading →

# Of Threats, Fear, and Courage to Change

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Gerald Lafon
35

With the latest scourge coming from the IJF, discussions are heating up, and more and more disgruntled coaches and players are ready to go in different directions. Some are leaving Judo outright, because they are unable to comprehend that options short of quitting Judo are available. Some are saying that they are not leaving Judo, but that Judo has left them. Fair enough. Thankfully, many more are discovering Freestyle Judo and realizing that FSJ offers a return to the way Judo ought to be played, and that the Judo community doesn’t revolve around the IJF.

Continue reading →

# Time to Revisit Submissions

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Gerald Lafon
5

I’d like to start off my first post in 2013 by wishing you a Happy New Year, and by thanking you for your continued interest and support of my blog.

You’re probably not going to hear me say this very often, but the IJF’s latest decision to allow armbars for 15-16 year olds is a good move for a change. USA Judo promptly followed suit since it never preempts or contradicts the IJF. Players competing in the Juvenile B (USA Judo) or IJF Cadet division can now do what thousands of BJJ fighters and submission wrestlers participants have been doing all along- straightening arms out or bending them. Participants in these divisions must hold the rank of sankyu though.

Continue reading →

# Rules: From Bad to Worse

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Gerald Lafon
13

I admit it. I’ve been missing in action for more than I wanted to be. Several of my readers have reminded me that I haven’t posted anything in over a month. Time flies when you are busy. I’ll have a lot to discuss in the coming weeks. In December, I spent 12 days in Japan watching the Tokyo Grand Slam and teaching here and there. I recently received The Second Life of Judo, a new book by Alan Rafkind, who’s one of my fans. I’ll have more to say about that soon. And then, when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, there’s the IJF with its latest version of how to make Judo even more irrelevant.

Continue reading →

# Playing Well or Winning Ugly?

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Gerald Lafon
Reply

I was talking to one of my judoplayers about our women’s soccer team win over the Japanese at the London Olympics, and I told her we won, but we didn’t play very well. Her mom was sitting nearby, and said “Who cares? We won!” She was, of course, right…but also very wrong, especially with the message her daughter heard.

Continue reading →

# A Warrior’s Mind

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Gerald Lafon
2

Several months ago, Jeremy Williams, a young man who had attended my club years before while in the U.S. Marine Corps, reconnected with me. Much to my chagrin, I found out he had been wounded in Iraq and had gone through some tough times once medically discharged. He told me that Judo had been his saving grace. Immediately, knowing the power of exercise and Judo in particular, I recognized a teaching moment, and encouraged him to put his thoughts to paper. This is part one of his story.

Continue reading →

May 2026
M | T | W | T | F | S | S
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
| 1 | 2 | 3
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

### Archives

Archives

### Categories

Categories

### Recent Comments

- Ryan on An Attempt to Save Judo in San Diego
- Gerald Lafon on Gerald Lafon
- Martijn on Gerald Lafon
- Gerald Lafon on A Follow-Up to “The Case Against Terminal Ippon”
- Gerald Lafon on News from the WJF
- dave schaeffer on A Follow-Up to “The Case Against Terminal Ippon”
- Allan Glazier on News from the WJF
- Fred Weck on A Follow-Up to “The Case Against Terminal Ippon”
- Aya on An Attempt to Save Judo in San Diego
- A judo enthusiast on Why is that illegal?

### Tags

- 2009 U.S. Open
- AAU
- AAU Judo
- Bill Montgomery
- coach education
- Daki age
- dojime
- Freestyle Judo
- futsal
- Geof Gleeson
- Gerald Lafon
- hansoku make
- IJF
- IJF referee commission
- IJF rules
- ippon
- irrelevant training
- Israel Hernandez
- Jigoro Kano
- Jim Hrbek
- Judo America
- Judo Canada
- Judo Coaching
- kata
- Kosen Judo
- Kyuzo Mifune
- long-term development
- Marius Vizer
- matside coaching
- ne waza
- Phil Porter
- professionalism
- Rosicleia Campos
- skill development
- Steve Scott
- Syd Hoare
- tai sabaki
- terminal ippon
- time in a match
- uchi komi
- ukemi
- USA Judo
- USJA
- Valerie Lafon Gotay
- World Judo Federation

### Meta

- Log in
- Entries feed
- Comments feed
- WordPress.org