Judo Info site is an excellent resource for information about all aspects of judo.
Judo Training Methods by Kazuzo Kudo has some good advice on important elements of judo practice. Sensei Anna Marie found this article and asked me to post it.
Specifically, she highlighted:
“Practice for practice sake is the basic element of progress. To repeat, practice for its own sake is the key to progress. Rather than thinking of throwing
or downing your opponent, think that he is actually being good enough to become the model on which you can both polish up the techniques you are good in
and learn many new techniques. Pay no attention if your opponent throws you or turns your own attack against you. Practice with the single idea of learning
the body movements and the techniques themselves. In practice sessions use as many right techniques, left techniques, and counter attacks as you can. Naturally,
with all this activity one of these practice bouts can only last two or three minutes. That is all right, but remember, work out, rest a moment, work out
again, rest again, and keep this process going throughout the entire practice session.”
The rest of the article is definitely worth reading too. I think all the advice he gives is good to keep in mind. We need to stop focusing on winning/beating our partner and instead improving our own technique.
