In 1986 I attended my first judo camp. Held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the United States Judo Association's National Training Center, it was the largest assemblage of judo skill I had witnessed since training and practically living at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Japan from 1968-69. I honestly can say that I learned more in one week of judo camp than I learned in one year in Japan.
How is that possible? First of all, American training methods are different and, to my educator's mind, better. Instructors explain how and why techniques work -- what specific body part generates power, in which direction to apply push or pull for maximum efficiency, how technique alters when a throw is performed as a driver instead of a roller, and variables that affect performance. Receiving instruction in my native language is a plus.
At the Kodokan I once asked a world champion to teach me his uchi-mata. He grabbed my judogi, tossed me into the air, and smashed me onto the tatami. I thanked him and again asked him to teach me uchi-mata. This time he grabbed my judogi even more enthusiastically and, offering me an even briefer airtime experience, drove me through the mat with frenzy. It did not take my tatami-bashed brain long to realize that his teaching skill did not equal his competitive technique, so I wisely bowed out with appropriate, profuse gratitude.
A week of intensive instruction from America's most respected coaches, on the other hand, allows one to hone skills and learn new ones. From the best teachers come the best students, and when the best gather on one mat, the combined knowledge is overwhelming. For me, attending camp is like going to a waterfall with a cup. Camp allows the thirsty to immerse themselves in judo. Those arriving as dry sponges depart sopping wet. (That is just one reason to bring an extra judogi.)
At judo camps I have acquired skills while reinforcing others and over time have become qualified to teach many areas of our sport. For example, I certified as a Coach at my first camp and at subsequent camps repeated this course. Now as a member of the Coach Education Committee, I conduct these courses at camps and clinics.
This experience repeated itself in other areas. I certified as a kata instructor at my first camp. At later camps I polished my kata and learned different ones, plus how to judge kata. Now in addition to being able to certify others as instructors, I can certify judges.
Going through the Rank Examiner course at several camps developed my skills to allow me to teach the course and even one that I call “The 67 Throws of Kodokan Judo.” There is a direct, short link between camp, learning skills, and becoming proficient in doing and/or teaching them.
Camps allow sufficient time for new learning to sink in. Weekend clinics generally are too short for certification in refereeing, kata, and kata judging. Refereeing requires that a real or simulated shiai accompany the course for practical application, which is difficult if not impossible to do with but a few judoka and in a brief time. Camp allows time for instruction, application, and evaluation. There are sufficient attendees for a shiai at which to train and evaluate referees. Enough kata practitioners allows judge candidates experience at evaluation.
Do you need more reasons for going to camp? Sure, it's not your typical vacation. Who besides a judoka would even consider making a trip to a place where you work up a sweat, let strangers pick up your body and smash it onto the floor, pounce upon it and, while holding you down, choke you or bend your arm backwards, inflicting pain? Yep, we are a select few.
One of the high points of camp is meeting old friends and making new ones. This begins on the mat, but social gatherings after evening workouts are a special part of camp, a time for old tales by judo dinosaurs (didn't you know dinosaurs have tales?), jokes (wait till you hear mine -- jokes are for youngsters; puns are for the groan), and plans for judo's future. We discuss techniques, problems such as how to improve and increase club attendance, catch up on personal news, talk about friends NOT at camp (another reason for YOU to be there), and enjoy food and drink in a relaxing atmosphere devoid of sweat and sounds of judoka shouting kiai and slapping mats.
Camp offers the opportunity to learn new things to take home to the club. Campers can test for promotion. Eventually every coach needs a sensei to help with this. Judoka can test at camp and, when his or her sensei verifies that all promotion requirements have been met, be promoted. This economical method reduces testing time in the dojo.
Camps of the past were few in number, almost always far from home and requiring considerable travel. Now they are held throughout the country, in California, Ohio, New York, Florida, and the Carolinas, so that hardly anyone needs to drive more than a day to attend one. Each year I get to at least one.
One of the best things about camp is that fees directly help American judo. Camp fees are a donation to a worthy cause. Most clinicians and camp directors receive no pay for their efforts, donating their time, energy, and skills. Depending on facility overhead, some of the nominal camp fee may be applied to individual USJA Life Memberships. While that doesn't improve one's judo, attending camp certainly does. I know. As they say, "Been there, done that." To that I add, "Bought the post card, and I'm in it."
If a camp is not close enough to suit you and you can locate an appropriate facility and wish to host one, the USJA will provide the staff to make your camp a success. Make every effort to attend judo camp this summer. Plan now, and bring some students or teammates to share the adventure and travel expenses. Some of my students and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon after a camp in Colorado. I visited New York before a camp in Pennsylvania. An assistant instructor and I combined camp in California with a vacation to Yosemite and Death Valley. You get the picture. Just make sure you are in it.
And don't forget to look for me at camp. Like Santa, I wear a black belt and have a white beard. Unlike Santa's beard, mine didn't start out white, but time can do that to a judoka. Meanwhile I look forward to meeting you on the mat, before YOUR hair turns white.
(Ronald Allan Charles holds 7th dan rank in Judo and 6th dan in Ju-jitsu. He leads the Samurai Judo Association, the 2nd largest club (counting Life Members) in the USJA, and a Bronze Benefactor Life Member.) |