1 Month Down

(Unrelated but awesome picture)

Have now been here for 1 Month, not sure how many more I'm here for but I'm looking at anything between 6-11 which is really vague but I work with what information I have. Initially I planned on being home for the Nationals but thats not too likely now but will play it by ear. I definatly don't think its worth coming back to NZ just for that one competition, but on the other hand I will want to test myself, the Auckland Internationals early next year is probably a better bet.

The last few days have been some of the toughest yet, but everything is still going good. We were invited by Matsura Sensei from the Kidotai Riot Police to come train with the community programme Dojo one evening that he runs. Matsura has been one of the friendliest guys at the Kidotai to us so far, going out of his way to look out for us and smash us extra hard into the mats so we thought it would be good to come along one evening to pay our regards.

So on Tuesday morning at training we told him we would be training with the Dojo that evening, he said thats fine but that he would not be in attendance that evening due to other commitments. No problem we rekoned, everyone over here has been nothing but welcoming to us so far so this will be no problem. We biked to training at the community Dojo run by the Police that evening which is in the same compound as the riot police. The quest took about 1 hour by bike in the rain, so needless to say by the time we finally arrived with burning thighs, we were really hungry to get fighting. One problem. The club is run primarily for Junior High School & Elementary School Students and the Sensei was a real old school Gaijin hater (Gaijin means foreigner). We decided to try and make the best of the situation and at least get warm while we were there, so we went and bowed to the Sensei, who ignored us until training and then told us that we better not injure anybody or else!

The boys both looked at me a bit nervously at this point and hastily warned me not to use any flying/rolling armbars on the kids, haha yeah right. The training wasnt actually so bad once we got into it, we all got a few decent fights with the cops that took the class but nothing too tough. We behaved like true Judoka Gentlemen so were feeling quite chuffed with ourselves as we got changed after class, out of the corner of his eye Tim noticed one of the Judoka from the club rubbing his ribs while talking to Gaijin Hating Sensei and gesturing towards Lee. We decided this would be a timely moment in which to take our leave and so the 3 musketeers rode off into the rain. Not to be seen again at this Dojo.


Yesterday, on Wednesday when riding our bikes home from training with the Kidotai for our between training naps/snacks/cry in the corner, out of the blue an undercover cop jumped out from behind a train station pulling Tim over. This guy was part of the super secret elite undercover stolen bike detection squad so he wished to check Tim's bikes rego. We all suddenly got really nervous because all of our bikes were found abandoned around Kyoto so any of them could have been reported as stolen a long time ago before being abanndoned by the thief in the junkyard that we found them.
Lee did not seem to see the police badge, and suggested that we all gun it as fast as we can back home. Before this idea could come to frutition the officer was allready on the radio checking the rego number. We decided to sweet talk the officer, saying we did Judo with the riot cops who are way tougher than him and theyr our mates etc. He then decided they had no data on the bike and we were free to go. Props to Tim for keeping a cool head while Lee & I suggested alternatives that would of not worked out so well.

Phew...that could of gone bad.


Today I recieved a package from home, from my much loved aunty Trish (thanks your the best) containing essentails like Cadbury chocolate, Top shelf cofee, Soup & Pinaple Lumps. In the bottom of the parcel was a lovelly note from Trish saying keep up the good work etc, but there was one offending clause in the letter which the guys noted immediatly "I sure hope you and the guys all enjoy this" they then decided this obviously meant that this is a communal care package for the shared welfare of all in Shimei Hall. Sorry guys, not a chance.

Olympian Bill Vincent from New Zealand came around to visit today, which was good - he was totally blown away by our huge place & how great a facility it was. Bill said he would show us the way to Ritsumeikan University & sit in on our training that night there. So off we went to training with 3 on bikes and one running on foot (Tim on way there, yours truly on the way back) The Judo players at Ritsumeikan are some of the nicest Judo players we have met so far, joking around with us from the start. Of course they had to be the toughest we have met so far aswell, taking us all to bits during the randori's (sparring), their grip strength is alot better than ours and they have really good technique. After being smashed about 5 times in a row I decided I would try and out muscle them as being a Kiwi lad familiar with the gym I can do. Wrong. These guys are also twice as strong as us. Luckily there is a really well equiped gym attached to the Dojo which we have the run of now - so we can get some good weight training done now and deliver some real power.
Ritsumeikan are currently Number 1 Uni Judo squad in Kyoto having bet the prior title holders in the city: Sangyo University in the most recent competition, ranking now 3rd in the whole Kansai region (Kansai being South-West Japan)



It was a good experience; as I was training at Kyoto University recently and getting alot of the guys (including with a few 'Robert Levy' rolling chokes) that used to throw/submit me all over the place showed me how far I have come so far. Tonight at Ritsumeikan showed me how far I still have to go. Which is allways a good wake up call.

After training we went to dinner at a Chinese Restaurant with Bill who gave us all some good pointers on our Judo & discussed Judo NZ in general aswell as his experience as a Judo player. Bill competed in 2 Olympics & qualified for 3 (not doing one due to the Moscow boycott) so he knows what hes talking about and has been where we are right now himself so it pays to listen to this guy.

It has come to light that I sleep shout so I may soon be forced to start taping my mouth shut at night, as this scares Lee who thinks the place is haunted.

Plan for the near future is build up towards our competition training mornings at the Riot Police, Ritsumeikan at night and hitting the weights when we have the time.

Jordan