Mark Law offers an interesting and in-depth study into the martial sport of Judo. From its beginnings in the late nineteenth century to its modern players, we are offered a detailed analysis that any martial artist can sink their teeth into. Lesley Jackson dons her favourite PJ’s to find out.
If anyone can remember Superstars (and I mean the original version from the 1970s, where athletes from a variety of sports pitted their fitness and skills against each other in various activities; oh yes, and the tight shiny shorts as well), the name you always associate with the series was Brian Jacks, who always used to win. Can you remember what sport he played? It was Judo, a martial art that was all the rage in Britain in the 70s and early 80s, when we won Olympic medals with Jacks and Neil Adams, but the grappling sport seems to have lost popular favour in recent years. In this biography of Judo, by observer and club practitioner Mark Law, we are offered a detailed, honest and wry look into this Japanese martial sport.
Law takes the reader right back to the beginning of Judo’s origins in Japan, when the main grappling art was Jiu Jitsu, with one of its main problems being the horrible injuries that can occur due to its pressurised joint locks. We are then given a detailed and fascinating chapter about “The Incredible Dr Kano” – Judo’s founding father, who developed this form of combat from the more violent and sometimes corrupt Jiu Jitsu to the controlled and aesthetic style of Judo. Throughout this book we are given several interesting biographies of the most famous judoka, including Kimura and Yamashita to Neil Adams and most recent Tamura Tani, which give that extra detailed insight into the psychology and motivation behind these top level performers. However, throughout this text we are brought back down to earth as we follow Mark’s personal journey to gaining his black belt with his fluent descriptions of his Judo “autograph book,” whereby he determines to spar with all of the famous names that appear at his popular London club.
The author also doesn’t shy away from Judo’s political history, from its ideals that originated from Dr Kano to the internal wrangling that often occurs around the Olympics. One of the most interesting chapters, near the beginning of The Pyjama Game is about the nature of combat sport itself, why some of us feel the need to go to our local clubs, meet our friends and then proceed to throw, kick and punch the crap out of each other. Law rather succinctly describes fighting for sport as “what happens when people carry on playing after you’ve taken away the ball.”
For the Judo practitioner, this book is essential reading, but it is also an interesting read for any other martial artist as it provides an insightful and meaty read about the background, history and personalities of this martial sport.
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