Black Belt Judo

Author: George Parulski
Pub: 1985 by Contemporary Books, Inc.
Pages: 210
Ranking:
Out of Print

This book is the second of two books by the same author. The first one, The Complete Book of Judo has also been reviewed. This second effort, aiming at a more advanced audience, demonstrates such throws as Ude-Garami-Nage, Kuki-Nage, and Hiji-Otoshi... and the katas Nage-no-Kata, Gonosen-no-Kata, Kime-no-Kata, Isutsu-no-Kata, and Koshiki-no-Kata. The major flaw from my point of view is the lack of credentials of the author. He is not in the mainstream of Judo, and is not recognized by any major organization. Other than this, the book is actually quite good. Recommended with reservations.

Table of Contents

   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS                    VIII
   FOREWORD                             IX
   INTRODUCTI0N                         XI
   ON USING THIS BOOK                 XIII
PART I: BACKGROUND, THEORY, AND
CONDITIONING                                          1
   1. FROM JUJUTSU TO JUDO: AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW    3
   2. ADVANCED THEORY: THE ART OF ZEN IN JUDO        11
   3. STRENGTH CONDITIONING                          20
PART II: THROWING AND LOCKING                        31
   4. ADVANCED THROWING METHODS                      33
   5. HOLDS, LOCKS, AND NE-WAZA STRATEGY             52
PART III: THE FORMAL EXERCISES OF JUDO (KATA)        69
   6. WHAT ARE KATA?                                 71
   7. NAGE-NO-KATA (FORMS OF THROWING)               75
   8. GONOSEN-NO-KATA (FORMS OF THROWS AND
      COUNTERTHROWS)                                 89
   9. KIME-NO-KATA (FORMS OF SELF-DEFENSE)          102
  10. ITSUTSU-NO-KATA (FORMS OF FIVE)               122
  11. KOSHIKI-NO-KATA (FORMS OF ANTIQUITY)          128
PART IV: SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES                    155
  12. ATEMI-WAZA (STRIKING/KICKING TECHNIQUES)      157
  13. SELF-DEFENSE SEQUENCES AGAINST
      MODERN-DAY SITUATIONS                         174

APPENDICES                                          183
   APPENDIX I: TREATING AND PREVENTING INJURIES     183 
   APPENDIX II: THE KODOKAN EMBLEM                  188
   APPENDIX III: BELT REQUIREMENTS                  190
   APPENDIX IV: OPENING A DOJO SUCCESSFULLY         196
   APPENDIX V: TOWARD NUTRITIONAL AWARENESS         199
   APPENDIX VI: FOOTNOTES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION   202
   ABOUT THIS BOOK                                  203
   INDEX                                            207

INTRODUCTION

As a mirror is necessary for us to maintain our physical appearance, such as shaving, combing our hair, applying make-up, etc., so advanced techniques, especially the formal exercises (kata), are indispensable for our judo practice.

A mirror is necessary not only for careful appearance but also for maintaining our health. Kata, which is the systematic formulation of the most fundamental principles of throwing, grappling, and body attack, can prevent us from prostituting the purity of true judo.

It may be said that all other throwing techniques and grappling methods are only modifications of those fundamental techniques of kata. Kata, then, is not practiced necessarily for direct sport or self-defense application, but rather is used to instill in its practitioner the fundamental spirit or essence behind a particular concept.

Without a doubt, the kata is the most fundamentally important practice in judo and is also the most neglected. Because kata are difficult to learn and execute and are not always immediately applicable to contest situations, they sometimes are neglected or, worse, never studied at all. Methods of advanced throwing which are not applicable in a contest are left behind. Similarly Atemi-waza, the methods of hitting, are almost forgotten. I can remember when the karate chop was called a "judo chop." But all too often, the sport of judo prostitutes the purity of genuine classical judo. Not too long ago, judo was respected as an effective means of self-de-fense as well as a sport. Too often today the sporting egos have left judo an empty shell, devoid of its martial heritage.

This is partly the reason for the formation of the American Society of Classical Judoka. Through this organization, the true art of judo can be promoted and preserved.

There has long been a cry in judo circles for a manual that would deal with the more complex elements of judo; however, up to now, those cries have gone unanswered. Black-Belt Judo gives the judoka a complete guide to the advanced levels of true judo.

The author, George R. Parulski, Jr., is one of the most gifted judoka I have ever met. With his vast knowledge and abilities in Japanese Budo (martial ways) and his flawless judo techniques, he has once again created a masterpiece in martial arts literature.

With his first volume, The Complete Book of Judo, which covers the entire area of basic judo techniques for competition, and his Black-Belt Judo, which covers advanced judo methods in great detail, George Parulski has in fact created a two-volume encyclopedia the likes of which the world of judo has never seen and will probably never see duplicated so professionally.

Both his volumes are fully endorsed by the American Society of Classical Judoka as being the finest judo books available today.

Isao Obato
7th Degree Black Belt (Shichidan)
Technical Advisor for Black-Belt Judo
President/founder
American Society of Classical Judoka

Summer 1984
Arizona

The completion of Black-Belt Judo is the culmination of a dream: to produce in two volumes the most complete material available on the true art of judo - not just the sport, but the entire field.

This dream began in 1984 with the publication of The Complete Book of Judo (Contemporary Books, Inc.), the most complete book of judo basics available in print. With Black-Belt Judo it is my hope that the judo world will discover once again the true values of judo when it is practiced as a martial art rather than as a game. This author has no complaint with judo being practiced as a sport, nor with the AAU. My point is that true judo - as it is practiced by the silent majority - is a complete martial art, involving but not limited to sport judo.

Perhaps of greatest interest in this text are the judo kata. Handed down for centuries from the great Japanese masters and considered to be the crucial link with the past, the judo kata - or "formal exercises," as they are translated - are the customary and classic fundamental movements involved in attack and defense. They are rooted in the ancient art of jujutsu and have been refined and improved to reach their present high state. Katas reveal underlying principles and, on a higher level, spiritual knowledge of ourselves and our environment.

Black-Belt Judo addresses the advanced concepts of judo in four major sections: Background, Theory, and Conditioning (Part I); Throwing and Locking (Part II); Kata of Judo (Part III); and Self-Defense Techniques (Part IV).

In Part I we examine the history of judo in the light of jujutsu. Unlike my first book The Complete Book of Judo, which relates the history of judo through the eyes of the Kodokan (main judo headquarters), this book gives new insight into the meaning and purpose of judo by looking at it through jujutsu, judo's predecessor.

The theory covered in Part I also represents a different approach from that of my first book. This time we look at judo as an expression of Zen and how to make the concept of mushin (no-mind) work for you. While Dr. Kano, judo's founder, exemplified the concept of mushin, he never specifically addressed it as it is addressed in this book.

In Part II, we take judo a step further by looking at some of the less popular throwing methods. They are less popular not because they are ineffective, but because they are seldom used in competition. In examining the locking/holding techniques, we discover that judo is indeed a formidable method of self-defense. These techniques, prohibited in competition, represent the more lethal aspects of judo. Also in this section is a look at ne-waza strategy. This is aimed at the competitive judoka (judo player). All too often I am asked, "How do I get into a hold-down?" Well this section should answer questions like that one. In order to prevent turning the section into a chapter on wrestling, I have presented only those techniques found in judo but not in wrestling.

Part III examines the Nage-no-kata (forms of throwing), Gonosen-no-kata (countering methods), Kime-no-kata (forms of self-defense), Itsutsu-no-kata (forms of five), Koshiki-no-kata (forms of antiquity). I have selected these five kata (out of 13) as being representative of advanced judo theory.

Finally, Part IV is intended to give the reader a complete look at judo as a true method of self-defense. These methods are the Atemi-waza (striking/kicking techniques). At first look they appear to be a form of karate, but in reality they existed long before karate became an organized martial art.

This author acknowledges the help of Master Obato for his technical assistance with this book. Through his careful study of the manuscript, corrections were made to make this the finest book on advanced judo technique in print.

George R. Parulski, Jr.
5th Degree Black Belt (Godan)
USA President Dai-Nippon Seibukan Budo/Bugei-Kai
(All-Japan Seibukan Martial Arts and Ways Association)

Summer 1984
Webster, New York