Dr. Ann Maria thinks so based on the down trend of the numbers of American competitors. While number of competitors is not necessarily the same thing as number of participants, its probably as good an indicator as can be found.
As a flabby, middle-aged white guy who just started Judo less than two years ago, I can certainly see why competition oriented Judo doesn't enthrall Americans, a nation of TV junkies with a special relationship to their spectator sports. But then, my interest in Judo started as a martial art and not as a sport. If randori in our club wasn't so much fun and really good exercise, I'd probably have moved on by now: throwing is a hoot but just how much of it is applicable to a street fight remains to be seen.
I don't know about dying, probably just sore and bruised.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe that's just the Judo you practice.
:-)
If it weren't so painful to stand right now... and breathe... I'd come over there and...
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I'm gonna refrain from commenting on the sore and bruised comment, but I agree, Americans are a little lazy and whimpy:)
ReplyDeleteA Girl, I would challenge you on that but I'd probably get my ass kicked.
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I think that its a case of the BJJ guys getting those that would otherwise be in Judo.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably right. I'm told Kano once said that it takes one year to train a grappler and ten years to train a thrower.
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