[Nfbf-l] You'll Flip over Judo

[Jody W. Ianuzzi]

Hello all,

Just a reminder that the Tomadachi Judo Club will be giving a judo 
demonstration in the Teen Room on Saturday morning at 9:30.

Judo is a fantastic activity for blind players because it needs no 
adaptation to participate.  Plus, judo is a lot of fun!

I hope to have a great turn out because the Tomadachi instructors are coming 
in special for us.  They would like to know how many people will be there so 
please let me know if you are interested by sending me a message at my email 
address: jody at thewhitehats.com

JODY

"WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH
TO SEE IN THE WORLD" ~ Gandhi

_______________________

BLACK BELT - WHITE CANE
by Jody W. Ianuzzi, Sandan,  Patron Life Member USJA

A blind woman is traveling alone down a dark, deserted street. There are
some people who might consider her helpless and vulnerable. I would like to
change that image. That blind woman just might be me on my way to teach my
judo class.

The challenges of blindness can be overcome by learning alternative
techniques, but some situations can be a bit more challenging than others.
As a child in public school, I remember the schoolyard bully, who tested my
vision by punching me in the face. My gym teacher gave me a permanent waiver
from class after years of sitting on the sidelines while the rest of the
class played a variety of ball games.

Eventually I found a solution to these challenges as well. Judo became my
ultimate alternative technique. When I first heard about judo classes, I was
hesitant. Based on my past experience, I didn't think the judo instructor
would consider me as a student. Happily, I was wrong! The instructor didn't
care that I couldn't see. He was more interested in what I could do, and I
could do judo. I sincerely mean it when I say that my life hasn't been the
same since that day.

It is now many years later. Life has come full circle. I am the instructor,
and I am recruiting blind and sighted members to my judo club. I want to
give to my students what judo has given to me.

Unlike some other martial arts, judo needs no adaptation for blind players,
who have been active in judo for many years, practicing with sighted players
on an equal basis. For blind children judo can provide an opportunity to be
just one of the kids, both at practice and during club activities. This is
as it should be, because it benefits both the blind and sighted players and
embodies the philosophy of judo as well.

Judo is a full contact form of self-defense that includes throwing
techniques, pins, chokes, and joint-locks. A basic principle of judo is that
a small person can throw a larger person by using that person's motion to
complete the throw. In this way, if a person pushes you, you pull him or her
into a throw.

The physical benefits of judo practice include self-defense training, weight
control, and physical fitness. With regular practice there is a noticeable
improvement in balance, coordination, and orientation. Judo can be enjoyed
by men and women of all ages from small children to adults. It is a great
way to get back into shape and stay there while having a lot of fun, too.
One enjoyable aspect of judo is that it challenges the mind as well as the
body. Other forms of exercise can be boring, and it is easy to lose interest
in them.

My students and I have attended many tournaments and clinics, both large and
small, and we have never been excluded or shown any favoritism. I remember
one tournament we attended at West Point. One of the club instructors wanted
to present my student with the Best Player trophy, based on her blindness.
The tournament director's reaction was to say, "It's no big deal that she's
blind; I'll give her the Best Player trophy when she comes here and earns
it." She won second place in her division but she gained a lot more that
day. On the way home from the tournament she told me that it was the first
time in her life she felt like she was just one of the kids. And for the
first time I began to realize that I was giving back some of what judo had
given to me.

There is a philosophical benefit to judo training. As you challenge
yourself, you gain a feeling of accomplishment that carries over to all
aspects of life. The knowledge that you can handle a physical conflict makes
a verbal conflict much less threatening. You will find that you develop a
strength of mind to stand up for what you believe in, but also a strength of
mind that will allow you to step back when that is the wise thing to do. You
actually become less defensive and more relaxed. It has never been necessary
for me to use judo for self-defense, but I have used the strength of judo
every day in all types of situations.

Part of this strength comes from a feeling that you are in control. You
carry this control with you in confident body language, in the way you walk
and communicate with people. When you project confidence, you are less
likely to be confronted.

The self-confidence that can be gained from judo is very important to
children. The blind child who is frustrated by his or her limitations in
mainstreamed gym classes or who is segregated in classes for disabled
students can feel less capable than classmates. Judo gives the blind child
the opportunity to participate in mainstreamed activity on an equal basis
with his or her peers. When the other kids are talking about their sports
and club activities, the blind child can join in with talk of personal
accomplishments. This equality is important to blind children, but it is
also very important to their sighted peers as well. The focus is on what you
can do, not on what you can't. It becomes less important that you can't play
baseball when there is something unique you can be proud of. "I can" is the
concept that becomes important.

Self-defense is important to everyone nowadays, but as blind people we are
perceived by some as more vulnerable than others. Judo gives a balance to
this misconception. All of us should learn to defend ourselves, not just for
our own benefit, but as a means to change society's image of blindness.
Self-defense can be as simple as being sure of who is at your door before
you open it, or as involved as defending your life. You should avoid
shortcuts through less traveled areas and stay in places where there is
safety in numbers. Also avoid walking next to buildings since doorways and
alleys are places where someone might hide. Stay in the center of the
sidewalk so that you can be clear on all sides. When I walk down the street,
I try to identify the age, sex, number, and location of the people around
me. This is kind of a game, but it is also a way of training yourself to be
more aware of everything around you, so you can anticipate a situation
before it develops.

Judo classes are usually taught in a club setting, which includes men,
women, and children of all ages. Judo is often a family activity. There are
judo clubs all over most states. Judo instructors usually teach at no
charge. This might seem surprising, but we enjoy judo, and we teach because
we love it. Class fees are usually minimal and include club dues, a uniform,
and United States Judo Association membership. The USJA  has been very
active in encouraging instructors to recruit blind players, and the
instructors are already familiar with the benefits of judo to blind players.

As you learn judo, your skills and attitude will develop. The school bully
will be less of a threat. You can walk down that deserted street and be a
lot less vulnerable than some might think. Those people who attempt to
dominate you will not be successful. The unsolicited helper who attempts to
take you across the street or the airline employee who attempts to load you
into the wheelchair will both be surprised to find that you are in control
of the situation. Judo is a way to even the odds and change what it means to
be blind. I have made judo my ultimate alternative technique, and I hope you
will make it yours as well.

I hope I have sparked an interest in you to learn judo. It can change your
life as it has changed mine.