Our objective in practicing Nagekomi and Randori is to perfect your Judo technique. Randori is not a tournament match for a Gold medal.

When you throw someone during Nagekomi or Randori, hold onto your uke’s sleeve or lapel so they can do their ukemi and protect themselves. For Torii, you must control your uke’s fall for their safety. Moreover, during competition, if you don’t maintain control of your uke’s fall after throwing them, you may not receive a score, be unable to perform, or lose the opportunity to perform Osaekomi. Shimewaza or Kansetsu-waza immediately.

We prohibit a series of techniques outlined in our enrollment form during practice. This is for your safety and our membership.

Stay standing after executing your Tachiwaza (standing techniques).

No head diving. Nobody wants a broken neck.

No “double-knee” Seoi Nage. There is no need to give someone a headache or be a pain in the neck.

Landing directly on someone’s ribs and chest after throwing them into Osaekomi. Broken ribs make it difficult for someone to do things we take for granted, like breathing, sleeping, walking, driving to work, and sitting and working eight hours.

From our enrollment form:

SECTION 10: PROHIBITED TECHNIQUES

All techniques and behaviors banned by the International Judo Federation, USA Judo, and Nanka Judo Yudanshakai will not be tolerated at Sawtelle Judo Dojo. This especially applies to those with previous martial arts or wrestling experience who may have been taught specific techniques.

For IJF rules, please read IJF SOR, Sport and Organization Rules.

Beyond the IJF rules, here at Sawtelle, we ban following throwing processes and methods.

• Kinshi-Waza-these are already prohibited techniques by the IJF.

– Ashi-Garami (足緘), Do-Jime (胴絞), Kani-Basami (蟹挟), Kawazu-Gake (河津掛)

• Any throwing technique that uses the arm or arms to wrap around the neck or the head and has a chance of driving the head into the ground or the Torii landing on top of Uke. Examples are Koshi Guruma, “Drop Knee” Seoi Nage, or “Guillotine” headlock.

• Any throwing processes that lock the ankle, knee, or hip joints and pull the Uke into the ground using your body weight.

Examples are Tani Otoshi, Ura Nage, Yagura Gaeshi, and Kari Gaeshi.

• Any throwing processes with a chance of Torii falling over Uke. This includes all Makikomi derivatives, such as Harai Makikomi, Soto Makikomi, and Hane Makikomi.

• Any throwing processes that Torii throws backward, sideways, or forward cause the Uke to fall directly on the head or to inhibit the Uke from performing Ukemi. Examples are Ura Nage, Daki Age or Yagura Nage.

Our first week @ Ocean Grown BJJ

On Monday, 28 August, we started practicing at Ocean Grown BJJ, located near the intersection of Pico & Sawtelle Blvd., a short walk from our original location at the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle.

Enter from the back of the building

Ocean Grown BJJ

11318 Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90064

You can enter the rear parking lot from Sawtelle Blvd. (southbound) or Pico Blvd. (eastbound) opposite Corinth Ave.

We will adjust our schedule to avoid conflict with their existing schedule.

Here is our updated schedule.

Little Kids’ classes                      Wednesday & Friday @ 4:00 pm-4:30 pm

Juniors’ classes                          Monday from 4:45 pm-6:00 pm and

Wednesday & Friday from 4:45 pm-5:45 pm

Junior & Senior Novice exclusive class

-on Mondays only after Juniors’ class

Juniors 6:15-7:00 pm

Seniors 7:00-8:00 pm

-with Kata practice simultaneously

-for new students and others who want to work on basic ukemi and other fundamental skills

-Prepare new students for regular practice with the rest of the class

Seniors’ classes                          Monday, Wednesday, & Friday from 8:00 pm-9:30 pm

The head instructor and owner of Ocean Grown BJJ, Marshall Lipps, has opened his academy to our Dojo. He fully supports the martial arts community and understands our situation fully. He is a rare individual, and we are very grateful for his gesture. I would also like to thank Adrian Anderson, Anupon & Tanutam’s father, for introducing this. Adrian and Marshall know each other through training at Rey Diogo BJJ in Los Angeles.

It is a temporary return to the Sawtelle area as we search for a permanent location for our Dojo.

Ocean Grown BJJ shares the same building as El Super Taco & Margarita’s Beauty Salon. Ocean Grown BJJ’s doors are near the old Hwa Rang Do location and a ten-minute walk from the JIS, our original site.

• 

Yasuhiro Yamashita celebrates after winning the All-Japan Championship at Nippon Budokan on April 29, 1985, in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: The Asahi Shimbun

Source: Getty Images

Most people agree that Yasuhiro Yamashita is the best fighter who has ever lived. Being one of the greatest judo masters, he is currently employed by various organizations as a teacher or advisor. On June 17, 1985, he announced his retirement from competitive games after a remarkable career. He amassed 203 straight victories (with seven draws in between) and won five gold medals in international competitions.

At age 19, he became the youngest player to win the All-Japan Championships title in 1977, thanks to his outstanding performance. On October 9, 1984, he was awarded the Japanese National Prize of Honor.

In his only appearance at the Olympics, Yamashita tore a right calf muscle in the preliminary match against Arthur Schnabel. This put Yamashita at a disadvantage since he executed his throws by pivoting his right leg. Though he managed to win the game with an Okuri-Eri-Jime, the injury caused him to limp during the semi-final match against Laurent Del Colombo visibly. Yamashita was thrown with an Osoto Gari only 30 seconds into the game but returned an Osoto Gari and won with a Yoko-Shiho-Gatame (side four-quarter hold). He played the final game against Mohamed Ali Rashwan of Egypt. Yamashita won the last and the gold medal despite his injury. The match witnessed a remarkable fair play act from Rashwan, who did not aim for Yamashita’s right leg. Rashwan was even given an award from the International Fairplay Committee. Here is a YouTube video of his epic 1984 Olympic Gold medal matches.

Yamashita remained undefeated in domestic and international competitions, though he drew several matches with two-time Olympic gold medalist Hitoshi Saito. Yamashita faced Saito in the final game of the All-Japan Judo Championships for three consecutive years from 1983 to 1985 and emerged victorious in every single one of those matches. After suffering numerous injuries throughout his career, Yamashita retired from competitive judo on June 17, 1985, at only 28 years of age.

He reiterates what the founder of Judo, Kano Jigoro-Shihan says: “The ultimate purpose of Judo is the ultimate purpose of the human being, and I consider this to be the fulfillment of the self and benefit to the world.” I live by these words, and I believe these words apply not only to Judo but any other discipline or passion an individual chooses to pursue. I think the fundamental principle is “Judo as human education.” Beyond winning and losing, I truly believe the life lessons through Judo will contribute to building a society full of real winners.

There are no borders, politics, or religion on the tatami- just two athletes testing their skills in the spirit of fair play. Judo is a bridge that connects the world’s people, cultures, and countries.

USJF/KokaKids collaboration

The USJF Development Committee has aligned its Jr Rank Requirements with SHAPE America. SHAPE America is our national standards framework for K-12 Physical Education that defines what a student should know and be able to do at each stage of developing physically literate individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthy physical activity.

We are the ONLY Judo organization with professional educators comprised of University Professors, Secondary and Elementary Credential Teachers, and Academic School Principals with the expertise to develop such a program.

Keeping with Professor Kano’s goals, judo is meant to be not just a lifelong sport but to become a way of life.  Kano’s philosophy of morality, societal contribution, and physical judo techniques align with the SHAPE framework’s stages of development for safe and progressive instruction. 

Visit our USJF “Koka Kids” interactive pages.  Some of the kids will relish looking through these pages.

For new Junior members

Here is a video titled “Kodomo no Kata.” The video demonstrates how to wear your Judogi, perform bowing, and do some basic exercises & techniques. Kodokan published this video in Tokyo, Japan. The Kodokan is the birthplace of Judo, founded by Kano Jigoro Shihan. We expect our Little Kids to wear their Judogi properly and tie their own Judo belts before moving on to our Juniors’ class.

Minecraft for Judo

Exciting news from the IJF Judo for Children Commission!

We are thrilled to announce that the second edition of Minecraft, the Mystery of the Kodokan, is making waves in the gaming world, with an impressive number of downloads and only second to NASA, with over 535,000 unique players.

As a commission dedicated to promoting the benefits of judo for children, we are proud to be a part of this accomplishment.

A special mention to the leader and Director of IJF Judo for Children Commission, Mr. Ruben Houkes .

His tireless dedication, leadership, and vision have been instrumental in the success of our commission.  We are incredibly grateful for his guidance and expertise, and we look forward to continuing to work alongside him to bring the benefits of judo to even more children around the world.

Join at https://schools.ijf.org/judocraft.

1st the Move  

Then, we begin Judo practice @ Flip1stGymnastics 13 February

For new people planning to join our Dojo

Hollywood Scrimmage V

Joint Venice/Sawtelle Judo practices

Mask recommendations

Dojo tournament/event schedule

The cerebral corner

IJF Judo Rules, 2022-2024, next Olympic cycle, Paris 2024

The Rules of Judo (Don’t Do This)

“When you finished changing, you’re finished.”

-Benjamin Franklin-

1^st the Move-scheduled Sunday 5 February

The move-in of gymnastics equipment into the new gymnasium is now scheduled on Sunday 5 February @ 10:00 am. The move will move storage from Inglewood to its new location.

Flip1stGymnastics

1908-C Lincoln Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA. 90405

We already have at least twelve people planning on assisting with the move throughout the day. We will load two 26’ trucks filled to the brim with gymnastics equipment. With more people, the loading and unloading process will be much faster. Last month, we moved out of the JIS into storage in two and a half hours.

Gym sprung floor

Tumbling track

Assorted mats & crash pads

Parallel and uneven bars

Other assorted equipment

Furniture

Office equipment & supplies

Etc.

A contractor will first load and move the gym sprung floor panels and install the floor in the new location.

During the following week of 6-12 February, Flip1stGymnastics, will be setting up for its brand new, spacious 6,800 sq. ft. facility in Santa Monica and hosting its Grand Opening on Monday 13 February.

For those available to assist with the move on Sunday 5 February, please contact via email or text for more detailed moving information. Along with assisting in the move, you will have a preview of what the vast facility will look like.

We begin Judo practice @ Flip1stGymnastics 13 February

It’s official. Flip1stGymnastics has announced its Grand Opening on Monday 13 February.

Which means for Sawtelle Judo Dojo, we will resume there at our regular practice times & dates, in just two weeks.

Little Kids’ (4-6 years old)-Wednesday, & Friday 5:15-5:45 pm

Juniors’ (6-12 years old)-Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 6:00-7:00 pm

Seniors’ (13 years old and older) Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 7:30-9:30 pm

We will be using the gymnasium sprung floor, 40’x40’, a little larger than at the JIS. However, we may half to split the floor for their gymnastics classes at times. Remember that we are guests in this facility. Please do not use any of the gymnastics equipment. At times, we will be sharing the gymnasium, its sprung floor especially, with Flip1stGymnastics. Do not abuse this privilege.

Flip1stGymnastics is on the southwest corner of Lincoln and Pico Blvd., about 3-1/2 miles west of old location at the JIS. It is located in the back corner of the strip mall where a Starbucks Coffee sits on the street corner. Flip1stGymnastics is just blocks away from Santa Monica High School and about a mile from Santa Monica Beach and Pier.

Dan Levi, the owner of Flip1stGymnastics, has generously opened his new gym to our Dojo on a temporary basis. At our holiday party, we thanked him with a standing ovation for his generosity. So, we look forward to some exciting times ahead.

For new people planning to join our Dojo

New people may join our practice on Monday 13 February at Flip1stGymnastics. We will accept new members beginning on Wednesday 8 February. For further enrollment information, contact via email, sawtellejudo@gmail.com or phone, 310 463-4962.

Please include age, height, and weight for correct fitting Judogi.

Hollywood Scrimmage V

For our Seniors, if you are interested in participating in the Hollywood Scrimmage V on Sunday 12 February at noon, please let us know by replying to this email. The 1^st ten respondents will be able to compete.

Joint Venice/Sawtelle Judo practices

We will continue to work out at Venice until Friday 10 February.

Venice Judo Club

Venice Japanese Community Center

12448 Braddock Dr.

Los Angeles, CA. 90066

For the next few weeks, we will be practicing there.

Their hours

Tuesday 7:00-8:30 pm

Friday 7:00-9:00 pm

At Venice Judo Club, their entire membership workouts at the same time, Juniors & Seniors at the same time. They have enough mats to cover an entire basketball court, which would be 3 times the area of our mat area. So, we should have space to split the mat area for a joint Juniors & Seniors practice.

Please make sure that you turn in your COVID waiver forms and parking instructions for the Venice Japanese Community Center. The forms were sent to our active membership in a prior email. You will be denied access if you do not complete these forms and present them to the Venice Judo Club administrator, Kevin Murchan.

COVID requirements

You must be COVID vaccinated and boosted in order to practice Judo with Sawtelle Judo Dojo.

Mask recommendations

Due to rising cases of COVID, and other respiratory illnesses, LA County Health Dept. has issued an advisory to wear masks indoors.

• http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
• https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/index.html Spanish https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index-sp.html
• https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

Dojo & tournament schedule

For links to major regional and national tournaments, clinics, and seminars, please visit the Nanka Judo Yudanshakai (Southern California Black Belt Association) website @ https://www.nankajudo.com/calendar/list/

2023

Kata practice Saturday 4 February, 9:00-12:00 pm, Anaconda Academy, Gardena, CA

San Fernando Valley Judo Kohaku Shiai Sunday 5 February, Pacoima, CA

Hollywood Scrimmage V, Sunday 12 February, 12:00-2:00 pm, Hollywood Judo Dojo, Hollywood, CA

Dojo Grand Opening @ Flip1stGymnastics, Monday 13 February, Flip1stGymnastics, Santa Monica, CA

Kata practice Saturday 18 February, 9:00-12:00 pm, Anaconda Academy, Gardena, CA

Hollywood Juniors’ Scrimmage III, Sunday 26 February, 12:00-2:00 pm, Hollywood Judo Dojo, Hollywood, CA

Cerebral Corner

For our Juniors’ learning

Uki Goshi

O Goshi

O Soto Gari

Morote Seoi Nage

Tai Otoshi

De Ashi Barai

Ko Uchi Gari

O Uchi Gari

Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi

Okuri Ashi Barai

Uchimata

Harai Goshi

Tsurikomi Goshi

Find the technique you want to learn. Remember what it means in English.

Click to watch the animation.

Visualize. Shut your eyes and picture the technique in your mind’s eye.

Practice. Start slowly. Build skill before speed.

For everyone’s review

Here are demonstrations videos published by the Kodokan and approved by the IJF Academy.

Uki Goshi

O Goshi

O Soto Gari

Morote Seoi Nage

Tai Otoshi

De Ashi Barai

Ko Uchi Gari

O Uchi Gari

Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi

Okuri Ashi Barai

Tsurikomi Goshi

Uchimata

Harai Goshi

Hane Goshi

Tomoe Nage

Sumi Gaeshi

Uki Otoshi

Sumi Otoshi

IJF Judo Rules, 2022-2024, next Olympic cycle, Paris 2024

Here is the latest YouTube video hosted by Neil Adams, the main commentator of IJF events, reviewing the latest rule changes.

The Rules of Judo (Don’t Do This)

This video, The Rules of Judo (Don’t Do This), is more entertaining. But don’t do this, especially in front of Osugi Sensei. Then, you’ll surely remember not to do it, again. For Juniors, it could mean winning a white belt.

Hiroyuki Akimoto is a former 2010 World Champion @ 73 kg and now designs his own line of BJJ/Judo gear, Kimono Fighter.

“When you are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

-Victor Frankl-

We are eternally grateful to start Judo practice this year at Venice Judo Club as we await the Grand Opening of Flip1stGymnastics. Thank you to the Venice Judo Club, especially to Trace, Trent, & Tara Nishiyama Senseis to your club to our membership.

We began Judo practice last Tuesday 10 January @ 7:00 pm at Venice Judo Club. Our initial plans to begin practice at Flip1stGymnastics on Monday 9 January have changed due to construction delays. We will now plan on start Judo practice at Flip1stGymnastics in late January/early February. For the interim, Venice Judo Club has opened their Dojo for us to practice.

Venice Judo Club

Venice Japanese Community Center

12448 Braddock Dr.

Los Angeles, CA. 90066

For the next few weeks, we will be practicing there.

Their hours

Tuesday 7:00-8:30 pm

Friday 7:00-9:00 pm

During the school year, they finish earlier on Tuesday nights.

At Venice Judo Club, their entire membership workouts at the same time, Juniors & Seniors at the same time. They have enough mats to cover an entire basketball court, which would be 3 times the area of our mat area. So, we should have space to split the mat area for a joint Juniors & Seniors practice.

Please make sure that you turn in your COVID waiver forms and parking instructions for the Venice Japanese Community Center. The forms were sent to our active membership in a prior email. You will be denied access if you do not complete these forms and present them to the Venice Judo Club administrator, Kevin Murchan.

In the spirit of Jita Kyoei, mutual welfare, and benefit, we request that everyone from Sawtelle Judo Dojo, Senior members and the parents, relatives, and friends of our Junior members assist in the setup and cleanup the mats as soon as the basketball session ends at 7:00 pm. With everyone’s assistance, it should take about 10-15 minutes to rollout the mat pallets, layout the mats in rows of 11 across, and with a red mat area on the far end. Once the mats are down, get ready for practice. In advance, you may get dressed in the Women’s room on the far end of the gymnasium on the left side. The men may change in the restroom in the glass foyer visible to the left of the main gym entrance to the left. The blue Men’s room sign is visible on the left side of the foyer.

The Venice Japanese Community Center has a very true sense and value of community. It shows in their mutual circle of trust. Let’s show our extreme gratitude for letting us practice there while we wait for Flip1stGymnastics opens.

Displaced by the renovation of the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle, Sawtelle Judo Dojo will start practicing at Venice Judo Club tomorrow night, Tuesday 10 January.

Venice Judo Club

Venice Japanese Community Center (VJCC)

12448 Braddock Dr.

Los Angeles, CA. 90066

Here are their hours.

Tuesday 7:00-8:30 pm

Friday 7:00-9:00 pm

This is a temporary joint practice session as we wait for the completion of Flip1stGymnastics later this month.Once Flip1stGymnastics opens, we will return to our regular schedule on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings.

Little Kids 5:15-5:45 pm (Wednesday & Friday only)

Juniors 6:00-7:00 pm

Seniors 7:30-9:30 pm

Flip1stGymnastics
1908-C Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA. 90405

Get ready to block out one of the upcoming weekends to help Flip1stGymnastics move in and prepare their gymnasium for their grand opening and preview the new facility.

Here is an interesting, tattered artifact lost in history that was removed from our community board as we vacated the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle. This frail piece of paper documents the By Laws of Sawtelle Judo Dojo written back in the day, probably in the late 1920’s or early 1930’s considering some of the written language used in this document is very old and not used now. We first occupied the original community center building in 1929. 

It outlines the Board membership structure with one President, four Vice-Presidents, two accountants, six supervisors, one Secretary and a number of other roles. A 2/3 majority vote was required for any motion to be approved.

It shows the membership tuition structure as follows.
Initiation membership fee-$15Single membership-$5/monthSecond family membership-$8/monthThree family membership-$10/month
It seems like a very small amount.

However, if this document was posted in 1929, those amounts adjusted in today’s dollars (2023) would be the following.

Initiation membership fee-$261

Single membership-$87/month

Second family membership-$139/month

Three family membership-$174/month

However, if this document was posted in 1950 after Kikuchi Sensei & company resurrected our Dojo after World War II, these amounts adjusted in today’s dollars (2023) would be the following.

Initiation membership fee-$185

Single membership-$61/month

Second family membership-$99/month

Three family membership-$122/month

There’s our history lesson of the day.

#judo #sawtelle #losangeles #legacy #nonprofit #communitybased #volunteer #backintheday #lostintime

When I first got into Judo, it was considered a true martial art from Japan and was not even thought of as a sport. At this time, and in the area that I grew up, the Sensei’s who taught Judo were all from Japan and therefore the language that they used to convey techniques (was) in Japanese. Consequently, the devotees, students or Judokas, however that you would like to call them, were predominantly of Japanese extraction. It was also a common practice among the Japanese families who lived in the rural farming areas that the boys would learn some form of martial art and the girls would learn the classical Japanese art form for girls such as flower arrangement or Japanese Dance or Tea Ceremony, etc.

It was thus that I had to sacrifice some of my precious playtime to enter into this strange world of Japanese martial arts. As I progressed, I slowly came to realize that judo is not just learning to fall, throw, and get thrown or whatever else that can be seen. This is the simple part of Judo. Judo has taught me that one is not alone in this world, and in order to survive, one must give as well as take.

You learn from your predecessors, from your peers, and yes, even from your subordinates. One must not only be grateful for the learning experience, which really is a never-ending process, but be ready to pass on his expertise to others, willingly, to the benefit of others who ask for it. “JITA KYO-EI” is one of the two most important mottoes that we, in Judo, follow. It means, “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch your back and we’ll both be happy for it.” The experienced will teach the inexperienced and in this way, both will benefit and improve themselves.

In 1964, Judo was accepted by the Olympic Committee on a trial basis, and has since then received permanent status as an Olympic sport. This, I believe, was the turning point for Judo. This is when it turned a form of martial art into a sport. This is when “To win” became the most important priority in Judo. When Judo was still a martial art, to win in competition was important, but it was not the most important commodity. It was how one achieved victory. It was victory with honor. It was a victory achieved through superior execution of techniques or physical endurance.

Today, this has changed. Today, victory is achieved through one-upmanship. The need for superior execution of techniques and physical endurance has not changed, but what has changed is the attitude or thinking of what superior techniques mean. It seems that today, this means that is okay to put your opponent’s body in jeopardy in order to achieve success, because a lot of the techniques I see used today can cause injuries. The prevalent use of arm-bar techniques are not only encouraged, but are used indiscriminately. Before Judo became a sport, arm-bars could not be used by a black belt against a brown belt, and rarely would he use the choke hold against a brown belt, because of the disparity in rank and expertise. Today, it is winning at all cost, without a thought given to the well-being or future or your opponent.

“Quo Vadis” is Latin for “Whither goest thou?” or “Where are you going?”(Article reproduced from Sawtelle Judo News, April, 1996, p.1-2) by the late Ed Osugi, Rokudan

“When you change the way, you look at things, the things you look at change.”

-Albert Einstein-

Our move from the JIS

For those of you who attended our holiday party, we also celebrated our last evening in the auditorium of the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle (JIS). Our lease is up at the end of year at a location that we have been at since 1929 when the JIS was just a small square building on the lot. We will be displaced. In February 2023, the JIS will undergo renovating the aging facility by the first four classrooms by modernizing and upgrading its use of future use. Phase I construction will last 4-6 months. In that time, access to the auditorium will be blocked by construction equipment, scaffolding, and other construction materials. Phase II covers the renovation of the auditorium. The scope of Phase II will decrease the auditorium floor space by 1/3, remove our storage and changing rooms for a school office and HVAC equipment.

Given this situation, we have moved out our entire inventory, our mats and other equipment and supplies, into storage until we secure a new location to practice. We have looked into local parks, churches, and community centers. However, due to impacted programs, limited space, and lack of storage, it has been very challenging to find a suitable location to fit our needs. We have also been investigating securing a commercial lease, a venture into a new realm for our Dojo would transform our Dojo and the way we conduct our organization. We have realtors assisting us in activity and also consulting with local city organizations to the possibility of being a city-contracted service.

There is a lot of history in the place. It is a poignant moment. The place vitally needs the improvements. For us, it is time to move on. Thank you very much to those helped out moving everything out of the JIS last weekend in incredibly fast 2-1/2 hours.

Judo in 2023

In the meantime, when we return to Judo practice next year, January 2023, we will be part of the Grand Opening of Flip1stGymnastics, owned by Dan Levi, a good friend of mine. He and his teenage daughter are former members of Sawtelle Judo Dojo. Flip1stGymnastics will open a brand new, spacious 6,800 sq. ft. facility in Santa Monica. Currently, the facility is undergoing final buildout and city inspection. Dan plans to have movers move and install his large gymnastics equipment next week. Included in this move will be their main gymnastics sprung floor, a bouncy 40’x40’. 4” springs are mounted onto the back of plywood sheets, assembled together into a 40’x40’ pattern. This plywood surface is then covered with a solid 2” foam layer with carpet over that. That is where we will hold Judo practice in January.

Your ukemis will definitely have a bounce to them. We will have more space to practice since the mat area is 10% larger, 1,600 sq. ft., and square in shape. As guests, let’s keep this gymnasium clean, don’t use the gymnastics equipment at all and honor the privilege of using this location.

Dan Levi has graciously opened his new gym to our Dojo on a temporary basis until we can secure a new location for ourselves. At our holiday party, we thanked him with a standing ovation for his generosity. So, we look forward to some exciting times ahead. Grand opening is slated for Monday 9 January, pending final buildout and city inspections. If you are willing assist Dan move and installed equipment, come on down for an early preview in late December/early January. Details will be posted in upcoming newsletters.

Flip1stGymnastics

1908-C Lincoln Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA. 90405

It is on the southwest corner of Lincoln and Pico Blvd., about 3-1/2 miles west of old location at the JIS. Flip1stGymnastics is located in the back corner of the strip mall where a Starbucks Coffee sits on the street corner. Flip1stGymnastics is just blocks away from Santa Monica High School and about a mile from Santa Monica Beach and Pier.

The cerebral corner

Here is a YouTube video that resonates throughout the Judo community, “Education for Life | Judoka, Shintaro Nakano,” on why people practice and teach Judo. Nakano Sensei is the head instructor of the Nakano Judo Academy in San Jose, CA.