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Trying to stir up trouble maybe.
It has occurred that younger judoka have been put off by the poor example proponents of kata study have shown them in terms of physicality, and very occasionally otherwise skeptical judoka have been turned on to advanced study by strong people who could walk the walk.
Should a judoka's general attitude and effort in regards to his/her physical condition be assessed at promotion time? In other words, sure, your knees are weaker than the overage chicken's, and are held together by rubber bands inside and half a roll of tape on the outside ... but you are also 50 pounds overweight and the only exercise you seem to do is to lift that half-gallon of ice cream you consume while watching TV every night, or to haul yourself from the car to the mat ... where you promptly begin the really stressful part of your judo workout ... holding up the wall and shouting military-sounding orders at 8-year-olds.
Should such a judoka be promoted? Should the reasons for the lack of ability to perform kata be excused if reason is poor physical condition within the control of the candidate?
Further ... should physical assessment be a box checked in kata "competitions?"
It has occurred that younger judoka have been put off by the poor example proponents of kata study have shown them in terms of physicality, and very occasionally otherwise skeptical judoka have been turned on to advanced study by strong people who could walk the walk.
Should a judoka's general attitude and effort in regards to his/her physical condition be assessed at promotion time? In other words, sure, your knees are weaker than the overage chicken's, and are held together by rubber bands inside and half a roll of tape on the outside ... but you are also 50 pounds overweight and the only exercise you seem to do is to lift that half-gallon of ice cream you consume while watching TV every night, or to haul yourself from the car to the mat ... where you promptly begin the really stressful part of your judo workout ... holding up the wall and shouting military-sounding orders at 8-year-olds.
Should such a judoka be promoted? Should the reasons for the lack of ability to perform kata be excused if reason is poor physical condition within the control of the candidate?
Further ... should physical assessment be a box checked in kata "competitions?"
