Korean Judo legend Jeon Ki-Young

Unfortunately not the most exciting video footage, and this through no fault of Jeon but rather due to the poor videotaping. It's raw footage shot in Singapore that should have been edited. Now it's not providing a proper forum and service to Jeon's superb judo skills. Nevertheless always better to have something than nothing, so do enjoy with the caveat I pointed out above:

These are really awesome videos you shared. I am impressed with it. If any one wants to see more judo videos so you can visit here - http://www.judo.com.gr/videos/

Looks nice. However, I would expect a "judo legend" to show more on a seminar than pure basics. It would be interesting if he, for example, showed his way of breaking the balance against a resisting competitor or so. I don't know if he chose the subject or was requested to do so, but regarding the learning opportunity, it's such a waste of time.

Brainjutsu wrote:Looks nice. However, I would expect a "judo legend" to show more on a seminar than pure basics. It would be interesting if he, for example, showed his way of breaking the balance against a resisting competitor or so. I don't know if he chose the subject or was requested to do so, but regarding the learning opportunity, it's such a waste of time.

Be aware that we do not know the background. For example, I have known numerous instances where an Olympic or other famous jûdô champion is invited to teach a kids training. Clearly, the motive is different, and pedagogically such session isn't always the best. Publicity for the club, additional income for the champ if paid, or charity if it is for free are factors that play a role. Not everything they do, especially if post-career, is geared towards the super-elite. I would also assume that given the average level of Singapore's judo population against the background of international elite judo, that any session given by a famous champ probably would look totally different when compared with a session organized in, let's say, France or Japan, where there exists an abundant jûdô elite. Finally, as I have already pointed out, the camera operator bears a lot of the responsibility. It's clearly amateur-recorded and raw footage. At least one of the videos starts looking as if the camera operator suffers from Parkinson's disease. That doesn't help the experience of . Furthermore, I am sure that with proper editing out of those 4 raw clips probably a single relatively exciting 3-4 minute clip could be made.

This brings me to another point. These days with social media people are often eager to just publish their video material without much critical insight, probably sometimes outside of the clinician's or competitor's knowledge. The result may not be stellar, not necessarily due to the clinician or the competitor but due to the skills or lack thereof or the camera operator. In other words, our enthusiastic publishing of everything may not mean we are always doing a great service to the clinician or competitor. It reminds me of the old days when people used to hold slide shows. Just imagine someone having spent a vacation in Tahiti or Japan asking if you would like to see their holiday pics. You desiring to once visit the country yourself eagerly take up the invitation. Turns out they will show you all 472 pics they have taken of their babies and kids playing, most slides over- or underexposed. It's a scenario so many of us have experienced. No one gives a flying fuck about watching babies other than the parents, grandparents, and in-laws maybe. For anyone else, babies and children are just babies and children who do the kind of things that other babies and children do. Something similar applies to making jûdô videos.

Despite all these caveats I would not go as far as to conclude that the clinic itself was all a waste of time even if it focused just on basics. The personality and charisma of the cliician, even if not fully possible to appreciate from the video, may have left a deep and lasting impact on those present. It may have inspired young Singaporean judoka who may once become famous champions or committed pedagogues. It may or may not, I simply do not know. Nevertheless, some great champions turn out have an ability to apply their insights to more than just elite training. Koga Toshihiko is an example of such a great champion who over the past few years has developed into an inspiring jûdô pedagogue.

I agree, having a famous name holding a seminar can have a positive marketing impact on local judo development. In my experience such seminars are not so much technical like the one presented here but I’ve never been to Singapore so I’m thankful for the correction.

I have to say that my experience with seminars is that, when all taken into consideration, it’s the content that matters. This actually becomes an issue with high-profile instructors because people expect them to show up with some secrets of the trade or some profound skill. What is shown in the 20-minutes of video here, let aside the camera issue, is correct and fine from the technical perspective, but nothing out of ordinary judo training. I personally wouldn’t like to have it done this way in my dojo regardless of the context especially if I or my students are paying for it. Of course, it's only my view on these matters.

Best regards

I live in Singapore, and can provide some context. CK is right, in that the level of Judo here isn't very high. The demonstrations that Prof. Jeon provided were at a club level, where there was a varied audience, many of them junior belts who've not even heard of him prior, only knowing his credentials as an Olympic champion and thrice world champion.

At higher grade trainings in the same stint Jeon had indeed provided some insights into how he executes his personal techniques during a shiai.

Also thank you for knowing that Singapore exists on her own as a country. heh.

Well it was nice to see the videos anyway. Thanks for posting.

Albeit some of you see this as basic I find it very educational. Always good to see the legends like Jeon teaching youngsters. Good videos OP, thanks!

Question: In the third video, is that variation really seoi-otoshi? I always thought that particular variation was a form of tai-otoshi?