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Question: given the weight categories are a bit arbitrary are they're any elite judoka who really should have been champions but found themselves between categories - a few kilos too heavy or too light? Or do they just go the gym and bulk up / slim down and it doesn't make much difference?
5 posters
Weight categories
Judoker- Posts : 13
Join date : 2013-11-30
Location : London
overthehill- Posts : 34
Join date : 2014-04-07
I don't think the categories are arbitrary. A lot of thought and research goes into deciding these things.
Can't think of any athletes off the top of my head.
Can't think of any athletes off the top of my head.
Y-Chromosome- Posts : 200
Join date : 2015-06-02
Age : 59
Location : The Great White North
Almost impossible to answer since "should have been a champion" is difficult to judge other than by results.
The ranks of competitive judo are packed with also-rans, but who's to say what qualities the perrenial 5th place finisher is lacking to make the podium. A little more weight? A little less body fat? Maybe.
More speed, better technique, more power, faster reflexes, better tactical reading of the situation, faster analysis and capability to decide on a course of action? It can often be difficult to parse out exactly what's going on in a match without being in the athlete's skin.
I would tend to say that being in the wrong weight class can often be an issue at the developmental level, but not really at the elite level. People who are essentially training full time have a lot of Tools at their disposal to change their body and will tend to find their own best comfort zone.
Sometimes circumstances will force them into another weight class than they prefer, but that's usually because a teammate is even-more competitive than they are in that weight class. In a case like that, hard to say you "should have been a champion" when you were out-classed by your own teammate.
The ranks of competitive judo are packed with also-rans, but who's to say what qualities the perrenial 5th place finisher is lacking to make the podium. A little more weight? A little less body fat? Maybe.
More speed, better technique, more power, faster reflexes, better tactical reading of the situation, faster analysis and capability to decide on a course of action? It can often be difficult to parse out exactly what's going on in a match without being in the athlete's skin.
I would tend to say that being in the wrong weight class can often be an issue at the developmental level, but not really at the elite level. People who are essentially training full time have a lot of Tools at their disposal to change their body and will tend to find their own best comfort zone.
Sometimes circumstances will force them into another weight class than they prefer, but that's usually because a teammate is even-more competitive than they are in that weight class. In a case like that, hard to say you "should have been a champion" when you were out-classed by your own teammate.
Y-Chromosome- Posts : 200
Join date : 2015-06-02
Age : 59
Location : The Great White North
Your question brings one interesting turn of events to mind.
In 2004, Japan needed to determine who would represent Japan in -100 and +100.
They used the All Japan Championships as a trial event. (Open weight)
As it turned out, two -100 competitors placed first and second. With no natural heavyweight on top of the podium or even in the final.
(The very dangerous Muneta, came third) They put defending Olympic champion Inoue (2nd place) in the -100 slot and the winner Keiji Suzuki in +100.
One would have thought that Inoue was a favorite to win the -100, but he had a bad day and didn't even place. On the other hand, one could have excused Suzuki for not bringing home a medal as he was forced into fighting in a heavier weight category than he usually did, but he applied some really stunning technical judo and took down a string of bigger, presumably stronger opponents to win the gold.
All to show that although size DOES matter in Judo, it isn't everything.
In 2004, Japan needed to determine who would represent Japan in -100 and +100.
They used the All Japan Championships as a trial event. (Open weight)
As it turned out, two -100 competitors placed first and second. With no natural heavyweight on top of the podium or even in the final.
(The very dangerous Muneta, came third) They put defending Olympic champion Inoue (2nd place) in the -100 slot and the winner Keiji Suzuki in +100.
One would have thought that Inoue was a favorite to win the -100, but he had a bad day and didn't even place. On the other hand, one could have excused Suzuki for not bringing home a medal as he was forced into fighting in a heavier weight category than he usually did, but he applied some really stunning technical judo and took down a string of bigger, presumably stronger opponents to win the gold.
All to show that although size DOES matter in Judo, it isn't everything.
Emanuele2- Posts : 201
Join date : 2013-01-21
Sorry for my necroposting, but in my opinion it was a bad decision.Y-Chromosome wrote:Your question brings one interesting turn of events to mind.
In 2004, Japan needed to determine who would represent Japan in -100 and +100.
They used the All Japan Championships as a trial event. (Open weight)
As it turned out, two -100 competitors placed first and second. With no natural heavyweight on top of the podium or even in the final.
(The very dangerous Muneta, came third) They put defending Olympic champion Inoue (2nd place) in the -100 slot and the winner Keiji Suzuki in +100.
One would have thought that Inoue was a favorite to win the -100, but he had a bad day and didn't even place. On the other hand, one could have excused Suzuki for not bringing home a medal as he was forced into fighting in a heavier weight category than he usually did, but he applied some really stunning technical judo and took down a string of bigger, presumably stronger opponents to win the gold.
All to show that although size DOES matter in Judo, it isn't everything.
In my opinion Inoue should had to stand aside (he already won an Olympic gold medal in 2000). Suzuki had to be selected for the -100 kg category (because he was an emerging judoka, world open weight champion a year before, he never took part in an Olympic game and moreover he had just defeated Inoue in the 2004 All Japan open weight championships). And Muneta had to be selected for the +100 kg category.
Japan would have had an extra gold medal.
finarashi- Posts : 507
Join date : 2013-01-11
Location : Finland
In his book "Ma diététique de judoka", Bellard, Franck (1976 - ), Paris, France, Amphora, 2003, 207p, ISBN 2851806297 Frank Bellard tells of his experiences on trying to be one weight category lower that what was natural for him. He paints rather horrid picture of dieting and loss of strength due to loss of muscles.
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