Some Okotoks athletes are learning the to fall the right way.
However, 13-year-old Max Brown was sturdy on his feet when he accepted a silver medal at a provincial judo competition in Fort Saskatchewan on March 10.
MaxBrown Max won two matches and lost two en route to winning the silver medal in the U-13 under -34kg category.
“I was fighting for the gold, but I lost,” BrownMax Max said, who trains at the Big Rock Judo Club in balance.
Brown Max earned the opportunity to compete for the gold, by scoring an ippon by throwing his opponent to his back — similar to a pin in wrestling.
“I did an uchi mata,” said BrownMax, a student at John Paul II Collegiate. “I don’t really have a favourite move., I do whatever my opponent gives me… say, if my opponent steps forward to push me, I might sweep (with my legs) to knock him down.”
The uchi mata had Brown Max pushing his opponent backwards. Brown He then used his own leg to trip to pull his opponent over the ippon.
Judo is all a matter of balance, said Big Rock sensei Amanda Brown and Max’s mom.
“You are basically using your opponents momentum against them,” Amanda Brown said. “The central principle of judo is to pull your opponent off balance.”
The Big Rock Jjudo Cclub, which has been in Okotoks for approximately 18 months, sent 11 several athletes (check thxxxis) to Fort Saskatchewan. Max was the lone member to earn a spot on the podium.
Amanda Brown said judo, which has been an Olympic sport since the Summer Games in Tokyo in 1964, has increased in popularity due to the explosion of MMA and UFC.
“MMA fighters use many moves from judo to get their opponents down,” Amanda Brown said.
However, judo has none of the punching associated with MMA.
Amanda Brown said she feels it is an ideal sport for youth.
“It develops their balance and co-ordination it also gives them something to strive for,” Amanda Brown said. That balance teaches the students how to fall to the floor in order to prevent injury.
“Because it’s a throwing sport it’s very important that the children feel safe so we teach them how to break their fall,” she said.
The Big Rock Jjudo students will be back in competition in Calgary in April.
For more information concerning the Big Rock Judo Club go to its facebook page.
