Better Judo

07/12/2026

We can learn a lot from team sports. Can you guess how this statement applies to Judo training?

07/02/2026

I wonder what the supporters of Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) think about this article.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EGcFAiGkJ/

After researching the youth pathway of every player in Japan’s World Cup squad, we found that 5 of Japan's 26-player World Cup squad had joined a recognised professional academy by the age of nine.

➡️ Goalkeepers

Zion Suzuki
• Developed within Urawa Reds’ youth system from an early age
• Entered the club’s elite academy pathway at U-12 level
• Signed his first professional contract with Urawa Reds at 16 years old

Keisuke Osako
• Played grassroots football before joining Sanfrecce Hiroshima
• Entered the club’s academy at 12 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Sanfrecce Hiroshima at 18 years old

Tomoki Hayakawa
• Developed through local clubs before progressing via Waseda University
• Followed the university pathway into professional football
• Signed his first professional contract with Kashima Antlers at 22 years old

➡️ Defenders

Yukinari Sugawara
• Played grassroots football before joining Nagoya Grampus
• Entered the academy at 11 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Nagoya Grampus at 17 years old

Takehiro Tomiyasu
• Played grassroots football before joining Avispa Fukuoka
• Entered the academy at 10 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Avispa Fukuoka at 16 years old

Ko Itakura
• Developed within the Kawasaki Frontale system
• Entered the club’s academy at 9 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale at 18 years old

Hiroki Ito
• Played grassroots football in Hamamatsu
• Entered Júbilo Iwata’s academy at 12 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Júbilo Iwata at 19 years old

Ayumu Seko
• Developed at a local club before joining Cerezo Osaka
• Entered the academy at 10 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Cerezo Osaka at 17 years old

Shogo Taniguchi
• Developed through the University of Tsukuba
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale at 22 years old

Tsuyoshi Watanabe
• Developed through Chuo University
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with FC Tokyo at 21 years old

Yuto Nagatomo
• Developed through Meiji University
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with FC Tokyo at 21 years old

Junnosuke Suzuki
• Developed through high school football
• Progressed into the professional game after school-level development
• Signed his first professional contract at 19 years old

➡️ Midfielders

Wataru Endo
• Played grassroots and school football throughout his early years
• Entered Shonan Bellmare’s academy at 15 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Shonan Bellmare at 17 years old

Kaishu Sano
• Played grassroots football before progressing through high school football
• Followed the school pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Machida Zelvia at 18 years old

Ao Tanaka
• Played grassroots football before joining Kawasaki Frontale
• Entered the academy at 9 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale at 18 years old

Daichi Kamada
• Developed through high school football
• Followed the school pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Sagan Tosu at 18 years old

Ritsu Doan
• Entered Gamba Osaka’s academy at 13 years old
• Progressed through the club’s youth system
• Signed his first professional contract with Gamba Osaka at 17 years old

Junya Ito
• Developed through university football
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Ventforet Kofu at 22 years old

Takefusa Kubo
• Entered Kawasaki Frontale’s academy at 9 years old
• Progressed to FC Barcelona’s academy at 10 years old
• Signed his first professional contract with FC Tokyo at 16 years old

Keito Nakamura
• Developed within Mitsubishi Yowa SC’s elite youth system
• Progressed through a recognised academy-equivalent pathway from an early age
• Signed his first professional contract with Gamba Osaka at 17 years old

➡️ Attackers

Ayase Ueda
• Developed through school and university football
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Kashima Antlers at 20 years old

Koki Ogawa
• Developed through high school football
• Followed the school pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Júbilo Iwata at 18 years old

Daizen Maeda
• Developed through high school football
• Followed the school pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract with Matsumoto Yamaga at 18 years old

Kento Shiogai
• Developed through university football
• Followed the university pathway into the professional game
• Signed his first professional contract at 19 years old

Yuito Suzuki
• Entered Shimizu S-Pulse’s academy at 15 years old
• Progressed through the club’s system
• Signed his first professional contract with Shimizu S-Pulse at 18 years old

Keisuke Goto
• Developed within Júbilo Iwata’s academy from 12 years old
• Progressed through the club’s youth system
• Signed his first professional contract with Júbilo Iwata at 17 years old

Only 5 of the 26 players had entered a recognised professional academy by the age of nine.

Many progressed through high school and university systems instead.

A pathway far more common in Japan, where development is often delayed but structured differently to many European nations.

Twenty-six different journeys.

That's why it's so difficult to predict a child's future at nine years old.

Image by Antonio Medina

06/17/2026

Just posted this.

Yes, this is from a soccer coach, but what can we derive from his comments when it comes to Judo? A lot, if we choose to take an honest analysis of our training methods, and accept the fact that often how we train our athletes makes little sense.

Open-ended drills, or what I call "situation drills," allow for creativity and decision making. They also mimic the real game. How many minutes per training session does the typical club allot for such training?

I hear the cries, "That's what randori is for." We all know that too often, very few attacks occur, and transitions to ne waza are MIA. This is where situational drills come to the rescue. Coaches can increase the number of completions by limiting the time allowed per bout. Many of these situations can be performed in under 10-15 seconds. React, attack, repeat.

06/17/2026

Yes, this is from a soccer coach, but what can we derive from his comments when it comes to Judo? A lot, if we choose to take an honest analysis of our training methods, and accept the fact that often how we train our athletes makes little sense.

Open-ended drills, or what I call "situation drills," allow for creativity and decision making. They also mimic the real game. How many minutes per training session does the typical club allot for such training?

I hear the cries, "That's what randori is for." We all know that too often, very few attacks occur, and transitions to ne waza are MIA. This is where situational drills come to the rescue. Coaches can increase the number of completions by limiting the time allowed per bout. Many of these situations can be performed in under 10-15 seconds. React, attack, repeat.

02/09/2025

01/09/2025

Forget about static Uchi Komi. This is how you should train: flow training.
https://fb.watch/w-XNuT3qQf/