Uchimata. Hitoshi Sugai, Ippon Books, Ltd, 1991. Judo Masterclass Series. One of the most powerful and effective of Judo techniques, as well as one of the most variable in terms of style, this is a well-deserved, important, treatment. Available from Ippon Books.

Vital Judo. Tetsya Sato and Isao Okano. Japan Publications, 1973. Two books, one dedicated to grappling, the other to throwing techniques. This is one of the outstanding technical catalogues of skills with outstanding technical photography, and includes good transition or combination techniques.

Weight Training for Championship Judo. Donn F. Draeger and Isao Inokuma. (Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., Publishers, 1966). 280 pp. hardcover. This is a book for serious, serious Judo people, who need to apply a rigorous specific training program to their Judo, and need specific recommended exercises and programs for their specific tokui-waza, or favorite techniques. Donn Draeger and Takahiko Ishikawa had written a more general weight training book,  Judo Training Methods, in 1961, and a few top-level competitors sought out Draeger for weight training. Isao Inokuma was one of them. In the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the victories of Anton Geesink and Inokuma vindicated Draeger's approach. Inokuma did not ingratiate himself to the Japanese, already shaken by Geesink's gold medal, when he attributed his Olympic Gold to Draeger's training ideas. The two of them put together their experiences through the 1964 Olympics, and, based on the earlier training book, constructed this one with more specific methodology. This book is written in such detail that a training Judoka can almost hear a coach's exhortations, "keep your chin tucked, allow your arms to extend fully," as key text points on the many exercises recommended for specific skills in this book. Many very good competition pictures are complimented by even more weight training photographs. As Draeger says, "There are no weak-bodied champion Judoists!" Canadian Judo champion Doug Rogers posed for most of the weight training photographs. As usual with Draeger's books, it is thorough, it is extensive, and it is one-of-a-kind. The book itself is elegantly done, in a very high textbook quality, including a slipcase. The book is surprisingly rare, apparently because its owners are reluctant to part with it. [10/23/99].

What is Judo? Kodokan. Tokyo, 1947. 87 pp. hardcover. Price: 65 cents. This was meant to be a quick overview of Judo, obviously meant to be widely distributed, with brief looks at history, Kano, but then goes into a reasonably detailed listing of techniques, with quite good photographs including a selection of throws, sweeps, chokes and armbars. Includes a section on attacking the "vital points" with elbow, specific portions of the foot, and parts of the hand as well as the knee. Showing also the principles of randori , the book concludes with the entire rules of contest Judo. The Kodokan is referred to, throughout the book, as the Kodokan Judo College. [10/25/99].

Zen Judo. Brian Bagot (London, Blandford Press, 1989). 127 pp hardcover. This is, the book says, the first published textbook of Zen Judo, founded in 1974 by Dominick McCarthy. Zen Judo, the author says, distinguishes itself from Kodokan Judo by an emphasis on technique, rather than winning tournaments. That's about it for the discussion of Zen in this book, so it is quite a disappointment from that aspect. The remainder of the book is a routine exposition of belt requirements, with text and pictures, covering 42 throwing techniques. The larger part of the 42 techniques are odd variations of standard Judo curriculums everywhere, and taught in an order that does not  appear to have a unifying theme. Ogoshi, the basic hip throw, is taught as the last technique, to brown belts whereas most Judo schools use it as a foundation technique, taught to white belts. The book asserts a technical skill superiority over "sport" Judo. In this, the descriptions and photographs demonstrate an astonishing lack of skill and understanding of Judo and even fundamental safety issues. On page 65, for instance, the first clear photograph of morote seoi nage appears. Except, Tori is not performing the beautiful, fluid, dynamic te waza technique of Kodokan seoi nage but is showing what is clearly a koshi waza or hip throw, although using a morote grip. Oguruma is, oddly, taught that the uke's weight must be carried on the hip. But, if it does, it is not the Oguruma of Judo. These people can't do Oguruma, and that's the problem. Tai otoshi is nearly unrecognizable in this book, and if anyone suffers a catastrophic knee injury attempting to emulate this textbook, it is the textbook's fault. On p. 26, the tai otoshi shown is clearly locking uke's knee. Uke is being leveraged over and if he makes it without a knee injury, he is lucky. The thrower, however, is shown with his knee on the throwing leg facing forward, as is his foot. If the person being thrown collapses downward, the person throwing will likewise suffer a catastrophic knee injury. On p. 74, an even more dangerous version is shown and the likelihood here, with a highly extended leg for the thrower, for a major injury is high, with uke practically being invited to set his knee down on the side of tori's throwing leg knee. Two things are missing. In Kodokan Judo, the knee on the throwing leg should face down to the mat, as should that leg's supporting foot. Both partners are protected in the event of a failed or awkward throw. Secondly, the "lift" given to the thrower's leg as uke passes over creates a dynamic and fluid motion. Zen Judo says this throw is accomplished by pulling uke over the outstretched leg. Kodokan Judo says that kuzushi propels uke over the outstretched leg. Watching Kyuzo Mifune execute tai otoshi without any leg extended at all shows the beauty of this throw. Zen Judo is doing something entirely different, using leverage rather than movement skill. Frankly, this book looks like a reversion to an older, cruder ju jitsu style. While deriding sport Judo, this curriculum requires far less than the standard Kodokan Judo school to achieve black belt, and, judging from the content, the technical understanding and skill of execution is very poor. This is "lock and lever" Judo. There is no Zen to be found here. It's a setback. [11/14/99]