COMBAT JUDO: ATHLETIC ATTRIBUTES

In order to be good at judo you have to realize there are a lot of atheltic attributes that make up judo as a martial art, a self defense sytem and a combat sport. A Judoka needs to do complete full body exercises, they also need grip strength, pulling strength, power and explosiveness. Along with this they need strong core muscles focusing on rotation above all others. Another aspect of training is co-ordination of both hands and feet.

DON'T DO JUDO TO GET IN SHAPE, GET IN SHAPE TO DO JUDO

There are individuals who are fit for their chosen sport or activity and then there are those who are fit for fighting. Whether its judo as just recreation, or self defense or the advaanced athlete, the Judoka definitely falls into the latter category. Judo uses finesse and as mentioned before, judo requires a high degree of other attributes like strength, power, endurance, speed, etc.  You cannot be successful in judo and be out of shape.

The physical demands of Judo are unique and rather complex.  A Judo fight is too long to be pure anaerobic effort, but too intense to be aerobic purely. Part of what makes judo so tough is the fact that rounds require five minutes of constant contact between competitors. Judo is a rigorous and demanding physical activity. In practice you can give 100 percent and engage with your opponent constantly using everything you have physically in randori/free practice.

In judo there are no rounds or periods or rest. A Judo match can consist of five to ten-minute time frames, when compared to other sports activities, the aerobic demands of judo are quite intense. The demands on the grip are very high Judo players pull and tug on each other’s jackets incessantly. Grips, grip strength and grip fighting remain constant and consistent through out the match, not allowing the judo competitor to rest or "coast" during a match to pace themselves. High tension, powerful and explosive moves are to be expected and performed at almost any moment.Be it just a recreational practitioner or even a decent local level player both need to be able to do five to seven minutes of frequent high intensity bursts. 

Wear and tear on the body is an issue, one that will pervade all aspects of a judoka's training. While one of the best ways to train for judo competition is to hit the mat, not everyone has the body to withstand such a high number of hard falls each day from the dynamic throws found in Judo. In addition, judo requires at least one willing partner who is able to absorb the same, if not more punishment from the player. You become tough with Judo physically and mentally.

It is also important to acknowledge that strategy and tactics must be thought out and carefully crafted. You must study strategy and tactics and be prepared to use them knowing that many require the other attributes such as good fitness and technical ability.

 Attributes for a good judoka:

1.      Aerobically fit

2.       Anaerobically fit

3.       Able to defend your opponent’s attacks 

4.       Technically sound; have good execution of throws, submissions and pins in randori/competition

5.       Have Full body strength-endurance

6.       Have Maximal strength

7.       Be flexible enough to bend/twist your way in and out of  grappling situations-throws  and escaping and countering submissions, holds/pins

8.       Be Mentally strong; able to withstand tough sessions as well as training day in and day out everyday

9.       Possess a Tactical mind

Barron Shepherd is a 3rd degree black belt instructor and coach in Judo, a certified boxing coach and certified NASM Sports Performance Enhancement Specialist.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD JUDO COACH

 Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible.

Quality coaching from passionate and knowledgeable judo coaches is vital to delivering high quality judo for everyone who participates in the art. Coaching judo covers a wide range of roles, levels, and skills. Coaching requires a certain level of judo skills as well as knowledge of the sport. A knowledge and experience which will be valuable to the coach and to their students/athletes.

I honestly believe that one of the greatest injustices to the student of judo is for the coach to come to a class unprepared. A Judo coach doesn’t teach from the hip so to speak. For the coach to stand before a class and say, “let’s see, what will we work on tonight?” is really just……unpardonable. Coaching judo is not impromptu. There is no short cutting lessons or lesson plans. Coaching or teaching judo is no different than teaching in general, there should be lesson plans, class material must be prepared in advance. The coach must plan well in advance of any given session to affect some continuity of material that is presented. The coach should attempt to link material from one session to the next.

It is important that a good coach not only be a student of Judo but also in the field of athletic performance…. After all what is judo…..yep it’s athletic movement. Read as much as you can on all the subjects that will affect you. Among many topics, this would include literature on athletic training methods, sport specific conditioning, nutrition, sports medicine, and sports psychology.

A good coach will continue training themselves. A good judo coach should be fully aware, that judo is an endless path and should not succumb to the self-delusion of believing that they know everything. A good coach should be skilled, experienced and athletic, but those three alone make a good judoka, not a good coach.

A coach's job isn't just to be good at judo but it's also to impart that skill to his students. Coaches need to have good communication skills, patience and an ability to adapt their teaching style to a range of different individuals.  A knowledgeable judo coach will be capable of getting the student to the level he or she desires be it a recreational level or the elite competitive level.

Barron Shepherd is a 3rd degree black belt instructor and USA JUDO certifed coach, a certified boxing coach and certified NASM Sports Performance Enhancement Specialist.

IS YOUR JUDO INSTRUCTOR LEGIT?

One of the questions I often get asked the most is how to tell if a judo school or program is legitimate. This is a pretty simple question to answer. Judo is pretty well regulated. If you're attending a dojo whose instructor is recognized by one of the official Judo organizations then it is more than likely legitimate, but dont stop there. For the sake of this article I am going to hit on as many indicators as I can for the person interested in looking for an authentic judo program.

Some dojos follow tradition more than others and maybe the judo school that you are looking at just happens to be less formal. Not a problem really......for example in my school, just call me coach, not sensei, and incessant bowing drives me nuts anyway. 

Spending the first month doing nothing but ukemi (breakfall) is nothing unusual, though they should have shown you one or two techniques at some point during that first month. These may well be techniques like Osoto-gari, Seoi-nage or O-goshi. The style of instruction can change depending on whether your school focuses on producing competitors or is more of a traditional school of people who want to do Judo as a hobby or recreation.

So, what is it that one needs to look at as far as the authenticity of a judo school or program?

First and foremost, Judo is a rigorous and demanding physical activity. There isn’t a whole lot of standing around or long lectures in judo. The practice of judo techniques helps people develop basic and fundamental physical fitness in a number of ways, such as the development of strength, flexibility, agility, speed, dynamic and static balance, explosive power, and endurance. My Judo program involves teaching Judo to non-competitive and competitive members, I focus on making students who are more physically fit and better disciplined with a solid knowledge of judo.

Any person who is looking to take up judo should make sure that the instructor is a member of a National Governing Body (NGB) of Judo. There are only three national governing bodies for judo in the United states, these are the following;

1. USA JUDO

2. USJA - The United States Judo Association

3. USJF - The United States Judo Federation

These above national governing bodies are the only ones in the US that are recognized by the Kodokan as well as the IJF, the International Judo Federation. The Kodokan, or the Kōdōkan Judo Institute is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. The International Judo Federation (IJF) is the world governing body for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of judo.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are no other organizations other than USA JUDO, USJA and the USJF that are recognized or endorsed by the Kodokan in the United States.

The Judo instructor should be a black belt (Dan grade) that has registered and VERIFIED rank with one of the national governing bodies of judo, USA Judo, USJI or USJF and the instructor should also have a coaching certificate from one of the national governing bodies as well. Also, most instructors should have some tournament experience, competed in judo tournaments on some level at some point in their careers.

Judo is by its design a full contact martial art. Virtually every legitimate Judo Dojo is full contact. In Randori and tournaments you find out pretty quickly if your instructor and his students know what they are doing or not. The Judo black belts will and do randori with the beginners. A good Judo instructor will “move around” with the white belts. My fondest memories in Judo are being a complete newbie and being thrown by the instructor and hitting the mat as light as a feather. These instructors know thier judo and really put the “art” in “martial art."

From a technical point of view, the most important thing is if an instructor can explain what makes a technique work well and what won’t work. The instructors who can break down complex movements and concepts into smaller segments which can be explained concisely in a short period of time really understands how to teach. In addition, it is important for an instructor to know how to structure daily lessons and have a good sense of controlling time during the lesson. A good instructor understands how to convey information in such a way it is meaningful to the students to apply. To take it further, in a competition-oriented program, a good instructor knows how to prepare the program for competition.

GOOD INDICATORS:

1. Slick, crisp, seemingly effortless throws

2. Standup randori is a common part of each training session

3. Detailed instruction

4. A history of success in some competitions outside their own dojo (The instructor doesn’t have to be an elite level competitor, the point is you can’t have minor success even at a recreational level without having at least some skill)

BAD INDICATORS:

1. Strained, clumsy looking throws

2. No frequent standup randori

3. Instructors groaning and moaning stuff like "this guy is too heavy", "that throw never works without the partner helping"

4. Zero participation in NGB sanctioned tournaments (sometimes the reason is the "instructors” are afraid of having their skills or teachings tested)

RED FLAGS TO LOOK FOR

There are numerous red flags to look for that will help one determine if the judo instructor or program are questionable.

1. The most obvious being of course and the one that needs to be repeated, is not being a member of any of the recognized NGBs. This is the most important one and is definitely a very good indicator.

2. “The NGBs are all about the sport of judo and nothing else.” This is not a very intelligent statement to make and nothing could be further from the truth. First off, and most importantly if the NGBs only catered to sport oriented judoka the NGBs could not exist financially. There just isn’t an abundance of competition-oriented judoka that could sustain the national governing bodies for judo in the US much less just one. Catering to only sport judo and ignoring the abundance of non-competitive judoka would be the equivalent of cutting their throats financially.

Secondly, a quick look at the three NGBS and you will see a wide range curriculum for both the competitive sport judoka and the non-competitive judoka. In Judo it's likely that you'll be able to obtain a black belt in 3 to 6 years based on your commitment to the art. Notice I said “commitment to the art of judo” and not sport of judo. Part of the art is competition, ie. randori. If you are involved with the sport of judo and compete regularly you may attain rank closer to the lower end of the 3 to 6 years spectrum mentioned above.

To give you an idea of how rank may be earned in any of the NGBs let’s look at what it may take to go from the rank shodan, first degree blackbelt to nidan, second degree blackbelt. In the three NGBs you have to have so many years at shodan level to be promoted to nidan level. Let say, for example, one has to be a shodan for at least 4 years minimum to be eligible for nidan. This requirement is for non-competitive judoka or those not involved with the sport. If you compete in sanctioned judo tournaments regularly you may get a percentage of time up to 30 percent knocked off the standard minimum requirement. This means a active competitive judoka could earn his nidan in three years, shaving a year off the time in grade. 

Some NGBs offer other programs outside of sport judo to help non competitive judoka, grass roots judo programs, self defense instructor programs, kata certification programs etc.

When an "instructor" tells you they aren’t a member of any of the NGBs and that their requirements are different this generally means they cant meet the NGB’s standards or do not want to put the time in that is required by the NGBs for rank at every level of judo from beginner to advanced.....RED FLAG!

3. The instructor says that their standards are different than that of the recognized NGBs. This will typically mean that the standards in his class are much lower, very substandard at best to absolutely having no standards at all. I personally had a guy come into my class and wanted to be an assistant instructor and help out with judo. He said he was a black belt and vehemently claimed he knew all 65 throws of the Kodokan left and right side (this isnt a statement a legit judoka would make). Upon observing him, the extent of his knowledge was just being able to do throws from only a static position on a total compliant and motionless uke. He could not apply the techniques moving around on a resisstant opponent in randori. Not being able to randori or absence of randori in training is a strong indication the person or school isnt legitimate.

4. They use the term or phrase “Kodokan Judo”, for example they say they were “promoted to black belt in Kodokan Judo”. This is yet another big red flag! Legit judoka refer to Judo as simply JUDO. There is just no need to describe it as anything else in any of the three NGBs which are the only three organizations that are endorsed by the Kodokan itself. The only ones who currently use the term “Kodokan Judo” seem to be those with extremely suspicious and questionable backgrounds and practices. This differentiation is generally used to convince others they are more legitimate than they really are. You will even see folks use the term coupled with the word “traditional.” This should serve as another red flag.

5. Putting down the sport or its NGBs. You might read or hear something like the following: “The NGBs are far from having any real authority or influence in governing anything related to traditional judo.”                                                    Again this is very misleading as that only Judo’s recognized governing bodies (USA JUDO, USJF, USJA) in the US are endorsed by the Kodokan. The Kodokan is where judo originated and serves as the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Also and most importantly the requirement for ranks in the three national governing bodies here in the US meet the same requirements as that of the Kodokan's. 

Judoka have no qualms about randori with anyone. Again Randori is a BIG part of judo training. Instructors who tend to shy away from randori as well as competition tend to be on the less reputable side of things.  Normally this might be put to the student in this manner…..”we don’t do sport judo we teach only self-defense” or “we just teach traditional judo.” To clarify, there are a lot of registered instructors and programs that do not compete and that is okay. However, randori SHOULD still be present in training. If the instructor says he doesn’t do sport judo nor is he affiliated with one of the recognized NGBs, then you should seek out a another teacher and program. 

6. Kodokan membership card. This is a somewhat rare phenomenon but there has been a few times where questionable individuals try and use the Kodokan membership card as a proof of their rank, affiliation, a license and or a endorsement from the Kodokan.  There have even been some cases of forged or photoshopped Kodokan member cards and documents. Membership cards from the Kodokan can be purchased by tourists or anyone simply visiting the KDK or doing a walk thru tour. You can even purchase a Kodokan member card via phone or online, all you have to do is call or email the kodokan and inquire. A life time member card is less than a hundred US dollars. My advice is dont take a KDK member card on its own as proof of rank or endorsement. 

 FAKE KODOKAN MEMBER CARD

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:

Once again your suspicions should go up if your instructor isnt affiliated with any of the recognized NGBs. Question them as to why they are not affiliated with the recognized governing bodies for judo and listen to the answers they give and mannerisms when asked questions. If they act put off or upset then just walk away. There is nothing wrong with basically interviewing the instructor and asking him about his qualifications and experience etc. Questioning an instructors qualifications isnt insulting. If the instructor is qualified he will have no problems at al with answering your questions.  If the instructor cant answer your questions very simply then it is a good indicator that there is something wrong.

In this day and time many of the documents mentioned in this article for verification can be photo shopped, changed and forged. If he says he is a instructor who is in good standing with one of the recognized NGBs and even shows credentials, double check the information by contacting the NGB and verify what he says. That is one of the reasons USA JUDO, the USJA and USJF exist. Not only will he have a member card and certificates but he will also be on their member, instructor and coaches lists and rosters.

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK

Dont be afraid or worried to ask the instructor if he is affiliated with one of the recognized national governing bodies for judo in the US. This is a simple yes or no question. If the answer is yes then ask if his rank is verified thru them and if he is a certified coach thru them as well. The NGBs require instructors to become certified as coaches as well when they become black belts. The more of these credentials that he has from the NGBs the better, but double check his credentials by contact the NGBs directly. If the instructor isnt affiliated with USA JUDO, USJA or USJF then seek out another instructor.

JUDO IS JUDO

Dont Forget Judo is judo, no legitimate judoka sees or feels the need to use terms such as "Kodokan Judo" or "Traditional Kodokan Judo" for any kind of differentiation. Judo is judo, it is; 1.) a martial art, 2.) a combat sport, as well as 3.) an effective self defense system. Judo encompasses all three not just one or two. 

 

Winter Haven Judo Club Newspaper article from the 90's

COMBAT JUDO: KANI BASAMI

Sensei T. Tucker demonstrating Kani Basami on me (Winter Haven News Chief 1997)

In my last article I talked about SSG Robert Carlin’s inclusion of the drop kick in his classic WWII Combatives manual Combat Judo and how his drop kick more than likely come from a technique called Kani Basami, the scissor takedown or crab scissor. Both techniques are executed in much the same way. 

For me personally, Kani Basami was one of the throws that really caught my imagination in my study and practice of judo. It wasn’t a technique that is shown to beginners, that was for sure and I recall not being taught Kani Basami until after I was at a more advanced level. I learned kani basami as a leaping technique as opposed to the posting a hand on the mat version. I remember thinking when I saw the execution of the throw that it was indeed very advanced as well as very athletic. It remains the one throw that my instructor taught that stands out the most in my mind. Often when we would randori my teacher would surprise me with this technique. 

Tactically, Kani Basami had many advantages. Mainly it was/is a high percentage takedown with a very low risk of getting countered. It can also be used as a counter. It is one of the best dynamic entries one can use to surprise their opponent. 

With Kani Basami my instructor was particularly careful when executing it. A point of fact, he was extremely careful in our practice of it. It is a technique that has caused a number of injuries over the years in competition and practice and as a result it has been banned from competition. Even when Kani Basami is EXECUTED by a well-trained Judoka, the slightest misjudgment of distance and height on a moving opponent can result in a serious and even career ending injury. The injuries most often occur when the technique is executed too low and the thrower’s shoots his far side leg in first. With the leg furthest from your opponent going in first the thrower’s body weight is driven into the side of uke’s leg (much like a baseball player sliding into home base).  This has the potential to cause serious injury to knee (the ACL can blow easily) and ankle. 

To execute the throw safely and effectively the thrower has to place one leg across the opponent’s abdomen right at or just above the waist and the other leg is placed much lower down behind the knee or shin. To avoid injuring your opponent, the thrower should leap upward and throw the leg that is going to the front of the opponent’s abdomen/waist first, slightly ahead of the thrower’s other leg, that goes behind the opponent’s knee. 

RIGHT SIDE EXECUTION OF KANI BASAMI

Generally, this throw is executed when you are to the opponent’s left side and both of your feet are in line with both of his feet.  While gripping on the opponent’s shoulder, around the neck or the lapel with the right hand, the thrower launches off both feet and jumps up with his body facing to the left placing his right leg on uke‘s lower abdomen at the waist or just above. The thrower’s left leg then goes to the back of uke's knees. The thrower executes a scissor-like movement, from both the front and the rear, on the lower half of uke's body. The thrower twists his waist back towards the right, pulls back with the right hand while reaping so that uke falls towards his rear.

Now some may be used to seeing a lot of vids on you tube with the throw being executed by posting a hand on the mat and then executing the take down. However, as mentioned before, I was taught it as more of a leaping/jumping technique. Another point one may need to keep in mind is that I wouldn't leap directly into uke but rather the leap was directed more toward the rear as to further off balance uke rocking him back on his heels.

COMBAT JUDO: SSG CARLIN'S DROP KICK

Article by Barron Shepherd 

The problem with the combatives industry is that too many people will simply read a book on WWII combatives and then deem themselves an authority on the subject, refer to themselves “subject matter experts”. Most of these types have zero experience, have never been in the military. 

Most recently a couple of so called experts shared their personal analysis of Carlin's book Combat Judo calling it a questionable inclusion and referring to it as a WWE professional wrestling  type of technique. The following is a quote from their book: “Also of questionable inclusion is the drop kick. Yes a WWE style drop kick, against a knife no less. WWII era combatives are always touted as bare bones, direct and absent of flash. What happened here? Why do combatives experts ignore Carlin’s obvious mistake with the drop kick? This however can be forgiven as a sign of the times.”  

I have to ask now, what exactly is there to be forgiven? Of course, these “know it alls” never answer or even try and answer their own question. Instead they just second guess Carlin's methods. Carlin’s inclusion of the drop kick made no sense to these self titled “experts” so they attempt to explain it away as some sort of glaring tactical error or misjudgment on Carlin's part. They literally seem to suggest that Carlin, after spending two years putting this book together, out of nowhere, all of a sudden, in the middle of it, had a brain freeze and apparently forgot all his training or something.  

Simply addressing Carlin’s drop kick lesson as a "WWE" style pro wrestling type move is very telling as to how little research was actually put into understanding Carlin's Combat judo method.  Professional wrestling was kind of popular back during this time but the fact that this may have influenced Carlin I find to be very highly unlikely. As mentioned in an earlier article Carlin was a man extensively trained in Judo and Hand to hand combat, a man who had literally taught thousands of Marines. So just throwing something in there that is all of a sudden out in left field or just as "filler" doesn’t make any sense. What does make sense is that martial arts is an athletic endeavor regardless if it is tai chi or judo. It is ALL athletic movement. Some movements are complex and some are gross motor based movements. Actions like the drop kick, running, jumping, etc. are all primal gross motor actions. Combatives are generally primal gross motor movements these movements function optimally when under duress, like the duress of war. 

There were more than a few reasons for Carlin to include the drop kick in his book. Unarmed hand to hand combat techniques were taught because the soldier on the battle field may need a means to fight if he has somehow found himself not being able to use his weapons or was without a weapon. If we look at old combatives manuals we very often see techniques that are made up of primal gross motor action. 

Long range unarmed fighting techniques like kicks were used against a knife and bayonet wielding enemy. A leg kick is a natural choice as a long-range weapon if there was no other choice, when no other type of weapon could be picked up or used.  Parrying and countering a bayonet thrust, or knife thrusts and slashes with kicks were quite commonly seen in many military combatives field training manuals. A drop kick/scissor takedown actually shows up in the knife disarm section of the 1963 US Army FM 21-150.

Carlin’s book describes combat Judo to be a streamlined fighting method and Carlin shares example after example of what he classified as "streamlined". They were techniques that share the same tactics, strategy, principles and movement. For an example one can look at lessons 16 and 17 in Carlin’s book. Lesson #16 utilizes a front kick to the groin to stop a forward assault, in lesson 17 in the same type of attack the front kick is executed in the same way as it is in lesson #16 and it simultaneously sets up the wheel throw/Tomo nage.

KANI BASAMI - LEG SCISSOR TAKEDOWN

Bearing Carlin's definition of streamlined in mind, it isn’t a huge transition to go from a technique like Kani basami (pictured left) to turning it into a drop kick. They both require the same basic athletic movement to execute (see video below). Now some who are used to seeing a lot of vids on you tube will see Kani basami executed by posting a hand on the ground and then executing the take down. I was taught kani basami as more of a leaping technique or motion. This execution of it is indeed very athletic. Looking at it in this light I can possibly see why Carlin interjected his drop kick method. In all likelihood, being a judoka, it was or he saw it as a variation of Kani Basami. 

Here is a clip of Royal Marines doing a Combatives demonstration. Look at the movement that pops up throughout the video both the drop kick and kani Basami/scissor takedown...…

Lastly, another reason Carlin likely put this in the book is because what was known as Combat Judo was taught during the later part of WWI. It had gained a reputation as being extremely effective in trench warfare. Fighting in the trenches (Imagine yourself fighting in a narrow corridor.) meant there was no room to circle your opponent and in a lot of cases not even get an angle on the enemy. The only option was to go straight in.  We actually see an example of this in old combatives training footage from WWI. In a clip we see the soldiers training run in and throw their training partner to the ground quickly.  

Taking the adversary off his feet as quickly as possible gave the soldier a tactical advantage, this was an ideal that carried on to WWII and beyond. It definitely would have given you and your unit some tactical advantages. Hitting someone with a drop kick when fighting in a trench would have sent the adversary reeling backgrounds knocking him down and had the potential to knock others down behind him. It would have definitely slowed the enemy's forward movement thru the trench and created a myriad of problems. Having the enemy momentarily have to negotiate how to get over or around a fallen comrade would have definitely given the soldier another fighting advantage. How much sense does a long range kicking technique like a drop kick make now?

The drop kick was just good old primal gross motor athletic movement based on sound tactics and strategy. As Carlin says in his opening pages; 
"A combatant on the battlefield who is unarmed must use the tools he has on him."

Carlin’s inclusion of the drop kick certainly fits the bill. 

Barron Shepherd is a Judo 3rd degree black belt instructor, trainer and coach, a certified boxing coach and certified NASM Sports Performance Enhancement Specialist.

Member of USA Judo and USJA (the United States Judo Association) the National Governing Bodies for Judo.

COMBAT JUDO: NOT FOR COUCH POTATOES OR CANDY ASSES

One of the questions I get asked consistently is…..What is Combat Judo? 

COMBAT JUDO was originally developed to address the needs of military personnel, facing new hand-to-hand combat challenges, as a way to ensure a streamlined, tested, and effective method of self-defense. 

Some very often misinterpret the word "streamlined" used in the description of Carlin’s Combat Judo to mean "simple" or "easy", something that one can be proficient in with little to no training. One description of combat judo that gets bantered around the internet a lot  is that it is"a easily learned dirty trick fighting method". This really couldn't be any further from the truth…….

Combat judo’s roots stem from WWI. It is a combination of judo and boxing. This method was basically recast years later as “Combat Judo”. This renaming so to speak was done to distinguish it from any of the classical/traditional martial art systems. 

CAPTAIN ALLEN CORSTORPHIN SMITH

What would later be referred to as Combat Judo began in WWI with CPT. Allen Corstorphin Smith of the United States Army. Smith had trained in judo at the Kodokan in Japan and earned his black belt from the Kodokan. He was the hand to hand combat instructor at the Infantry school in Ft. Benning, Georgia. Smith’s combatives program was a combination of boxing and judo. His methods are online on youtube, for all to see, in an old silent training film.  Though this system of fighting was brought out late into WWI Smith’s combatives method proved to be extremely effective in trench warfare. (See video of Cpt. Smith below)

By the start of WWII this fighting method had become wide spread through the different branches of the US military. During WWII it was taught to specialized units like the US Army Alamo scouts and other units for use in hand to hand combat situations in their operating areas during the war. “Combat Judo” became the name of this system utilized by the U. S. military primarily during this time.

SSG ROBERT CARLIN

SSG. Robert Carlin had been a amateur boxer who had boxed in the Golden Gloves, a wrestler and a Judoka. Carlin was honorably discharged from the United States Army when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. It was there that he received his hand to hand combat training under Colonel Anthony Drexel Biddle. It is said that Carlin also excelled at Hand to Hand combat in Ranger training (Army) and commando training (British). 

Carlin would go on and teach Judo in the marines. Later he was the instructor of judo instructors for Captain Leland Hanley, officer in charge at Cherry Point, N.C.  of Combat Conditioning. Carlin instructed the bayonet and instructors for Captain Armitage at Guadalcanal and taught H2H to the 29th Marines under Colonel Victor F. Bleasdale. In his career as an instructor Carlin trained thousands of Marines. 

During this time Carlin started writing and completed his book Combat Judo. Carlin took two years to complete his book that was written for both military and civilian defense. Carlin self-published Combat Judo in 1945.

In Carlin’s writings he states that combat Judo is a more advanced method of fighting. He even goes further into the details of its training by likening it to the training in boxing. As an example, even novice boxers put in hours and hours and round after round in training just the fundamentals alone. 

Looking at the fact that Carlin had been a golden gloves boxer and a judoka and the fact that Combat Judo was rooted in both boxing and judo his comparing it to boxing training makes perfect sense. In this light Carlin’s comparison speaks volumes of the importance he emphasizes in his book on how Combat Judo is to be trained. Simply learning “tricks” as Carlin puts it is not enough, one needs to learn the fundamentals. Carlin goes so far as saying people who only learn “tricks” often find themselves in situations they cant “solve” or deal with in fighting. Carlin points out that the reason they fail is they didn’t take time to train in the fundamentals of a system to the advanced. 

Not a single Combatives luminary, from Fairbairn to O’Neill to Biddle to Applegate, etc. ever contradicted the statement; “The more you sweat in training the less you bleed in a fight.” Every one of them advocated daily regular training.  

Carlin very glaringly makes the point in his book that minimal training WILL NOT and DOES NOT work! He drives home, like a proverbial nail in the coffin, the fact that there is no skimping on training, otherwise he wouldn’t have compared training in combat judo to boxing and wrestling. 

Barron Shepherd is a 3rd degree black belt judo instructor and coach, a certified boxing coach and certified NASM Sports Performance Enhancement Specialist.