News
Interview With U.S. Olympic Judo Coach Jimmy Pedro, Part 1
by Bloody Elbow on Oct 11, 2010 1:30 PM EDT in MMA Interview
This is a very exciting guest feature by BE reader Dan Pedersen aka judonerd. Kid Nate
Dan Pedersen: First off, for the sake of BE readers who aren't familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Jimmy Pedro: Absolutely. Currently, I am the 2012 US Olympic Team coach for Judo. In my career, I was a four-time U.S. Olympic Team member. I was twice bronze medalist at the Olympics in 1996 and 2004, and in 1999, I was a World Judo Champion, one of only two American males ever to win the Worlds in the sport of Judo.
Pedersen: Who was the other American?
Pedro: Mike Swain won the Worlds back in 1987.
Pedersen: Other than your coaching and competition, what else are you currently involved in?
Pedro: I'm currently the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Zebra Mats http://www.zebramats.com/. We're the leading brand in the traditional martial arts, and the leading brand in the MMA business, and we're known for having the highest quality mat available on the market today for those specific applications. We also do complete training center design and installation, including our own line of fight cages, bag racks, MMA rings, wall pads-basically we are floor-to-ceiling. Anything anybody would need for their MMA or traditional martial arts training center, Zebra provides.
Pedersen: For anyone who might not know, can you explain what Judo is?
Pedro: Sure. Judo is a grappling martial art. There are essentially four ways to win a Judo match. You can throw your opponent directly from his feet onto his back. And you can instantly win if the throw has enough force to it. You can also win by pinning your opponent-similar to wrestling-but you need to hold him down for 25 seconds. You don't have to have both shoulder blades down on the mat, but [you have to] have control over your opponent, pass the guard position, and keep them on their back for 25 seconds.
You can also win by submission, similar to Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. If your opponent submits to either a choke hold or an armlock-only on the elbow joint-you can win by submission.
Judo is an art that originated in Japan. It stemmed from Jiu-Jitsu, and essentially, the founder of Judo took all of the small joint manipulation out of Jiu-Jitsu. So, for example, finger locks and ankle locks, techniques that were difficult to control-he took the dangerous techniques out and created a sport called Judo. And back in the late 1800's, Judo became the national sport of Japan.
Pedersen: Is there anything else you would add that differentiates Judo from Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling, some of the other grappling arts people might be more familiar with?
Pedro: Absolutely. Judo is unquestionably the largest martial art in the world, in terms of money that is spent on the sport by the national federations, as well as the number of people that actually participate in the sport from the various countries. There are over 190 federations that compete in the sport of Judo, and over 100 are represented at the Olympic Games each year. That's another thing that differentiates Judo from the other traditional martial arts, with the exception of Tae Kwon Do, is that it's a recognized Olympic sport. It's been in the Olympics since 1964, and no matter where you go on the entire planet, there is only one set of rules for Judo. So what's nice about it is, if you go to Africa or Australia or Japan or Brazil, everybody that does Judo does it under the same rules, no variation.
Pedersen: We're starting to see more and more Judokas cross over into MMA. What are your overall thoughts on MMA, and what can you tell us about which aspects of Judo you see successfully crossing over?
Pedro: Well, I think MMA is a very exciting sport, and, I mean, it's certainly the sport of the present... the fastest growing sport on the planet. In the United States it has taken off and exceeded everybody's expectations of how popular and how mainstream it would become.
It's very exciting to watch. The fighters of today are very skilled in the various arts. No longer can you just be a good stand-up fighter or a good grappler to win. You have to be solid in all aspects of the game if you're going to want to make it to the top.
What we're starting to see is more wrestlers-and now more Judo players- getting involved in Mixed Martial Arts... As a way of making a living, as a way of becoming a professional athlete, and as a way of extending their career far beyond their competitive "Olympic hopeful" days. That's both on the wrestling and the Judo side.
In amateur sports, you do it for the passion. You do it because you want to pursue Olympic gold. But it's becoming far more costly to get there than ever before, just based on how difficult they've made it to qualify for the Olympics now. It used to be, if you were the #1 U.S. athlete in the country, you got a shot to go to the Olympics. That's not the case anymore. For the men, you have to be in the top 22 in the world-for the women, you have to be top 14 in the world-in order to even go to the Olympic Games.
So, the only way to qualify is by fighting all over the world in hopes of getting points and, you know, trying to out-point these other countries. The disadvantage that America has is that these other countries have very large budgets and are funded by their government or by sponsors in all these international events. Unfortunately, only our top athletes are funded. So the person that hasn't quite broken through at the Olympic level is pretty much on their own to fund themselves internationally. And that's just not realistic. So those athletes are converting and seeing an opportunity with MMA to make a living. That's why you are seeing more and more Judoka jump in the ring earlier than they used to.
Prior to the last four, five years, the only Judo athletes you saw in MMA were guys that were way past their prime. Older, mid-thirties. Their Olympic days were ten years in the past and they were trying to fight MMA.
Pedersen: Hidehiko Yoshida, for example?
Pedro: The thing to understand about Yoshida is this: Yoshida was Olympic champion back in 1992. And he competed at 172 pounds. The guy was a phenom at 172. Now he's fighting in MMA as a heavyweight in his late 30s, early 40s. Well past his prime. But he's still competitive and still a good athlete, but had he competed in the 170 division or 185 in his prime, I think he would have been a force in MMA.
In the full entry Coach Pedro will break down one of Lyoto Machida's famous foot sweeps. With gifs.
Pedersen: So what's going on here (Lyoto Machida vs B.J. Penn, March 26, 2005)? Machida isn't a Judo player per se, but this certainly a technique his style of Karate shares with Judo.
Pedro: The foot sweep technique is one of the most fundamental throwing techniques of judo. And it epitomizes the fact that a smaller person can defeat a larger person regardless of size. The key to a successful foot sweep is the timing and power generated by the attacker.
Every person-whether they are fighting or simply walking-relies on their legs and feet to hold their body up. It's an automated process: A person takes a step and assumes that, when they step forward and begin to place their foot on the ground, that the ground will actually be there. That their weight will be held up by their foot and leg when it touches the ground. With proper timing-by sweeping someone's foot just as it is about to hit the ground-one can take down an opponent effortlessly.
In this instance, BJ steps forward a bit too deeply and slightly off balance. Machida uses that as his kuzushi, his off balance point, and executes a foot sweep. Notice that Machida's posture is strong. The power of a foot sweep comes from one's hips, so it is extremely important to stand up straight in order to have a powerful and effective foot sweep.
The reason why BJ falls so easily is because his mind assumes that, because it told his foot to step forward onto the floor, that it would support his weight. But Machida's timing was perfect and took the foot out just as it was about to touch the floor, allowing him to take down BJ with a simple foot sweep action. This was superb timing and power just at the right moment. Great Judo by a Karate expert.
World Champion Jimmy Pedro is one of the most decorated judo players in American history. Jimmy is world renowned for his judo expertise, coaching ability, and training methods. A newaza (ground techniques) specialist, Jimmy currently owns and operates Pedro's Judo Center in Wakefield, MA and teaches clinics and seminars throughout the country.
If you are looking for a fun and unique way to increase membership and retention at your martial arts studio, motivate and inspire your students, incorporate grappling into your current curriculum, or add to your students' judo skills, book Jimmy Pedro for an appearance or seminar today. For inquiries, please send an email to jimmypedro@zebramats.com
by Bloody Elbow on Oct 11, 2010 1:30 PM EDT in MMA Interview
This is a very exciting guest feature by BE reader Dan Pedersen aka judonerd. Kid Nate
Dan Pedersen: First off, for the sake of BE readers who aren't familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Jimmy Pedro: Absolutely. Currently, I am the 2012 US Olympic Team coach for Judo. In my career, I was a four-time U.S. Olympic Team member. I was twice bronze medalist at the Olympics in 1996 and 2004, and in 1999, I was a World Judo Champion, one of only two American males ever to win the Worlds in the sport of Judo.
Pedersen: Who was the other American?
Pedro: Mike Swain won the Worlds back in 1987.
Pedersen: Other than your coaching and competition, what else are you currently involved in?
Pedro: I'm currently the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Zebra Mats http://www.zebramats.com/. We're the leading brand in the traditional martial arts, and the leading brand in the MMA business, and we're known for having the highest quality mat available on the market today for those specific applications. We also do complete training center design and installation, including our own line of fight cages, bag racks, MMA rings, wall pads-basically we are floor-to-ceiling. Anything anybody would need for their MMA or traditional martial arts training center, Zebra provides.
Pedersen: For anyone who might not know, can you explain what Judo is?
Pedro: Sure. Judo is a grappling martial art. There are essentially four ways to win a Judo match. You can throw your opponent directly from his feet onto his back. And you can instantly win if the throw has enough force to it. You can also win by pinning your opponent-similar to wrestling-but you need to hold him down for 25 seconds. You don't have to have both shoulder blades down on the mat, but [you have to] have control over your opponent, pass the guard position, and keep them on their back for 25 seconds.
You can also win by submission, similar to Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. If your opponent submits to either a choke hold or an armlock-only on the elbow joint-you can win by submission.
Judo is an art that originated in Japan. It stemmed from Jiu-Jitsu, and essentially, the founder of Judo took all of the small joint manipulation out of Jiu-Jitsu. So, for example, finger locks and ankle locks, techniques that were difficult to control-he took the dangerous techniques out and created a sport called Judo. And back in the late 1800's, Judo became the national sport of Japan.
Pedersen: Is there anything else you would add that differentiates Judo from Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling, some of the other grappling arts people might be more familiar with?
Pedro: Absolutely. Judo is unquestionably the largest martial art in the world, in terms of money that is spent on the sport by the national federations, as well as the number of people that actually participate in the sport from the various countries. There are over 190 federations that compete in the sport of Judo, and over 100 are represented at the Olympic Games each year. That's another thing that differentiates Judo from the other traditional martial arts, with the exception of Tae Kwon Do, is that it's a recognized Olympic sport. It's been in the Olympics since 1964, and no matter where you go on the entire planet, there is only one set of rules for Judo. So what's nice about it is, if you go to Africa or Australia or Japan or Brazil, everybody that does Judo does it under the same rules, no variation.
Pedersen: We're starting to see more and more Judokas cross over into MMA. What are your overall thoughts on MMA, and what can you tell us about which aspects of Judo you see successfully crossing over?
Pedro: Well, I think MMA is a very exciting sport, and, I mean, it's certainly the sport of the present... the fastest growing sport on the planet. In the United States it has taken off and exceeded everybody's expectations of how popular and how mainstream it would become.
It's very exciting to watch. The fighters of today are very skilled in the various arts. No longer can you just be a good stand-up fighter or a good grappler to win. You have to be solid in all aspects of the game if you're going to want to make it to the top.
What we're starting to see is more wrestlers-and now more Judo players- getting involved in Mixed Martial Arts... As a way of making a living, as a way of becoming a professional athlete, and as a way of extending their career far beyond their competitive "Olympic hopeful" days. That's both on the wrestling and the Judo side.
In amateur sports, you do it for the passion. You do it because you want to pursue Olympic gold. But it's becoming far more costly to get there than ever before, just based on how difficult they've made it to qualify for the Olympics now. It used to be, if you were the #1 U.S. athlete in the country, you got a shot to go to the Olympics. That's not the case anymore. For the men, you have to be in the top 22 in the world-for the women, you have to be top 14 in the world-in order to even go to the Olympic Games.
So, the only way to qualify is by fighting all over the world in hopes of getting points and, you know, trying to out-point these other countries. The disadvantage that America has is that these other countries have very large budgets and are funded by their government or by sponsors in all these international events. Unfortunately, only our top athletes are funded. So the person that hasn't quite broken through at the Olympic level is pretty much on their own to fund themselves internationally. And that's just not realistic. So those athletes are converting and seeing an opportunity with MMA to make a living. That's why you are seeing more and more Judoka jump in the ring earlier than they used to.
Prior to the last four, five years, the only Judo athletes you saw in MMA were guys that were way past their prime. Older, mid-thirties. Their Olympic days were ten years in the past and they were trying to fight MMA.
Pedersen: Hidehiko Yoshida, for example?
Pedro: The thing to understand about Yoshida is this: Yoshida was Olympic champion back in 1992. And he competed at 172 pounds. The guy was a phenom at 172. Now he's fighting in MMA as a heavyweight in his late 30s, early 40s. Well past his prime. But he's still competitive and still a good athlete, but had he competed in the 170 division or 185 in his prime, I think he would have been a force in MMA.
In the full entry Coach Pedro will break down one of Lyoto Machida's famous foot sweeps. With gifs.
Pedersen: So what's going on here (Lyoto Machida vs B.J. Penn, March 26, 2005)? Machida isn't a Judo player per se, but this certainly a technique his style of Karate shares with Judo.
Pedro: The foot sweep technique is one of the most fundamental throwing techniques of judo. And it epitomizes the fact that a smaller person can defeat a larger person regardless of size. The key to a successful foot sweep is the timing and power generated by the attacker.
Every person-whether they are fighting or simply walking-relies on their legs and feet to hold their body up. It's an automated process: A person takes a step and assumes that, when they step forward and begin to place their foot on the ground, that the ground will actually be there. That their weight will be held up by their foot and leg when it touches the ground. With proper timing-by sweeping someone's foot just as it is about to hit the ground-one can take down an opponent effortlessly.
In this instance, BJ steps forward a bit too deeply and slightly off balance. Machida uses that as his kuzushi, his off balance point, and executes a foot sweep. Notice that Machida's posture is strong. The power of a foot sweep comes from one's hips, so it is extremely important to stand up straight in order to have a powerful and effective foot sweep.
The reason why BJ falls so easily is because his mind assumes that, because it told his foot to step forward onto the floor, that it would support his weight. But Machida's timing was perfect and took the foot out just as it was about to touch the floor, allowing him to take down BJ with a simple foot sweep action. This was superb timing and power just at the right moment. Great Judo by a Karate expert.
World Champion Jimmy Pedro is one of the most decorated judo players in American history. Jimmy is world renowned for his judo expertise, coaching ability, and training methods. A newaza (ground techniques) specialist, Jimmy currently owns and operates Pedro's Judo Center in Wakefield, MA and teaches clinics and seminars throughout the country.
If you are looking for a fun and unique way to increase membership and retention at your martial arts studio, motivate and inspire your students, incorporate grappling into your current curriculum, or add to your students' judo skills, book Jimmy Pedro for an appearance or seminar today. For inquiries, please send an email to jimmypedro@zebramats.com
Two-Time Olympic Metalist Jimmy Pedro named 2010 Senior World Team Coach
Nicole Jomantas April 30, 2010
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – USA Judo is pleased to announce that two-time Olympic medalist Jimmy Pedro (Methuen, Mass.) will be the head coach of the 32-athlete team that will compete at the Senior World Championships, Sept. 9-13 in Tokyo, Japan.
as Official Mat Sponsor
Partnership Provides High Quality Mats for Submission Fighting Competitions
MAPLE GROVE, MN - August 5, 2009 - Zebra will be the official mat sponsor for the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Fighting World Championships, a no-gi, invitation-only event to be held in Barcelona, Spain later this year. To qualify for this competition, ADCC is having eight different trials on various continents around the world and inviting last year's champions and a few select wildcards. Substantial cash prizes are offered to competitors who place in the top three and weight classes for women and men will be contested.
Marko Leisten, President of the ADCC Federation is excited about the partnership. "Zebra produces the finest quality mats and their support means that our athletes will get to experience the difference that the smooth vinyl MMA mats offer," he commented. "I have been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for more than 10 years and have had the opportunity to practice on a variety of surfaces. Zebra mats are excellent and will make our event better."
Athletes from various disciplines including Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Greco-Roman and other forms of wrestling, compete in submission fighting tournaments. The ADCC World Championships, however, is considered the toughest and most prestigious event in its category.
"The ADCC World Championships has historically used canvas covered wrestling mats. I know the athletes will enjoy competing on our MMA mats as this surface is specifically designed for submission wrestling," commented Jimmy Pedro, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Zebra. "Not only will the mats provide a more even and consistent surface to move on, they are safer as well."
Zebra is also sponsoring a series of regional qualifying events in the U.S. called the ADCC Regional Championships. These competitions enable athletes to compete for a spot at the ADCC National Championships where winners will be sent to the ADCC Worlds.
The ADCC Regional Championships are strongly focused on delivering an excellent event and competition experience for its clients--the athletes. "We are really working to raise the level of professionalism in our sport and that's one of the main reasons we turned to Zebra," stated Event Director Brett Boyce.
In addition to high level regional competition, each Regional Championships will provide a free seminar for athletes. At the upcoming competition in West Orange, NJ, champion grappler Marcelo Garcia will be teaching. And to ensure athletes don't have to wait around all day to compete, the events are organized so that participants will know when their matches will be contested. "We want our competitors to experience the best mats, the best facilities, and excellent competition at affordable prices," commented Mr. Boyce.
Mr. Boyce noted that after each Regional Championship, the competition mats will be on sale at significantly discounted prices. At the New Jersey event, Zebra has also donated a 10 ft. x 10 ft. home mat system that will be raffled and all proceeds given to a grappler or charity in the local area.
About ADCC World Championships
The ADCC World Championships is an invitation-only event which takes place every two years to determine the best no-gi grapplers in the world. Sixteen competitors in each of five weight classes for men and two weight classes for women plus the absolutes will be invited. It is considered to be the most difficult submission fighting event on the globe. This year's competition will take place in Barcelona, Spain on September 26-27. For more information, contact Marko Leisten via e-mail at: Marko.Leisten@pp.inet.fi or visit the website: http://adccbarcelona.com/about.
About ADCC Regional Championships
The ADCC Regional Championships are a series of submission grappling events that will be held this year in: Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Grand Rapids, MI; Seattle, WA; Sacramento, CA; Denver, CO; and NJ. For more information, contact Brett Boyce at via e-mail at: Brett.Boyce@adccregionals.com or visit the website: http://www.adccregionals.com.
About Zebra Mats
Founded in 1997, Zebra Mats offers comprehensive training facility solutions and world class flooring systems to the striking arts and grappling martial art industries. Focused on quality craftsmanship and an extensive product line, Zebra is the first company to market premium mat systems for all martial art disciplines. The company is headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
More information is available by calling: (800) 989-8085 or by visiting: http://www.zebramats.com.
Archive News Articles:
2009 -
August 5: ADCC World Championships Chooses ZEBRA as Official Mat Sponsor
March 23: Zebra Partners with WCF
January 4:Zebra Mats Offers Comprehensive Martial Arts Training Facility Solutions
2008 -
May 22:Zebra Mats Offers New Business Opportunities for Entrepreneurial Martial Artists
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