Registration & Weigh-Ins At The USJF Jr. Nationals

What’s up Judo Sports Fans?  Want all the Pequannock Wrestling Fans to know that I’m out here in Ohio sporting Pequannock Blue & Gold.  Don’t worry because no one is giving me any lip about it.  First off very much like wrestling I saw a lot of kids today running the parking lot with sweat shirts and sweat pants, running on the treadmill or hitting the sauna at the hotel.  Its the same scene that you see at the Judo Senior National Championships.  It’s a nice sunny 90 degree day here in Ohio.

Today was a full day and I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings.  The day started with Ramon Jr. (aka Junior), Brandon & William Kui getting their paper work from pre-registration and weighing-in. 

Take a look at what these guys have in store for them tomorrow and Sunday.

Name              Division           Weight                        Size Of Division

Junior              Intermediate 2   42 kg.              10

William           Juvenile A           44 kg.              7

Brandon          Juvenile A           48 kg.              15

Junior and Brandon didn’t have to cut much weight but Will Kui wasn’t able to eat the whole ride to Ohio this morning.  He was right on weight so no running for him in the parking lot.  As soon as he got here we went straight to weigh-ins and he was able to eat a good lunch.

From there I waited around to see when the coaches meeting was going to start so we could plan our dinner time so I could be back with enough time to attend the meeting and see how many kids were in each division.

Dinner was fun and so was the coaches meeting.  I’m also helping out Matt Koch from Camal Judo where I spent a lot of years learning all the coaching experience that I have.  He’s in the IJF Division.  He has 8 other Judokas and should do well.  

Here is Jr. Div. 

Here is William’s div.

Here is Brandon’s div.  He’s going to have the longest day.

Time to see if I can scout Jr. competition for tomorrow on Youtube.  Sometimes you can catch matches of them on there.  Will and Brandon compete on Sunday.  Team North Jersey Judo Spy Cam will report more news tomorrow.  If you like what you see please share with your friends on facebook by hitting the F icon below to share with your friends.

Travel Day Complete...The Dodge Grand Caravan Rocks-It Hard

Travel day is complete.  We left NJ around 9am and we arrived Ohio at 6pm.  The kids did great in the mini van.  The Dodge Grand Caravan is the bomb.  The 2 DVD screens kept my kids occupied all day and helped me out big time.  My boys watch movies for 9 hours straight.  Let’s hear it for Dodge!!  Take a look!

Registration for all of us tomorrow (athletes & coaches).  We will also run into a lot of people we know in the Judo community that have come from all over the country.  Although it’s only registration and weigh-ins tomorrow should be exciting. 

 Team North Jersey Judo Spy Cam will report more tomorrow.

Getting Ready To Leave For The USJF Jr. Nationals // Here We Go

What’s up Judo sports fans??  It’s June 30th and we are getting ready to leave for Ohio for the USJF Jr. Nationals and we aren’t looking forward to the long drive.  Here is a video of the Kuis getting ready this week at practice. 

Tomorrow will be registration and weigh-ins for all 3 of our competitors. I will also need to register as coach with my credentials. What’s gets me a little nuts is that they expect all coaches to wear slacks and a polo.  I’m not opposed to looking professional but they don’t even make coaches dress like this at the Senior Nationals.  This is only a Jr. National tournament.  OK time to get off my soap box.

On Saturday my son Jr. competes in the Intermediate division.  On Sunday William and Brandon Kui will compete in the Juvenile A division.  Lets hear it for Team North Jersey Judo!  We are on the way! 

Team North Jersey Judo Youtube Page Ready For USJF Jr. Nationals

What’s up Judo Sports Fans????

Team North Jersey Judo getting ready to head to exciting Toledo, OH.  I’m sure that city is going to be hopping with Judo action and I say that with as much excitement and sarcasm as I can muster.  What’s wrong with putting on a Jr. Judo Nationals in lets say Las Vegas….Viva Las Vegas I say.  William Kui, Brandon Kui and my son Ramon Hernandez Jr. will be entering the competition.  I’m excited to report back good news and will try my hardest to keep everyone updated as we go.  Wish us all luck.  This will be the biggest tournament Team North Jersey Judo has seen on the Jr. side.  I’m excited to see how they do and what we need to work on as a whole.  Here’s a picture of William & Brandon after winning the New Jersey Judo State Championship.

Here’s Jr. after placing at a Tech Judo Inter-dojo-tournament in North Bergen.

Yesterday I spent all day working on our Youtube page for our Youtubers on my list.  Here is our official Team North Jersey Judo Youtube Page.   

http://www.youtube.com/user/northjerseyjudo

It’s connected to our home page of our web site: www.northjerseyjudo.com and I always put competition videos of what’s happening on the tournament mat on our Spy Cam Blog www.judotakedowns.com.  Would love to hear your comments about the blog if you care to share.  I so dig web technology…It’s a big problem.  I’m sure there is a support group that can help me out.

During our trip to the Jr. Nationals I’ll try and keep the blog and our youtube page updated with fun and exciting facts going on.  I’m calling it: What’s Going On Over My Shoulder.  It’s going to be work-in-progress.  I’m sure I’ll be up late at night while I’m there trying to keep everyone up to speed like the Mad Judo Scientist!!

Also a shout out to friend Chris Skelley who’s down in sunny Miami, FL at the USA Judo World Cup and US Open.  Chris Skelley is the USA Judo Elite Team Manager and travels around the world with Team Judo USA to make sure they are getting all the support they need while they travel abroad.  Last week he was in Brazil with our countries elite players at an A level Elite tournament and then traveled to Mexico to represent USA Judo for meetings with the Pan American Judo Union for the Pan American Games coming up soon.  Maybe sometime this summer I’ll get a sit down interview with Chris so he can share his experience on what’s happen on his end as USA Judo prepares for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  Chris is also the driving force behind getting our Judo Gis embroidered.  Here’s a picture of Chris and I at the 2011 Senior Nationals in Orlando, FL

Stay tuned this weekend to your e-mails as I report back on the Judo action as it’s happening.  And don’t forget share this on your facebook by hitting the F icon below to share with your friends…Shameless I know!!!

New Mat Layout For Team North Jersey Judo

A few weeks ago I alongr with Clyde Worthen from Tech Judo in North Bergen purchased a bunch of mats together to save on the cost of freight from Boston.  We brought Zebra Mats from Jimmy Pedro’s Zebra Tour.  Clyde has to be the single biggest mat buyer not only in New Jersey but in a 3 state radius.  A lot of tournaments in New Jersey don’t function without Clyde. 

I personally purchased 16 Zebra Mats so I could put 8 on each side of our Swain Dollamur Felxi Roll Mats.  Two Zebra Mats side by side is about 4 to 6 inches wider then one of our roll-away-mats so I rolled and picked one up and outlined the mats on each side.  Now the dojo is flashing Pequannock colors but truth be told is that the mighty Bucs from Belleville, NJ are sporting the same colors.  Personally I’m glad Belleville shares great colors with Pequannock.  Either way this new mat layout prevents me from putting down tape anymore (I hated dealing with the tape most times), expands our mat area, gives Team North Jersey Judo quality flooring for the activity we are doing and looks pretty darn good.

If you like my new post today, please share it with your pals on your face book by clicking on the F icon below.  Dojo is ready for practice today so I’ll see you all there.

Team North Jersey Judo Competition Video At 2011 Summer Slam

Today’s post is our competition video of Team North Jersey Judo from the 2011 Summer Slam.  Sorry It took me so long to put together.  Here it is:

 And as an added bonus and some interaction with everyone on our list let see who know who said these words: All You Have To Fear Is Fear Itself.  If you know click on the face book icon below and put it on your face book wall.  See you on the mat!!

What Is Judo? Answer: It's Many Different Things To Many Different People

Today’s post circles around the question I get asked a lot.  I’m always reading and studying Judo so it should be a quick and easy answer for me.  It ends up being a long one.

 Here it is:  What Is Judo?  Judo is a fusion of ancient combative art, modern sport training, and a philosophy of continuous improvement on and off the Judo mat.  It is a complex combat system that preserves martial traditions and techniques, but is also a popular sport that clearly prepares the athlete for any physical or mental confrontation.  It is a safe and fun recreational activity that emphasizes building character.  It is an art that allows free expression and displays the beauty of coordinated movement.  It’s a method of training the body and mind using principles that can also apply to how you lead your life.  Both sport and martial art, Judo has a unique depth and strength not readily found in other sports or martial arts.  To me Judo is a way of life but to many others its many different things.  It’s a sport, an art, a discipline, a recreational activity, a fitness program a study of Japanese culture and a means of self-defense.  It is both one of the most popular sports and the most widely practiced martial art on the plant.

 I’m going to have to carry that in my back pocket on an index card!!  The Judo Unleashed book is a great and easy read and I hope to share a lot of it with Team North Jersey Judo.

Pic of the day is Charlie Boy Cunningham at the Summer Slam last year.  It’s a nice one…Way to go Charlie

P.S. If you like today’s post, please hit the facebook button below and share with everyone….Best Ramon

Product Review: Road Runner Sports | G-Square Approved

Today is the Monday after Father’s Day so a big thumbs up to our Judo Dads out there!!  It’s the one day per year that we ROCK IT so ROCK IT ON DUDES!! 

This morning I went about my usual business and showed up at Judo to teach my morning class and off to get an adjustment to make sure everything is in working order with my body.  My right hip has been bugging me lately so I’ve been hitting the foam roller and doing all of my crazy Yoga stretches.  I’m always worried about my body when something is nagging which right now is my right hip.  It’s nothing serious at all so I’ll get off my soap box about it. 

With regards to my body I do worry about what I sleep on and also about what I’m walking in.  In this post I won’t get too into what I’m sleeping on but I’ll talk about what I’ve been wearing on my feet.  In the summer time I so enjoy putting on sandals or slip ons because it’s easy to kick them off when you get home and pretty comfortable when walking around.  I sometimes worry if I’m wearing them to much and if it’s healthy for the hip, legs  and back.  I also worry about the sneakers I wear.

Greg Vigilante for a while now introduces us to Road Runner Sport which is a sneaker store in Paramus on Route 4 West.  Greg is an avid runner not to mention a member of Team North Jersey Judo.  Today I decided to go in and treat my self to a new pair of sneakers for Father’s Day and see what all the hubbub was all about.  Before I go on about it I want to give Greg (AKA GSquare) a thumbs up.  You Rocked It and I was listening to you!! 

Road Runner isn’t just an ordinary sneaker store.  It’s a store built with a service on taking your measurements and life style to suit you to sneakers that is best for you.  These guys put me through 4 different stations before I even tried on a pair of sneakers. 

Here they are:

• Like any other sneaker store they measured my feet width and length and that was the start of the foot evaluation.
• Then they fitted me for special foot balance insoles made for my type of foot.  Once they fitted me they actually heated them up and had me step on two big foam peaces so they could have them fit the frame of my foot.  That is when I really started to get impressed with the experience.
• After that I was asked to step on a scanner so they can check the arch and flexibility of both my feet.  They can tell that I actually stand more on my heal with my left foot which is true because I’ve been trying to stand more on my left side because my hip.  Man there I go again about my hip!!  Sorry peps!!
• The last thing was I was asked to run on a tread mill for 30 seconds and they actually video typed my feet and ankles while I was running so they could figure out what direction my toes are pointing when I’m running. 

 In the end they had me try on 3 different sneakers but the best comfort fit was the Nike Zoom Structure Triax.  In the end I purchased a pair of Nikes, a pair of Footbalance Insoles, a pair of cool looking socks.  I’ll admit that the experience was more then good and I feel great about what’s under my feet.  If you think you would enjoy this experience here is the address so you can chuck it into your GPS and enjoy the experience for your self.

RoadRunnerSports | 65 Route 4 West | Paramus, NJ 07652 | 201-226-0035 | www.roadrunnersports.com

 If you like this post please hit the facebook.com icon below and share it with your friends.  See you all on the Judo mat.  The next product review will be at Sleepy’s Bed Store…No way…Only kidding!!!  Again thanks to Greg Vigilante for an excellent referral!!

Book Review: Judo Unleashed By Neil Ohlenkamp

Reminder: Please make sure to let me know that you or your child will attend the Jason Morris Judo Clinic on July 16th.  This clinic should be the best one we will have all year long so don’t miss out on getting the secrets straight from a 4X Olympian and 2008 US Olympic Head Coach. 

Here’s a book review for all the members at North Jersey Judo.  I just picked up a book recommended to me by one of my instructors Anthony Camal called Judo Unleashed by Neil Ohlenkamp.  His wife actually purchased it for him and it’s a good read so kudos to Liz Camal.  I’ll write down some important facts that I’ve read and liked to share with you.  Here we go.

Skill in Judo can only be attained on the mat, working with partners in an organized training program under the guidance of an expert Judo instructor, or Sensei, which literally means “one who has gone before.”  A Sensei has been in your position and learned the lessons you seek.  By providing a good example and demonstrating proper technique, a Sensei helps you understand the techniques and acts as a model by which to gauge your own performance.

Ramon: I like the way that read a lot!

The many facets of Judo

Judo is more about self-discovery than memorization of moves.  Like a fine diamond, it has many facets reflecting the light of the world around it; each time you look at Judo, another reveals its brilliance.

• Judo can be applied without injuring an opponent, but it has saved the lives of many students faced with real attacks.
• Judo has consistently proven its effectiveness in a wide range of test, from ancient jujutsu contest to modern mixed martial arts matches.
• Judo is included in military hand-to-hand combat training to efficiently apply force in a deadly manner.
• Judo competition is enjoyed by young children at local tournaments, and by elite male and female athletes who represent their countries at the Olympic Games, performing awesome feats of skill.
• Judo principles are studied in the best business schools around the world to help corporate leaders use power properly, utilize leverage, and apply it in the right direction, as well as take advantage of competitors’ greater strength and size by using it against them.
• Verbal Judo is taught in many law enforcement agencies to provide officers with methods to de-escalate and control dangerous situations without using force.
• Judo is based on sound principles that help students develop character and become experts at dealing with all kinds of conflicts in life.

Ramon: I also liked the way that all read but going to look more into Verbal Judo to help me combat or should I say maneuver around those tough situations I have found my self in my younger years.  Judo is absolutely about self-discovery.  I’ll be the first to say that I haven’t taken advantage of applying Judo principles in all areas of my life.  But it’s never too late to even teach an old dog new tricks to build better character and deal with all kids of road blocks that life throws at you.  Thanks again to Liz Camal for an excellent purchase!!  Way to go Liz!! 

The book has it’s own web site www.judounleashed.com.

4X Olympian, 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist & 2008 Olympic Head Coach Visits On July 16, 2008

North Jersey Judo is proud to host Jason Morris 4X Olympian, Silver Medal Winner in the 1992 Olympic Summer Games & 2008 Head US Olympic Coach.  Jason will be at North Jersey Judo on July 16, 2011 between 10:00am to 11:30am.  The cost is $25.00 for Juniors and $35.00 for Seniors.  Classes will be closed during these sessions so please plan accordingly.

Jason had a great career as an Olympic Judo Player.  He now coaches a lot of American Judokas who have relocated to Up-State-NY to prepare them selves for a successful national and international competition career in Judo and a run at the Olympic Games.  Jason runs the Jason Morris Judo Center which can be found on the internet at www.realjudo.net.

I know this will interest most of my members because of the Wrestling element that exist at NJJ.  Jason also had a good career as a Wrestler at Syracuse University.  Take a look at this video clip.

http://musicvideoswebtv.com/films/movie/jason_morris_wrestling/18999

 I will have a sign up form at the dojo.  We will be sending this out to the Judo community in our area as well.  Don’t miss this chance!!