Good books for judo?

[b2spirita]

So, I've started Judo after moving away from my old town and having nowhere to train BJJ and im looking for decent books on Judo.

Any suggestions? I've heard good things about Kodokan judo by Jigoro Kano.

 

[nomoremondays]

So, I've started Judo after moving away from my old town and having nowhere to train BJJ and im looking for decent books on Judo.

Any suggestions? I've heard good things about Kodokan judo by Jigoro Kano.

I own dozens of judo books. It is my strong opinion that the best judo book for learning judo techniques is 'best judo' by Inokuma and Sato.

 

[seatea]

'The A - Z of Judo' by Syd Hoare, 'Black Belt: Judo Skills and Techniques' by Neil Ohlenkamp. 'The Pyjama Game' by Mark Law isn't an instructional book but it's a good read about judo in general.

 

[Einarr]

The only Judo books I have are Mifune's Canon of Judo, Yamashita's Osoto Gari and Kashiwazaki's Tomoe Nage. All are good, but the latter two are focused on specific techniques so not good if you just want a general guide. What is/are your Tokui-Waza? The master class series is really good for exploring a particular waza in depth.

 

[Sloth]

I'm a big fan of the Judo masterclass books for more specialized information. Particularly the gripping one, the pick ups one and the Tomoe nage one.

For general Judo books, I like Neil Ohlenkamps book Judo Unleashed
http://www.grapplingstore.com/Judo-Unleashed-Book-by-Neil-Ohlenkamp-p/bju.htm

 

[Oleg Raktatov]

So, I've started Judo after moving away from my old town and having nowhere to train BJJ and im looking for decent books on Judo.

Any suggestions? I've heard good things about Kodokan judo by Jigoro Kano.

To accomplish what?

General book?

The best "general" book(s) is by far the Vital Judo set : two books, one on newaza and one on tachi waza. Innovative for those years.

Okano is IMO the best representative of real judo.

 

[nomoremondays]

The best "general" book(s) is by far the Vital Judo set : two books, one on newaza and one on tachi waza.

Whole heartedly concur with this one. There is nothing like this in english. But I think since the OP said "I've started Judo" its probably not right.

 

[ChainFlow]

Vital Judo or Dynamic Judo if you can get your hands on them
Best Judo is great and shows things well IMO
Masterclass: Tai Otoshi and Uchi Mata are great, don't have any others.
Kodokan Judo Throwing Techniques is remarkably in-depth but doesn't show things in quite the practical way that Best Judo or some others do. Best for perfecting a technique your instructor isn't too sharp on IMO

 

[BeardMetal]

M. Feldenkrais - Higher Judo Groundwork

 

[judogido]

Books?

Videos/DVD's FTW...

 

[Einarr]

Books?

Videos/DVD's FTW...

Books are easy to just pick up and browse, whereas a DVD requires you sit down and watch it. Besides, my DVDs tend to have a lifespan of about a year before they're too scratched up to play.

Also, videos . . . you're dating yourself judogido. :icon_lol:

 

[RJ Green]

Masterclass pickups. Just kick them in the shin first.

YouTube is golden, especially matches. Instructionals are pretty meh, especially stuff like Brian Jones, but then you stumble upon a random Yoshida or Inoue seminar.

Oh, that Inoue uchi mata DVD is awesome

 

[judogido]

Books are easy to just pick up and browse, whereas a DVD requires you sit down and watch it. Besides, my DVDs tend to have a lifespan of about a year before they're too scratched up to play.

Also, videos . . . you're dating yourself judogido. :icon_lol:

LOL. I'm not dated, dude. I'm hip to your jive.

I tend to watch and rewind videos. I don't tend to assimilate books so well, I am more a visual person and prefer to see the dynamics of the throw in motion.

I suppose if I were really keen I'd convert them and watch them on my smartphone. I did that with the Functional Half Guard video that was online at the now defunct Google Videos. I DL'd it and converted it to a mobile format then watched sections of it at a time on my phone every evening.

I may just have to start doing that again considering I am slowly getting back to training now after an ACL reconstruction in May.

 

[QingTian]

Best reference type book is Kodokan Throwing Techniques, by Toshiro Daigo.

 

[b2spirita]

'The A - Z of Judo' by Syd Hoare, 'Black Belt: Judo Skills and Techniques' by Neil Ohlenkamp. 'The Pyjama Game' by Mark Law isn't an instructional book but it's a good read about judo in general.

I've read the Pyjama game before, interesting read, I'll look into the others. Thank you

To accomplish what?

General book?

The best "general" book(s) is by far the Vital Judo set : two books, one on newaza and one on tachi waza. Innovative for those years.

Okano is IMO the best representative of real judo.

Yes exactly, a general guide that is useful for a beginner (ive just nabbed my yellow belt).

I own dozens of judo books. It is my strong opinion that the best judo book for learning judo techniques is 'best judo' by Inokuma and Sato.

Thank you,I will have a look.

 

[nomoremondays]

I've read the Pyjama game before, interesting read, I'll look into the others. Thank you

Yes exactly, a general guide that is useful for a beginner (ive just nabbed my yellow belt)

Thank you,I will have a look.

I had a look at all the books that were mentioned thus far. These are my opinions on them (which may differ from others).

A-Z of judo : A well intentioned encyclopaedic (sp?) book but unfortunately is not entirely accurate.
Ohlenkamp's : The first half, undeniably, has the BEST treatment of the ethos of judo in english. Unfortunately the second half, particularly the tachiwaza section does not live upto the first part. Some of the throws are poorly done or shown. Wish he had picked some better tori's.
Kodokan judo throwing tecgnique : The best book for reference on throws. But it is really more for senior students and instructors than beginners.
Masterclass: Most of them are well done but really not in the scope of a yellow belt at this point. If you really wish to get one, I would get the osaekomi one. Judo's newaza approach is shown in a traditional way.
Higher Judo: More of a collectors newaza book. As said above, osaekomi/masterclass is probably a better read for your level.
Vital Judo: The best of the whole lot. But since they have been out of print for a while they are too expensive and thus I would not recommend yet.
Dynamic Judo : The throwing one is better than the ground one IMO.
Best Judo: Those who have read both VJ and the inokuma/Sato book will notice that, in a certain way, the latter is a concise, abridged version of the former. In the sense that the flavor of it is similar (though scope is smaller). And it is more accessible.