Zen Judo

I was first introduced to Zen Judo by visiting the Trowbridge Zen Judo Club. Mike Healy runs the club as a non-profit, which is enjoyed by keen members of various levels and ages.

 

Since then I have found that Zen Judo is a beginner friendly art that aims to avoid competition. Mainstream Judo was founded by Jigoro Kano, and though he brought Judo to the UK in the 1920s, he did not want it to be associated with the Olympics. Nevertheless it did, making it the first Japanese Martial Art to become involved. Later on, in 1974 Dominick McCarthy founded Zen Judo, striving to avoid the competitive side of mainstream Judo, most likely sharing Kano's fears that it would ruin the art.

He also happened to teach Mike Healy.

Trowbridge Zen Judo Club is also associated with the International Gentle Arts Society, which holds events for various different kinds of 'Gentle Art' which they define as traditional and a 'non-sport' -  Competitive success is not meant to be the ultimate or primary goal of achieving promotions.

Learning about the club has inspired me to learn more about martial arts as a whole, and well, you never know. Maybe you'll see me there joining in next time too.