Judo Outside The Dojo

I’d like to begin a series of five post discussing the five maxims of Professor Kano (pictured at left, with Judan Kyuzo Mifūne on the left of the image), and to that end have written this, the first discussion, as a method to explore some thoughts and theories on what these might mean to judoka today, almost 130 years since Judo was founded. In these posts, I’d like to reflect on what it means to live judo on and off the mat, and to see if the Education system of Professor Kano still has value and a place in current society, both judo society and at large.

Part The First

To explore applications of the principles of judo beyond the confines of the dojo can seem, well, can seem somewhat anachronistic to some, but to many, it is a worthy pursuit and a standard by which some choose to live. The great Mifūne Sensei believed that it was possible to live judo both on and off the mat. In his book, “The Canon of Judo – Classic teachings on principles and techniques” (Kodansha, 2004), Mifūne espouses the virtues of judo by saying,

“A significant turning point in judo occurred when Master Kano developed judo from technique (jutsu) into the way (do). In judo, one should never rely on the development of skill alone, but instead incorporate morality into training. This is in keeping with a path of advancement that leads from skill to principle. One should begin the study of technique by honing one’s skill. Once this has been built into your daily life, together with the spirit and the way of judo, the importance of judo will become evident (p. 23)”

Reading about Mifūne’s life in this book, it is self-evident. All of those who speak of him do so in respectful and reverent tones, and to watch him in action via the wonders of video is to see a man who lived and breathed judo’s spirit and principles.

The Kodokan Judo Handbook (Kodansha, 1994) features many things, and one of the things that it contains are the Five Maxims or principles that Professor Kano believed could be applied to judo and to social life outside the dojo. This is yet another aspect of Jita Kyoei, and development of character was important to Kano, as it should be today, to the full development of a Judoka’s ability to negotiate their way through life. Judo builds not only your body, but your thinking mind, and these maxims are Professor Kano’s elucidation of judo in the world at large.

Applying these principles to your daily life can help you to negotiate the confrontations that we each must deal with, and it is another way in which judo can be effectively applied to life off the mat. In “Mind over Muscle”, Kano Sensei reinforces his belief that judo is more than a sport or physical activity; it is an Education system. Kano Sensei taught that there are three areas that re-occur in Judo’s role in Education, namely:

“the cultivation of moral character, the training of the intellect, and applying the theory of fighting across the spectrum of life to master a method for tackling things on your own”

The First Maxim

These five maxims are a way to distill what Professor Kano wrote about moral, intellectual and fighting theory in to easy to remember maximum-efficient passages. It would be good to see these five maxims on the wall of every dojo as a way to remind us that Judo is a way of life, and can be applied outside the dojo.

“First is the maxim that which says that one should play close attention to the relationship between self and other.

To take an example, before making an attack, one should note his opponent’s weight, build, strong points, temperament and so on. He should be nonetheless aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, and his eye should critically assess his surroundings. In the days when matches were held outdoors, he would inspect the area for such things as rocks, ditches, walls and the like.

In the dojo, he takes note of walls, people or other potential obstructions. If a person has carefully observed everything, then the correct means of defeating an opponent will naturally become apparent.”

What does this mean in everyday life? How do we apply the lessons of maxim one to our relationships to ourselves and others? It is clear we are being asked to assess every situation that confronts us in life; to take it at face value would be a mistake. Why? Because training teaches us that we need to be prepared for the individual, and as we are all, by and large, different, we will all approach situations with a different set of skills and experiences. Same applies to the surroundings. We need to be fully aware and awake to all the things that are happening, and to “play close attention to the relationship between self and other.”

At Your Place of Work

Think of the meeting you may attend to discuss an idea with your employer about changes to the way production occurs where you work. You believe your idea has merit, and will allow for increased productivity, with less waste, less failure rates, and a stronger product. You would need to know your idea well enough that you can explain it with confidence to your employer and articulate it in such a way that they will see the value too, or in Kano’s words, ‘should be nonetheless aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, and his eye should critically assess his surroundings.”

Yet you need to know your employer well too, to have a good working relationship with them, to know what their attitudes towards change are, and so on. You assess their “weight, build, strong points, temperament and so on” – and in this instance these traits are metaphors to describe the employer’s attitude in this type of ‘discussion’ or meeting of minds – could we say shiai? I believe so, though there is no intent to have a winner or a loser, but for there to an outcome that is Jita Kyoei or mutual prosperity. You believe your idea will benefit both you and your employer, as well as your fellow employees. An abstract idea perhaps, but I think we can agree there is a corollary to the first maxim.

At Your School or College

Likewise, let us suppose that we have an instance at school where we are being bullied or harassed, a serious issue in our current times. How can the first maxim be applied to this situation? An obvious initial reaction might be, once having ascertained their strengths, build etc., to just lay down some serious nage-waza and inflict an almighty Osotogari on their person (or persons). Surely this is an appropriate use of judo? After all, isn’t judo about self-defence and overcoming more powerful opponents?

At one level, yes, it could be said that this is true, but is it in keeping with the two big tenets of judo? Is this really the best use of your energy; does it have an outcome where there is mutual benefit and prosperity for all concerned? I don’t believe so. Yet, it may stop the bullying or harassment, at least for a little while, and there is always the added risk that, once having ‘succeeding’ in beating your opponent, you yourselves turn into the bully. Success can do strange things to people. However, this type of success is never ‘long-lived’. To quote Mifūne Sensei again,

“If the student is a believer in the ethics of judo, he should conduct his lifestyle in this same way. However, if he is arrogant and lacks discipline in his training, he will suffer severe consequences. Even an effective technique, achieved through force only, can easily be overwhelmed that is in harmony with judo’s principles”

(Note: The student in question here is the student of judo, and it is a happy coincidence that I’ve used it in referring to a school setting.) So, although we temporarily ‘win’, what have we actually contributed to in terms of the harmony of our settings and surroundings? Could it be argued that we’ve actually fractured the harmony around us even further? If we think about alternatives, what could we come up with as another course of action?

Let me propose this scenario. Instead of continuing the cycle of violence that bullying engenders, why not ask the bully to stop their antagonistic behaviour towards us? If we explain that we do not like to be treated in this manner, and although the bully obviously doesn’t care what we think or how we feel, we at least start off the whole process attempting to unify, rather than tear things even further apart. Surely this is in keeping with the principle of using the strength of the opponent against them. They succeed because they make their victims afraid – that is their strength. By telling them you are not afraid of them, or despite your fear, you are not prepared to put up with this treatment any longer, and if they do not stop, there will be consequences.

Depending on your confidence, you may even tell them that you do not wish to be their enemy, but their friend, and that their choice to be a bully does not benefit anyone, especially them. It is in the ‘nature’ of a bully to seek to be accepted, but their methods to achieve acceptance often leave a lot to be desired, often using physical harm or verbal abuse to rise to a position of power in the false hope that others will see them as important. Researcher and Psychologist, Dr Dan Olweus defines bullying students as thus:

Students who engage in bullying behaviors seem to have a need to feel powerful and in control. They appear to derive satisfaction from inflicting injury and suffering on others, seem to have little empathy for their victims, and often defend their actions by saying that their victims provoked them in some way. Studies indicate that bullies often come from homes where physical punishment is used, where the children are taught to strike back physically as a way to handle problems, and where parental involvement and warmth are frequently lacking. Students who regularly display bullying behaviors are generally defiant or oppositional toward adults, antisocial, and apt to break school rules. In contrast to prevailing myths, bullies appear to have little anxiety and to possess strong self-esteem. There is little evidence to support the contention that they victimize others because they feel bad about themselves (Olweus, 2000).

It is clear then, that retaliating to a bully with force is exactly what the bully wants. Further, bullies are more likely to target people who are already socially isolated within a school, and seek to use this against their victims (Peterson, 2009).

So, why not take the judo principle imbued in The First Maxim, and once having worked out what it is that makes the bully strong, use that knowledge to take away their power. Speak to your teacher, or the school guidance officer and discuss it with your parents and friends. Expose the bully and use the combined energy of all of the staff, parents and friends to bring the bully back into line. Once exposed, schools, certainly those in Australia at least, are quick to act to bring bullies to account, and to help them find a better way. This is one way in which all of those involved can work toward a mutually beneficial outcome for all, and attempt to rebuild harmony within the school. These things are best sorted before they become much bigger, or leave the school and head out into the wider community.

Is this a fair interpretation or usage of the First Maxim? Does this interpretation of Professor Kano’s thoughts on how we might assess a situation or person, actually work? Does this principle provide an alternative way to approaching daily life outside the dojo and off the mat? What do you think? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Ultimately, judo principles practiced off the mat are only as good as we are at applying them and require us to be disciplined and mindful of each other. Only when we spend our energies striving for what is worthwhile in our lives will we truly appreciate what Kano Sensei has given us, and truly begin to understand Seiryoku Zen’yo and Jita Kyoei.

Kuzushisan