Friday, February 18, 2011

Martial Arts Related Research and Education


Attilio Sacripanti (author of Advances in Judo Biomechanics, and Chair of Biomechanics of Sports at the University of Rome Tor Vergata) has asked if I would circulate information about the European Judo Union's (EJU) 2nd Poster Exhibition of Research to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on 21 April 2011. I am more than happy to do so because it is promoting a forum or organisation that is encouraging serious research into subjects directly concerned with the martial arts.
All sessions will consist of presentations of scholarly works related to any aspect of judo. Such areas may include, but are not limited to, topics related to the sport aspect of judo, including exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, sport psychology, injury rehabilitation, rest and recovery, nutrition, and the like. Topics may also include any area of judo history, philosophy, culture, or values as well. The audience will be mixed and include, academics, coaches, officials and the wider judo family. Presenters, please bear this in mind when communicating your research.
More details can be found on the EJU Judo Knowledge website: http://www.judoknowledge.org/

What you will also find on that website are other examples of the martial arts being taken seriously as a subject of academic study. Various universities are offering degree courses in judo. Bath University, UK, offers the EJU foundation course, and Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, offers Level 4 and 5 Performance Judo Coach Award. Sacripanti has just completed designing and developing the Level 6 Award which 'successful coaches will also achieve the Masters Degree in Biomechanics of Judo.' Envy abounds.

Sacripanti's Masters degree in Biomechanics of Judo covers the following subjects all specially contextualised to judo:

• Advanced Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Cardiology
• Genetics and Doping
• Geriatric
• Neurology
• Neuro-traumatology
• Nutrition
• Orthopedic
• Pedagogy
• Physiatry
• Pneumology

The following is also included in connection with the content of the course:

Biomechanics, Theory and Methodology of Conditioning, effects of Conditioning, Periodisation, Control Test, Technical training, Non linear Training, Didactics for Adults, Judo as self-defense, Didactics for Children, Didactics games, Match Analysis, Grips fight, Strategy and Tactics, Throws Evolution comparative analysis of methods of teaching adults, comparative analysis of methods of teaching children, advanced studies of competition, comparative study of Japanese and Russian styles.
I also refer you to the International Association of Judo Researchers website (http://judoresearch.org/). The International Association of Judo Researchers was founded in Tokyo in 2006 in order to coordinate and foster the development of Judo-related academic research and educational activities.

My very ambitious goal is that my work (books) will be of sufficient quality to at least be referred to within these educational courses, if not studied. They are aimed at being unique contributions to the general body of knowledge supported by academic research, theories, concepts, and literature.

1 comment:

  1. I've never really seen that type of an in-depth analysis of any art. I imagine it will be a fascinating event, full of many different points of view. It may shake some widely held beliefs, who knows?

    I certainly hope your works are included in the course of study or as items of reference. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments make my work all the more relevant as I use them to direct my research and theorising. Thank you.