tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540643628218431638.post1987724091891882849..comments2023-12-19T07:45:21.442+08:00Comments on Kojutsukan: 'School judo deaths prompt protest in Japan'John Coleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14634192254115557179noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540643628218431638.post-59277976654724817822011-02-03T07:49:13.766+08:002011-02-03T07:49:13.766+08:00I must agree that the numbers are telling a distur...I must agree that the numbers are telling a disturbing story. It would appear that not only the number, but the nature of the injury is disproportionate to other school sports, mandatory or otherwise. I have to agree with Sue C's comments on this one as well. If it's a mandatory part of the school curriculum, are the instructors people with a life long love and deep understanding of Judo? Or are they teachers that have been just been given another subject to study. <br /><br />It takes skill to do martial arts, it takes even more to teach it. As far as injury prevention or treatment, I would hope that any teachers learn about brain injury and trauma as the symptoms don't always present until later on. Heck, even in the UFC, if someone is knocked out, I believe there is a forced rest period to ensure recovery before they can be cleared again. This is combined by close scrutiny by the referee to protect the fighters. This level of monitoring is, at a minimum, necessary in a school situation. <br /><br />I'm all for the benefits of martial arts, and believe they are very beneficial to young people, in that they develop character and confidence, but I still think it's something you should want to do, not have to do. I also find it surprising that there has been no litigation. Having said that, I am not familiar with the education system in Japan, nor can I make fair comment as to whether civil suits are as common place as they are in North America.<br /><br />Fan or not, in one of Steven Seagal's earlier films, he told a story about how his character had been told by a master that it was easy to hurt people, harder to heal, so he had to learn healing arts first. Wisdom in 80's films, who knew?<br /><br />P.S. thanks for the mention of my blog.Journeymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00146093025259375890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540643628218431638.post-39632497372609974942011-02-03T07:21:13.688+08:002011-02-03T07:21:13.688+08:00SueC. You raise a good point. I must confess my co...SueC. You raise a good point. I must confess my concern is raising the standard of martial arts instructors knowledge across the board, and thereby hoping to increase the credibility of the martial arts overall. But yes, you cannot possibly have enough 'qualified' instructors if martial arts is made compulsory.John Coleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14634192254115557179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1540643628218431638.post-51709799456650438872011-02-03T01:06:22.857+08:002011-02-03T01:06:22.857+08:00Those are extremely disturbing statistics! I reall...Those are extremely disturbing statistics! I really don't see how you could put martial arts into a national school's curriculum - there can't possibly be enough suitably qualified instructors for every school in Japan! It's an accident waiting to happen. At least with private clubs parents can pull their kids out if they don't trust the instructor, but if it's compulsory education they can't - that's a real worry.Sue Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16008609198511182782noreply@blogger.com