268-Do Americans Use Too Much Japanese in Judo?
Do Americans Use Too Much Japanese in Judo? This one got HEATED. On this panel, I sit down with experienced judo black belts Steve Scott, Justin Smith, and T. Lee to tackle a question that martial arts people almost never ask out loud: Has American judo become MORE obsessed with Japanese terminology than actual Japan? As somebody teaching martial arts in Japan, I’ve noticed something strange: Most normal Japanese people don’t even use or understand a lot of these judo terms unless they actually train. So why are American dojos built around endless Japanese vocabulary? Are terms like Osoto Gari and Seoi Nage helping preserve tradition… or making judo harder for beginners to learn? We also get into: • Why American judo culture feels different from Japan • Whether terminology helps or hurts growth • The difference between teaching for understanding vs. teaching for tradition • Why wrestling and MMA communicate differently • Whether martial arts sometimes confuse vocabulary with skill • The weird reality of teaching in Japan vs. teaching overseas This wasn’t just internet opinions either. These are experienced judo black belts, including internationally experienced competitors, giving real perspectives from years on the mat. Whether you agree or completely disagree, this conversation is guaranteed to make martial artists think. Drop your thoughts in the comments: Do Americans use too much Japanese in judo?