Judo Unleashed!: The Ultimate Training Bible for Judoka at All Levels by Neil Ohlenkamp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Release Date: July 9, 2024

This is a new and revised edition of a book that has been on the market for many years. It provides an overview of the sport and martial art of judo, with particular emphasis on the competitive version of the art. It does discuss the self-defense philosophy and approach of judo in broad brushstrokes, but the techniques that are discussed (and shown) individually are the competition-legal ones. The book does take a no-nonsense approach and focuses on a straight-forward delivery of the most crucial information for a general reader.

The book’s organization is as one would expect of a martial arts guide: an introductory overview, a detailed breakdown of the techniques by type (i.e. throwing, grappling, groundwork,) and a brief closing (i.e. “where do we go from here”) section. Among the book’s useful features is that Ohlenkamp often tells the reader which judoka were particularly noted for their adeptness with a given technique as he presents said technique. This gives the reader wanting a little more insight the opportunity to do some internet research for video clips of that particular judoka doing the technique in question.

The book has a large number of color photos that are clear and present the gist of each technique in mid-action. It also has extensive appendices discussing rules and the formally accepted techniques of Kodokan Judo.

I found this book useful and would recommend it for those interested in judo, whether as a potential student or to compare and contrast it with other grappling sports / martial arts.

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