Judo and Me by Lee Ellis

I first met Sensei (Adam) at college when I was 16; where we enjoyed many a cider together. But all he ever went on about was Judo,"I can't tonight, I've got Judo", "I can't sunday, I have to train for a contest" - it was so frustrating as one of his friends that he was at this 'Judo' all of the time!

It wasn't until I was 18 that I decided to have a go myself, and see what all the fuss was about. It took the experience of being mugged and stabbed to make me think that way.

This was when Sensei's Dad (Shacho Peter Hutchins) was running a club in Vange, Basildon - 'Timberlog Akitas'. I then carried on going to the Wickford club 'Beauchamps Akitas' (where, incidently, I met my now wife Victoria).

O Soto Gari was the technique that started it all off, and to this day I still cant do it right! I walked out of the club on the first night with a big smile on my face feeling like I was invincible - so much so that I offered to walk home one of my female friends home one night claiming "you'll be OK, I know Judo, nobodies gonna hurt us"! Yeah go on, make fun of me - but that's how it made me feel!

>My one night a week training wasn't enough so it soon became two nights. Then three. Then four. Extra training came up on a Sunday so I took it, I threw myself in at the deep end but somehow managed to stay on the surface.

I love it! After many grading and many contests I earned my 1st Kyu (Brown Belt), well in actual fact I've had this belt for about 6 years now as for some reason I stopped going, I think it had something to do with an evening job, but now I'm back training with Sensei again at Akitas. The bug has got me again big style!!!

What I'm trying to get across is just have a go. No one looks silly, no one will laugh - but if you just try and don't like it then at least you can say "well I had a go". As someone once said to me - you will never know unless you try!

Mmmm time to swap the brown for a black I think!!!!!!