Recently in Judo Category

Students, family and friends:

This has been in the works for some time, but due to our schedule and several others events, this particular event was put on hold. I would now like to bring it back to light and out in the open for those both previously involved and potentially involved with the project in the near future.

What's going on? Well, it has always been a goal of mine to set some sort of record. Why not do it within the realm of what I truly love? Martial Arts. Due to confidential reasons, I cannot (at this time) go into dramatic detail about the event, but what I can tell you is as follows...

Where: Location: West Manchester Mall (pending) - adjacent to Elicker's Kenpo Karate
When: A Saturday to be later determined (12:00pm - 2:00pm) 1/2 hour Uke registration, 1 hour record attempt, 1/2 hour awards and appreciation
Who: Coach George McGinnis, Team YMMAA and dozens of other schools and participants
What: Coach George McGinnis to set the first Judo based world record in the history of 'Guinness Books'
How: One Tori (person performing throwing techniques), countless Uke's (person receiving the technique), 1 hour time limit, mats, sponsors, media, crowd, friends and family and good old fashioned camaraderie as it was meant to be.

This event is going to be awesome. Its purpose is to obviously not only bring some advertising to our academy, but much more importantly, it is an opportunity to give back to the community and our instructors. Martial Arts has saved my life and I wish to share its beauty and culture. Judo is highly effective and functional yet so many people dismiss it from their training and arsenal. This will also give us (schools and club owners) a chance to work together and expose our students to an atmosphere that isn't primarily based on competition.

WHO'S IN???!!!

I will need to know the following...

(A) Would you like to attend and or participate in the event?
(B) Would you like to be listed as an Uke (oh yes, you will be thrown), or as a helper (event support / assistant)? If you are a YMMAA member, don't even think about option 2 of (B), ha ha...
(C) School owners - Can you attend the event and bring students to participate?
(D) This is a great sponsorship opportunity as well. If you are a business owner or know someone who is, this is a cheap and easy way to get involved with the MMA community while supporting an event that will not only make the books but will have a decent amount of media.

(E) There will be prizes at the event. One -->lucky<-- participant will receive a high end Gi (company pending) during a raffle towards the end of the event. Each Uke participant will receive a (ticket) upon completing their registration form. A number will be called, if its yours, you win!

More details to come soon. Please contact me with feed back, questions, concerns, interests, suggestions, etc. Thanks for your time...

Sincerely: Coach George McGinnis
York Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Contact # (717) 650 - 0500
www.YMMAA.com

You've probably heard the story of how "Judo" Gene LeBell, the Godfather of Grappling, choked out Steven Seagal on the set of a movie in which Gene was stunt coordinator. If not, check it out here and here. But have you heard the "Ballad of Gene LeBell", written and performed by Michael Vendrell? It's about Gene's fight with pro boxer Milo Savage in 1963, known as the first televised MMA fight. Somebody on Youtube made a video for the song, and what do you know, Seagal plays guitar!

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - U.S. junior athletes will have the opportunity to gain international experience at the 2009 USA Judo Youth and Scholastic National Championships when they compete against a junior team from Puerto Rico during a goodwill match on March 28 in York, Pa.

The dual meet will be open to the public and spectators are encouraged to come out to cheer on both teams at the York Expo Center's Toyota Arena, 334 Carlisle Ave.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students will a valid school id and free for children 8-years-old and under. Tickets are available at the door and include admission to all of the day's matches, beginning at 9 a.m.

The team of 20 Puerto Rican players range in age from 13-19-years-old and will compete against an All-Star Team of similar age U.S. players.

Nice throw executed by Nate Diaz against Josh Neer. Diaz won at UFN by split decision.

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We're back with a vengeance ... not really, just always wanted to say that. Anyway, Tom Joyce and I give you our opinions on the latest goings-on in the wild-and-wooly world of MMA. Enjoy, dammit!

George McGinnis, instructor at York Mixed Martial Arts Academy, sent out this emial on how YMMAA did at the Keystone Games in the judo tournament:

Among the Keystone Games competitors today (July 27th 08) were YMMAA representatives George McGinnis and Wayne Schaffer. To accompany them with technical support was long time friend and coach, Charles Parker.

McGinnis and Schaffer competed in both Masters and Seniors. McGinnis would go on to place 3rd in Men's Masters middle weight and Schaffer would go on to place 2nd in Men's Masters light. McGinnis was bumped out of the Seniors division his fourth fight in by a controversial (Ipon) call that even had the audience pleading with disappointment. Schaffer was eliminated his 3rd fight in by Ipon.

Here's a few words regarding the event and the importance behind Judo. McGinnis: "I have been doing B.J.J now for a few years but I have to admit that previously one of the major draw backs to my overall game was take downs. Since I have committed time and consistent effort to Judo and becoming more well rounded, events like today help me gauge were I am one event to the next. I'd like to thank my friend Chuck for being persistent and patient with me through my Judo development. Today was for you my friend!" McGinnis, Parker and several others are scheduled to compete in numerous B.J.J / Judo tournaments over the next two months.

There's a judo tournament tomorrow (Sunday) at the Keystone Games, for anyone who may want to compete or watch.

It's being held at the York Expo Center, Memorial Hall West, and weigh-ins are from 9-10:30 a.m.

Thanks to George McGinnis from York Mixed Martial Arts Academy for letting me know about this.

The games also demo'd a new sport this year - beach wrestling. Don't know how they're going to swing this - Pa. is land-locked - are they gonna truck in the sand??? Anyway, here a video of the way they do it at Virginia Beach: