Michael Horley -- The Japanese Experience

Mike (Jurgan) Horley recently returned from Japan where he took part in the Japanese World Cup Grand Slam and also visited, with the Great Britain Team, several University Dojos for training sessions. Here he recounts the experience:-
Kokugikan, well known for its sumo wrestlers, was the first University club we trained at. The first couple of days were hard as it took a while to get used to the totally different style of judo. However towards the end I was giving some stick though and getting lots of throwing done.
NITTAIDAI University was another club which we went to train. This was a very intense environment. We did 10 x 6 minute randori periods in our first session (NO rest, NO water). Surprisingly it was one of the best sessions and I came into my own after a while.
One Saturday morning we had a test match with the Nittadaidai judoka. Unfortunately I lost both matches. My second contest went to full time but I was a waza-ari down. Then we did 10 x 5 minute randori sessions.
Generally the training consisted of six newaza periods followed by 10 - 15 randori sessions with speed uchikomi at the end. Most sessions were two-and-a-half hours in length.
All of the Japanese like to fight you against the wall, which is quite irritating, but if you give them it back the don't like it at all. Some of these players also like to jab you in the face whilst holding your lapel which can get annoying. With this in mind it could be quite easy to get into a war. But I just shrugged it off and tried to improve my judo instead of fore-arm smashing people round the head. Japan definitely improved my combinations.
TOKYO GRAND SLAM
For the days running up to the Grand Slam the GB Squad was upgraded to a Five ***** Star Hotel which was a joy after being in a basic hotel in the rough end of Tokyo for two weeks. The Hotel had all you could eat buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was 3 kilos under weight so I abused the system for six days.
THE COMPETITION
The venue for the Grand Slam was the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. A really big venue with loads of spectators who were constantly chanting. The atmosphere was awesome.
I was drawn up against Robert Dumke of Germany for my first fight. The fight was a bit scrappy to start off he kept pinning my sleeves and dropping under me. A minute into the fight I realised I had fought him before (in the Belgium Open in February). Eventually I started to dominate the fight. I pinned his head then went in for Eri Seoinage. (see Photograph) I could feel his dead weight but then he suddenly felt light. I thought this surely is Ippon! Anyway he hit the mat hard. I rotated through onto my back and saw the referee's arm high in the air. It was the best feeling with all of the GB Squad and the Japanese crowd cheering. Conversely my next fight was against a strong Belarussian who threw me for Ippon in 14 seconds. I was very embarrassed and just wanted to get off the mat ASAP. I was a bit gutted but at the same time chuffed with my first fight and pleased to have a taste of what it is like fighting in a top level tournament and in front of such a big crowd with some of the best in the world.
INTERNATIONAL CAMP - KODOKAN
This was a very tough camp. I had some good fights with the European players of my standard. The first two days were o/k. I was getting some decent randori partners. However the international teams were decreasing each day so by the time it got to the last day it was the Japanese Team and a couple of foreigners versus GB. I was desperately to get a European player for a practice but I kept getting handed off to the Japanese, who, to be honest, were giving me a bit of a hiding. It was death by Uchimata.
The final straw was when an Under 81 kilo player set me up. I went to practise with him but he then turned me down and offered me to his friend, ANAI the Under 100kilo Japanese player. I had to oblige. It was an intense five minutes, especially as I injured him in the first ten seconds. Anai was a gentleman though, when he threw me on the wood he slowed me down slightly. Luckily I managed to get on with a Belasrussian world medallist for a breather -- before I was hunted down by another Japanese player.
The whole trip was probably the hardest training for me so far particularly mentally and well worth all the bruises.