According to Hayward Nishiko, “I remember one time I was at Bruce’s house…I had done a little karate, but I couldn’t hold a candle to him (Bruce Lee).
One of the best instances which proves the effectiveness of judo on the mat is during a sparring session between the legendary Bruce Lee and Hayward Nishiko, a two-time nominee for the BLACK BELT Hall of Fame for his judo. According to Hayward Nishiko, “I remember one time I was at Bruce’s house…I had done a little karate, but I couldn’t hold a candle to him (Bruce Lee). He was too fast for me; he would tap my head before I even got set.” Nishika continued, “Finally I asked Bruce what he would do if I just sat on the ground and wait for him to attack me, He said he’d just walk away.” Bruce Lee knew that it wasn’t his area of expertise; he knew other martial art styles won’t be enough to counter the judo grappling and locks. Judo teaches throws, armbars and chokes; but, the type of throws used doesn’t matter. It’s the execution that counts. The 1981 BLACK BELT Hall of Fame judo instructor Jack Williams said, “Make a throw fast enough, and they won’t get up.” Some of the most common self-defense throws are the hip throw (ogoshi), one-arm shoulder throw (ippon seonagei), two-arm shoulder throw (morose seoinage) and outside major reap (osoto-gari). Judo throws can render average street fighters helpless and can be an effective self-defense tool.