My father used to say this joke, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”

He’d often say it after something quasi-tragic happened. And that’s all I can say about Taraje’s showing at the Pan  American Games. 

Taraje did everything possible to prepare (well almost everything) to do well at the Pan Ams and it just didn’t “pan” (no pun intended).  Some things you just can’t plan for. So now Taraje has to do his best to qualify his weight class for the Olympics.

The key for us really is to reasses what took place and to fix some of the problem areas. For those inside of my Judo Inner Circle we will discuss this particular topic in the audo portion of our Inner Circle Issue. 

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Next Up…….
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Right now The Judo Crusader has been training 73 kg ______ _____.  This young man’s matwork has been improving like you wouldn’t believe. The Judo Crusader believes that this young man will make a huge in the 73 kilogram weight class and he will submit some people on the way………… ..   Zhooooo Jitsuuuuuuuu!

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Brian Olson’s Comeback
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It has been duly noted that Brian Olson, 3 Time Olympian and 1997 World Championship Bronze Medalist, is coming out of retirement to make a 4th Olympic Team. He will face off against the best our nation has to offer at 90 kilograms. Right now those individuals are Rick Hawn and Gary St. Leger.  I wonder how Brian will do against teh current competition that we have right now. My guess is that he will find, making the team, just a little bit tougher than he initially thought it was going to be. But may not.  I think that Rick Hawn, is going to fight his @$$ off to keep his number one spot.

Right now Rick is just coming off of an impressive Bronze Medal performance at the 2007 Pan American Championships and he’s been on fire after an impressive showing at teh National Championships, the World Team Trials and the Pan Ams. Now we’ll see how it all turns out.

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Travis Stevens Shocks
The World
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In an event filled Pan American Geams, Travis Stevens was one of the highlights of the competition. Weighing in at 81 kilograms, Travis was in the same weight class as my good friend and living Judo legend Flavio Canto of Brazil.  Travis showed no fear in his first International Team Appearance threw Flavio Canto for ippon in an impressive international team debut. 

Travis went on to win the Pan American Games 81 kg division and put a little gold in his pocket at the end of the day.   Travis is on track to do some damage at the World Championships. We all certainly hope that Travis does well.

Good luck bro.

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The World Championships
Will Be Here Soon….
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And I’m talking about the Brazilian Jiujitsu World Championships. They will be here on August 23 until August 25. The Judo Crusader can remember back in 2001 when he was competing in Brazil and he earned a silver medal. Now other future champions and Mixed Martial Arts superstars will mix it up in California at the end of August and it will be quite an affiar. I wish my new blue belt Taraje could attend. But we have to stay focused on the Olympics.

Take care good people.

Up, up and awayyyyy,

The Judo Crusader

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Introduction
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Just in case you don’t know….. .The Pan American Games are going on in Rio De Janiero, Brazil right now.  And currently they are in the heart of the Judo Competition.

The Judo Crusader has had the exclusive opportunity to speak with Taraje Williams-Murray on a daily basis before he competes on July 22nd.

Taraje has had quite a difficult time in Rio as he is really used to having a team of people work with him to serve his needs. Taraje follows the SAME EXACT model which I cover extensively in The Judo Success Secrets DVD series and it has been working for him in a superb fashion.  I got this model from Jimmy Pedro and it is what I used in order to make the Olympic Team in 2004.

Taraje understands that it is imperative for him to create a working environment which is conducive to him getting all of the things that he needs in order to be successful and he governs himself to make sure that all around him comply.  This is the way that he’s been taught, the way he’s been trained and the way in which he operates.  I truly believe that he will continue to have the kinds of success which he has been able to experience previously.

I certainly hope and pray that he does well as the Pan American Games. I’m proud of the way that he’s been training, how he’s been handling his educational pursuits and the professionalism with which he negotiates his judo career.  I would love to see an Olympic Medal around his neck in 2008 and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind it either.

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Amazing, but True
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A week ago Taraje Williams-Murray, who competes at 132lbs. boarded his flight to Brazil severely overweight. Team USA had a mandatory weigh-in before boarding the flight and Taraje weighed in at a whopping 159 pounds!  That 27 pounds overweight.  But, it was all planned like that. Taraje woke up last night at 140 pounds and he’s been eating every day without fail. 

We have been using a special diet and weight cutting plan in order to get Taraje’s weight down and we even invoked the help of my good friend, personal trainer and Natural Professional Bodybuilder Ken Stewart.  Ken is the owner of F².U.E.L (which stands for Fitness and Food Used for Energy and Life, Inc). F².U.E.L is an integrated nutrition and fitness company committed to taking the guess work out of living a healthy life.   They also do some of the things that I do in terms of fitness education. But I know that I don’t know everything and as I state in Judo Success Secrets,  it takes a collaborative teaming effort in order to help produce a champion.

The marriage among Ferguson Training Systems and F².U.E.L is a great one and very beneficial for Taraje.  As a matter of fact F².U.E.L. has committed to sponsoring all of Taraje’s protein and supplement needs as well as help out with his dietary needs.  This is huge!

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Expectations
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I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t expect Taraje to win, because the honest to goodness truth is that I do. I do EXPECT Taraje to win. I also expect him to win some of his matches by submission. As The Judo Crusader’s first BJJ student, I expect Taraje to perform to his capabilities on the mat. And has his strength coach, I really expect him to exceed my expectations in the conditioning department based upon the ease at which he conquered the last training cycle.

The only thing that I’m really worried about is Taraje getting all of his homework assignments in on time. Because at the end of the day Judo Medals are nice, but education is our primary concern. And when I say our, I mean mine, Taraje’s, his families and his coach – Coach Arkady.  We all understand that the real deal is education. With that being said, Good Luck Taraje.

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My Main Man Brutus
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Recently 2004 Olympian and USA National Champion Joel Brutus had to make a decision of whether to come down and train with The Judo Crusader or to go to France and train Judo. Due to many reasons, scheduling difficulties and small nicks and bruises.

Joel’s team of Judo Coaches from Haiti decided for him to go to France – and it was a GOOD move!  Joel Brutus (HAI)  ended up placing 3rd at the Pan American Games and is in a great position to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.

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Sherk and Franca Test Positive,
Both Facing Suspension and Fine
======================

At the last UFC Sherk and Franca had a great fight. Well, I think it was so great because they both MADE sure that it was.  It seems like the little guys don’t want to be outdone so they called upon a little help from the

Well, it seems like they will be suspended for a while, but I look forward to seeing these two guys fight again. I guess what Tito Ortiz said after his UFC draw with Rashad Evans is true, “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.” 

Well, The Judo Crusader doesn’t believe that to be the truth but he does know that drugs and sports go together like sweat and sweatsocks.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sports/jan-june04/sprint_05-20.html

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-16-2004-50635.asp

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2870644

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2964998

And the list goes on………

Up, up and away…..

The Judo Crusader

P.S. Make sure you visit Judo Success Secrets and get more information and the package and all that it entails. Take care.

Somebody asked me just recently how he could be a medalist at the National Championships. He said that he didn’t have any Olympic or World Championship aspirations but he just wanted to get on the medal stand at the Nationals. 

Well I asked him, “What do you think is holding you back?”

He said, “Well, sometimes I’m a little hesistant when I go into throw and I don’t commit.”

I IMMEDIATELY told him to stop doing uchikomis because the uchikomis were probably training him to do that in-and-out motion, thus causing the hesistation when it comes time for his body to do something that it is unfamiliar with. ……. That was the training fix.

On the mental side I told him that hesitating to throw and not throwing is the same thing.  You may as well let go off all your inhibitions and just go in with all your might. You’ll be surprised what you’ll get. And it can’t be any worse that what you had to begin with.  Just think, most people don’t throw because they are afraid of getting countered and losing. Well, heck, if you don’t try to throw or at least attack, you’re gonna lose anyway.

So remember, You can only get it (the win), if you let it (your inhibitions) go

Keep makin’ em fly,

The Judo Crusader

P.S. If you really want to learn how to “grow” your Judo career, then don’t wait — pick up the Gold Mettle Plan right now.

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Introduction
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Zippin’ around the country spreading the truth about the necessary “fusion” of Judo, Jiujitsu, Wrestling and Sambo is what the Judo Crusader has been and is doing. Many of you know how important it is to give back to the grassroots grappling movement and for those of you that know this, I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to some of you reading this who are not taking out just a lil’ bit of time in your schedule to teach what it is you love to those who would not readily be able to access you are your services. 

As a fellow Judo Crusader, I know that you know and understand how important this is.  The more that people become exposed to MMA, Grappling, Judo, Jiujitsu, and Wrestling – the better pool of athletes all of us will have to choose from and the more informative grapplers we will all become. 

I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned and how much I’ve taught in the past 6 months. It has been amazing. And I can and will continue to spread the truth about the “fusion” and I hope that you do too.

Remember, its not about “your sport” its about OUR sport. And ALL OF US GRAPPLE! Some of us wrestle, some do judo, some some, and some no-gi, but we all grapple. All of our sports fall under the category of grappling. So in that respect, there’s much that we can learn from each other.

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Where I am now!
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Right now, I’m in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania teaching and coaching Judo to some individuals who would never get exposed to Judo. A gentleman by the name of Les Ford called me and asked me if I would come teach some young children in Harrisburg that would otherwise have ZERO exposure to our sport. And I said, “of course!!” Because my sport doesn’t grow, if I don’t help grow it. That is why I keep churning out products, DVDs, Books, newsletters, blog post, articles and various training tools. Because the more I give, the more I receive.

This camp was put on by Les Ford and the Harrisburg Judo Club and a key major sponsor toward making sure that all of the kids had judo gis to practice in was Hatashita Sports. A good friend of The Judo Crusader and Les Ford is Lia Hatashita. Lia Hatashita is the owner of Hatashita Sports and she really does more than her fair share in order to grow the sport of Judo.

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What’s Next?
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The Judo Crusader has been working intensely with Taraje Williams-Murray and he has been training ferociously.  Taraje has also been prepping for the Pan American Games in Judo.

The Judo Crusader is now also working with a new Judo Player in the 73 kg weight class. Soon, the Judo Crusader will let you know who this person is. 

Also the Judo Crusader has a special announcement that he will make pretty soon (hint: for those of you emailing the Judo Crusader about a new DVD, you will be very excited).

Take care.

Up, up and awayyyyyyyy,

Rhadi Ferguson (a.k.a. “The Judo Crusader”)

Tonight is a big night in Mixed Martial Arts.  Rashad Evans will fight against Tito Ortiz. This fight should be interesting as Rashad is undefeated and Tito will be a good test for him. Tito is at the top of the B ranked fighters and the bottom of the A ranked fighters. 

Don’t get me wrong……. he’s good, but he’s light years behind a lightheavyweight Randy Couture, Rampage Jackson and Chuck Liddell.  He’s good, but I don’t think he wants ANY PIECE of the like of Dan Henderson.

I think if Rashad Evans can get a win here, he’ll be 1 or 2 fights away from a title shot. If not, he’s gonna get thrown in the mixer again. If Tito wins, I feel sorry for him, because there’s nowhere for him to go but Henderson, Rampage, or Liddell.

That’s a tough road to hoe.

By the way, his girlfriend Jenna Jameson, just made the cover of Grappling Magazine. AMAZING! I didn’t know that Grappling and porn were such a good mix   

Up up and awayyyy,

The Judo Crusader

P.S. I have one heck of a surprise coming real soon.

P.P.S. 1997 World Silver Medallist and 3-Time Olympian Brian Olson (USA) has come out of retirement and is trying to make his 4th Olympic Team and get his much elusive medal.  I certainly wish him the best