Black Belt in Red Square

[Makalakumu]

I did not know this...

http://www.startribune.com/world/12743287.html

Black belt from Red Square: Putin's defense maneuvers now on instructional judo video

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -

President Vladimir Putin is known for his political maneuvers. Now, everyone can check out his moves in another area of expertise: judo.
Putin, a black belt, said Friday that he and Yasuhiro Yamashita, a world and Olympic judo champion from Japan, have made an instructional video together.

The news came after Putin got a message of greeting from Yamashita during an opening ceremony at Toyota Motor Corp.'s new assembly plant near his hometown of St. Petersburg.

"He and I have recorded a video disc as a video supplement to a judo manual," Putin said. "I think it will be coming out in January or February."
Two years ago, Putin and Yamashita attended a judo lesson in St. Petersburg together, helping students practice holds at the judo school Putin, 55, attended in his college years. He had met Yamashita during a visit to Tokyo the previous month.

Putin co-authored a judo manual several years ago.

His physical fitness helped build his popularity among Russians after years with the hard-drinking and chronically ill Boris Yeltsin, who died in April, as president.

Does this change anyone's opinion of this world leader? It certainly makes me think differently. Imagine our president getting thrown with tomoenage. That's a hell of a dose of humility...

 

[howard]

I'd read years ago that he was a black belt in Judo... apparently pretty skilled. As for opinions about him as a leader... well, he's just another autocratic ex-KGB guy who just got finished rigging an election and putting himself in position to be the shadow president.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I did not know this...

http://www.startribune.com/world/12743287.html



Does this change anyone's opinion of this world leader? It certainly makes me think differently. Imagine our president getting thrown with tomoenage. That's a hell of a dose of humility...

I have said this for years if I was an elected offical that people want to interview I would give them 15 minutes exclusive if they could go 5 minutes stick fighting with me. It would be intersting to see how much of a beating they would be willing to take for the interview.


As to being Hit and or thrown, I see nothing wrong with it personally. The best leaders are not all ego, they lead as it is natural not because they bought a job or was in the right place at the wrong time.

 

[Omar B]

He's actually got a book on Judo that he co-authored on Amazon.

 

[elder999]

He's actually got a book on Judo that he co-authored on Amazon.

It's pretty good, too!

 

[arnisador]

Sarkozy limbers up for judo lessons from Putin

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a champion judoka, could soon be flooring France's Nicolas Sarkozy with some of his famous throws after agreeing to pass on some of his black belt skills to the French president.

"He (Sarkozy) is interested in martial arts and we have decided to do some training together," Putin was quoted as saying in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro published on Saturday.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

I believe he was just recently promoted to Rokudan.