"Home" - about Gleeson Judo and the family behind the agency, aims, education, history and so on.
"Joining Info." - for any new students/schools 'terms & conditions', testimonials, policy/info on Judo suits, behaviour/etiquette, grading, expectations. Old newletter downloads
"Trianing info" - benifits from Judo, points to be remembered - an over flow from the 'joining info' page really.
"Histories of" - what it says + historical Judo and personalities of
"News" - anything that has or about to happen -what it says
"Dates" - all the dates of school term sessions/holidays, along with
downloadable joining forms
"Events" Dates and addresses of the "camps" or extra training sessions (same thing) we are planning.
"Merchandise"
- Products offered by Gleeson Judo. SOON RE-PUBLISHING OF G.R.GLEESON'S MOST PIVOTAL BOOKS - WATCH THIS SPACE!!
"Sherborne" - this is aimed at our more senior students, with training info. plus development/coaching links/instruction not exclusively for this school!
"Junior page" - focused at our younger students with quizzes etc. - still being
developed - sorry.
"Links" - links to all our client
school web pages plus other
internet sites of interest, some related to judo others not...
"Images"
- images of judo both still & moving (via youtube links), artistic
interpretations of judo, with infomation, advice & coaching pointers relating to the images shown.
Also find us on
and twitter 
"@GleesoJudo"WELCOME TO THE GLEESON JUDO WEBSITE
We hope this proves useful for you to learn about what we do and who we are. Please feel free to look through the web site. If you have any comments or enquires please
contact us by email click or Phone: (44)7810790039
runs Gleeson Judo in partnership with his wife. He was trained in his early judo career by his father G. R. Gleeson (see below). This training stood him in good stead when he went to Japan and trained in several of the top training centres there, mainly the Kodokan International Judo Institute, set up by Judo’s founder Professor Kano, Nippon Taku Daigaku (Japanese National P.E. University) and Waseda University to name but three of many. He won his Third Dan Black Belt from the Kodokan International Judo Institute before returning to the UK in 2001, to complete an MA in Fine Art at Wimbledon School of Art.
Bob Willingham (ex- IJF Photographer) & Matt Carter
at the Kodokan, Japan 2000
During his early career he assisted at his father's coaching seminars, which tackled many avant-garde issues in sport and its coaching. Finn started doing Judo 'seriously' from the early '80s, leaving for Japan in 1992. Finn competed in competitions both in Japan and the UK. He was also present at many international competitions from an extremely early age, while his father worked, coaching the British squads.
Many of his qualifications are focused around Art, having a B.A. (Hons), P.G.C.E . (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) and an M.A. in Fine Art. He has had numerous exhibitions worldwide and a diverse clientele for his artwork. He continues to work in what little time is available after Gleeson Judo (see links below). A return to exhibiting is being planned for next year 2011, information will be pasted around as it comes in...
HISTORY, GLEESON JUDO
G. R. Gleeson (Born: 29
August 1927, Died: 4 February 1994) 9th Dan Judo black belt. Perhaps one of the
most influential Judo figures of all time and the most under recognised. Began
his Judo career almost by accident in 1948. Already a National level swimmer, a
friend led him to judo for company. After reaching membership of the British
Judo team in 1951 taking part in the first post war international against
France and winning, he was advised to go to Japan by his teacher, T. P.
Leggett (see "Rogues Gallery on "Histories pg" ). With sponsorship from some of the senior members of the Budokwai
(the likes of the sculptor Marcus Kaye (http://www.budokwai.org/past_personalities.htm) and others, a one-way boat ticket was
bought.
G. R. Gleeson arrived in Yokohama, gave his last pennies away to the ship’s stwuard and disembarked into the unknown. He lived with the Takasaki family, friends of Mr. Leggett, in Yokohama (Mrs. Takasaki was the daughter of Jigaro Kano). Takasaki owned an aircraft factory in Kawasaki and gave G. R. Gleeson a job as engineering draftsman at which he held a National Certificate from the UK, gained while at his former employment with Fairey Aviation Company, towards the end of WWII & after, at the site of modern day Heathrow Airport.
G. R. Gleeson was the first Kodokan foreign kenshusei after World War Two. He was one of the only
non-Japanese to be selected at the time to do a Kata demonstration. This he did
with the All Japan Champion, Daigo, now one of the few 10th Dans in
the world and a close friend of the family to this day. While in Japan G. R. Gleeson studied Judo (reaching 4th Dan), Kendo
(reaching 5th Dan), Aikido (reaching 6th Dan), Bojitsu
(reaching 3rd Dan), Karate (reaching 1st Dan) and Zen
Buddhism along with cultural studies such as calligraphy and flower
arranging. He was in Japan from 1952-5
and knew other influential foreign judo players while he was there, such as the
famous artist Yves Klein (again featured in the "rogues gallery" History pg.) and judo titan Anton Geesink, now deceased but another 10th Dan. His return ticket was
financed by Hollywood. He was lucky enough to be picked for a bit part in the
film "House of Bamboo" released by Twentieth Century Fox (1955)
staring Robert Ryan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuMf6LfdiJ0&feature=related
GRG is one of the men working in the fields under Mount Fuji). Non-Japanese
were very rare at this time in Japan and the film needed ‘European’ extras, US military
personnel were obviously off limits for the film company although they were what was intended according to the film's story. His "part" takes about 5 seconds of the introduction - try and spot which one he is...I can't!
T.P. Leggett & G. R. Gleeon Kata demonstration 1956.
On his returned to England G.
R. Gleeson captained the British team in their championship period 1955-8,
while managing the Budokwai Judo club in London. He
studied for a Bachelors degree at London University (SOAS) in Asian Studies and
got married in 1958. He became Britain's first National Judo Coach in 1960, after doing the job on a volentary basis for a couple of years. He held the post until 1974, when there was a rather acrimonious parting with the British Judo Association (BJA).
G. R. Gleeson wrote many books on Judo, including: "Judo for the West", "Anatomy of Judo" & "Judo In-side Out" (soon to be republished by us - check details on the "merchandise" page). He also made two award-winning films on Judo (we hope to be re-issuing these in the near future). Some argue that British Judo was at its most successful under G. R. Gleeson's coaching leadership. The national coaching schemes he developed for the UK, (also the USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Australia and NZ) seemed to result in a very consistent development of players and international results, not to mention the coaches. The body of coaches that were working in the UK at the time of G. R. Gleeson came from all walks of life and progressed into many areas of excellence. Most of this work was abandoned by the British Judo Association after his departure from that organisation.
Following the end of his employment with the BJA, G. R. Gleeson studied for an
M. Phil and continued to add
to his work on Judo. He became the Executive Secretary for the 'British
Association of National Coaches'. Then in 1991/2, was one of the founder
members of the 'Academy of Coaching'. Both of these prestigious organisations have now ceased to be. They did however
pioneer some ground breaking work on coach education, looking at areas to
develop sports performance, coaching knowledge and trying to promote sport’s
position within society. Areas
looked at included Ballet, Politics, the visual Arts and other subject areas
not obvious at first glance.
G. R. Gleeson giving a seminar circa 1990
G. R. Gleeson died on a clear February morning in 1994 and was sadly missed by family, friends and relations.
Publications:
Gleeson,
Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " All about judo (EP sport series) ",
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, EP Publishing, 1975, 143p, 24
cm,
3007, ISBN 0951845527 ISBN 0715805908 (pbk).
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Anatomy of judo : Analysis of
judo skills in dynamic situations ", London, United Kingdom, Kaye &
Ward, 1969, 176p, 23 cm, 3048, ISBN 0718207890.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Anatomy of judo : Analysis of
judo skills in dynamic situations ", New York, United States, A. S.
Barnes, 1969, 176p, JBN, ISBN13 9780498074950.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Better Judo : The key to
improved performance ", London, United Kingdom, Kaye & Ward, 1972
1977, 96p, 23 cm, LoC, ISBN 0718204859.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " How to play judo ", London,
United Kingdom, Kaye & Ward, 1970, 94p, 19 cm, 3043, ISBN
0718209028.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo ", London, United
Kingdom, A&C Black, 1988 1990, 96p, 23 cm, JBN, ISBN 0713655895.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo (know the game) ",
London, United Kingdom, A&C Black, 1990[2], 32p, 13 cm, KS, ISBN
0713656964.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo (know the game) ",
London, United Kingdom, A&C Black, 1995[3], 48p, 21 cm, BLC, ISBN
0713638206.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo (know the game) ",
London, United Kingdom, A&C Black, 2004[4], 48p, 21 cm, BLC, ISBN
0713666838.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo for the west ",
London, United Kingdom, Kaye & Ward, 1967, 207p, 23 cm, 3004.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo games ", London,
United Kingdom, A&C Black, 1989, 72p, 31 cm, KS, ISBN 071365709X.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " Judo inside out : a cultural
reconciliation ", Wakefield, United Kingdom, Lepus Book, 1983, 155p, 25
cm, LoC, ISBN 0860191001 (cased) ISBN 0860191087 (pbk).
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " The Budokwai basic training
manual ", London, United Kingdom, The Budokwai, 1957, 20p, 3273.
Gleeson, Geoffrey Robert (1927 - 1994), " The complete book of Judo
", Toronto, Canada, Coles Publishing, 1976, 143p, 20 cm, BJ.
INTERNET REFERENCES:
A couple of interesting things I found on the net which might interest you. One a blog about G R Gleeson and the thinking that he did into Judo, click this link
Then there is this one from the States, where he did a lot of work helping in the development of their system in the early '70s. click the link
For those of you with time on your hands, I joke. I do feel, I say hopefully, that it will give you an added perspective on what you are putting you child into.
Now please continue through the web site for more and further details of Judo and Gleeson Judo. Information is spread out but we hope everything you need to know is on the site somewhere. Thanks very much -