As I watch the Olympics, I am reminded of how much everything around us in our life Changes. I was watching the Judo matches and couldn’t figure out what was happening. There were penalties being called that I didn’t see occurring. There was no mat work allowed at all. The contestants didn’t look or fight like the Judo I competed in. I participated until I was well into my 40s, and took a third place in the nationals in my teens. We competed then under Kodokan rules, straight from Japan. They were very different. All competitors lined up in a single line, with the loser rank at the start progressing to the highest ranked at the other end. The competitors are then counted off by twos — 1..2..1..2..1..2, etc. All the ones formed a line on one side of the room. Keeping the same order, low to high rank. All the twos formed a line on the other side of the room, also keeping the same order. The person at the first of each line were the first match. This meant they were close to or the same rank. The winner stayed up and took on the next person in the other line, who was the same or a higher rank. If you won, you stayed up to take the next in line. There was no rest period between matches, and each time you had a higher rank competitor. One way of earning a higher rank was by staying up and beating three consecutive people of the next higher rank. In our competition we could win with a choke that made your opponent tap-out, or a hold down of your opponent on their back controlling their head and an arm or leg for 30 seconds. A clean throw of your opponent to their back was an instant win.

I guess like in football, the rules have been changed to support fewer injuries. Everything I was taught to do when I played in the early 1950s is illegal now. I think the changes have really altered the sports. I hope for the better. At least they are safer.

What changes can you make in your life to make it safer? Remember cars are not the only things that can be recalled by their maker.