Our Story

The following paragraphs outline the team at Big's vision, our mission and the values that we will demonstrate. And; most importantly our history.

Our Strategic Vision

1. Promote and teach Judo.
2. Develop all people that join our team whether they are instructors, students or supporters
3. Grow Big Judo so that it becomes large enough to be strategically sustainable so that we can continue to achieve the first two objectives.

Our Mission Statement

Big Judo will provide excellent Judo instruction that builds better people.

Big Judo's Values

At Big we believe in three key values that are the basis of our martial art's teaching. 

1. Bravery -  This is the 'base virtue' because a person with moral and physical courage is confident and able to 'live' their other values. An expression of  moral courage is that we expect members to be well disciplined
2. Service to the club and wider community - With physical and mental strength comes a responsibility to be kind and helpful to all people.  We expect our students to value service to others, 
3. Technical excellence - We relentlessly pursue excellence in our instruction. We expect our students to work hard to be the best they can at Judo.  

Big Judo's History

Big Judo's style is derived from the Japanese 'Kosen' style of Judo; taught by Ben and Nellie's Sensei Rick Littlewood. Both trained with Rick at the world famous Auckland University Judo Club  for more than 30 years.

The Auckland University style of Judo fuses traditional 'Kosen' Judo with modern competitive Judo. It is characterised by a focus on grappling, ground-fighting and 'gameness'.

Auckland University Judo Club produced four Olympic Judo players and many national and international competitive players.

Rick spent the late-1960's and early-1970's training in Kyoto.  He trained with and was mentored by Isao Okano (Olympic Gold medallist and World Champion). Both having been instructed by Kimura Mitsuro (Mr Sankaku) and Ebi Goichi (the 'God of Ground-fighting). At the 1972 Olympics Rick achieved New Zealand's highest placing ever in Olympic Judo.

Rick in Japan in the early 1960s

This photo is of Rick and his training partners in Japan in the late 1960s.
Rick is the one on the far right.

Rick in the 1990s with Isao Okano

A photo of Rick and his old Sensai Kimura Mitsuro.



At Big Judo we work to continue this legacy by instructing children and adults in this style of Judo.