# Black Belt in Red Square



## Makalakumu (Dec 23, 2007)

I did not know this...

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

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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.
		
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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...*


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## howard (Dec 23, 2007)

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.


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## Rich Parsons (Dec 23, 2007)

upnorthkyosa said:


> I did not know this...
> 
> http://www.startribune.com/world/12743287.html
> 
> ...


*


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.*


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## Omar B (Dec 23, 2007)

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


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## elder999 (Dec 23, 2007)

Omar B said:


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


 

It's pretty good, too!


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## arnisador (Sep 13, 2008)

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.


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## Andy Moynihan (Sep 13, 2008)

I believe he was just recently promoted to Rokudan.


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