Shintaro Higashi
The Shintaro Higashi Show
Welcome to The Shintaro Higashi Show, where martial arts, life, and business collide. Hosted by Shintaro Higashi—Judo and BJJ black belt, former world-level competitor, and lifelong grappler (wrestling and sambo)—this podcast dives into training, competition, coaching, and life on and off the mats. Expect deep dives into technique, strategy, and mindset, plus unfiltered takes on the martial arts world. Whether you're a competitor, coach, or just a fan of combat sports, this show has something for you!
Author
Shintaro Higashi
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 2, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
An Interview With Ruotolo Brothers 01.04.2024 23:35
In this episode, Peter sits down with the Ruotolo brothers Kade and Tye . The brothers talk about how they started BJJ as babies and their professional careers, as well as their upcoming fights at ONE Fight Night 21 on 4/5/2024. You can catch their fights on Amazon Prime! Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreo...
From Judo to Sambo - An Interview with Mattia Galbiati 25.03.2024 40:42
Mattia Galbiati is a decorated Judoka from Italy who's had great success after transitioning to Sambo. In this episode, Shintaro and Mattia discuss who the transition was for him, and what the differences are between Judo and Sambo. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shintaro_higashi_show...
How to Be a Better Judo Teacher 18.03.2024 31:00
How do you become a good Judo teacher, and what does a good Judo teacher even look like? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter critically examine the teaching methods of Judo in America. How valid is the "traditional" way of teaching that was imported from Japan? Is there a better approach? Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon:...
Making It to the Olympics for Judo, Then and Now - An Interview with Nicky Yonezuka 11.03.2024 48:34
Shintaro sits down with Nicky Yonezuka , the second generation of the famous Yonezuka family. Nicky shares what it was like growing up in a Judo family with his father, Yoshisada Yonezuka, who was a highly accomplished Judoka in Japan, and making it to the 1980 Olympics at 16 years old. Shintaro and Nicky also discuss what it has been like to be the head sensei at the Cranford Judo Karate Center s...
The Private Lesson Series 04.03.2024 29:52
Shintaro introduces a new video series—The Private Lesson Series! This series aims to replicate the experience of a private lesson with Shintaro. Moving away from the traditional lecture format, where Shintaro would typically explain a technique, the videos in the Private Lesson Series adopt a more interactive approach. Here, Shintaro concentrates on addressing specific questions posed by a studen...
Taking Judo More Seriously 26.02.2024 24:12
Shintaro and Peter have extensively discussed the 'everyday Judoka,' for whom competition and randori may not be the most effective ways to learn and enjoy Judo. But what about those hobbyist Judokas who wish to take Judo more seriously and compete at local levels or beyond? How can they best train with limited time? Which tournaments should they consider participating in? In this episode,...
Kids Judo Program - An Interview With Joseph Coker 19.02.2024 45:16
Running a kids' program is one of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of managing a successful martial arts school. Essential for growth and sustainability, these programs, however, are frequently seen by many martial arts instructors as secondary to adult programs. What does it take to run a fun, educational, and successful kids' program in a martial arts school? In this episo...
How to Grow Your Judo Gym 12.02.2024 49:45
Shintaro and Peter have extensively discussed the economics of Judo in the United States. Now that we understand the current status quo, what can we do about it? More specifically, how can we grow our gyms to in turn help Judo expand at the grassroots level? Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shintaro_...
Economics of Judo - An Interview with Jimmy Pedro 05.02.2024 50:25
It's a simple reality: the more money that flows into Judo, the more popular it becomes. But how do the economics of Judo in America compare to those in other parts of the world? Is there room for improvement? In this special episode, sponsored by FUJI Sports , Shintaro sits down with Jimmy Pedro for the third time to discuss the economics of Judo. Not only does Jimmy run his own dojo and th...
Fast Track to Success 29.01.2024 39:15
Judo, and grappling in general, is usually thought to be a long journey. But is there a way to shorten it? Shintaro believes there is! In this episode, he shares his idea of a fast track to success in Judo and grappling. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shintaro_higashi_show . Any amount he...
Interview with Austin Cook 22.01.2024 42:40
Shintaro sits down with Austin Cook, a Stanford-trained medical doctor whose illustrious Judo career includes gold medals at the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Open, along with a bronze medal at the Panamerican Open. They delve into Austin's grappling journey, discussing his unorthodox and innovative training methods. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supportin...
How to Be a Good Uke 15.01.2024 31:00
Uke appreciation episode! Being an Uke is a huge part of Judo, but it's often not the most popular role, and many Judoka never bother to work on their Uke skills. Is it time for us to change that? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter what we can do to become a good Uke. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon...
How to Make It to the Olympics in Judo - An Interview with Jimmy Pedro 08.01.2024 49:59
How do you actually make it to the Olympics in Judo? Is it just a matter of being skilled at Judo, or does it involve much more? In this special episode, sponsored by FUJI Sports , Shintaro sits down with Jimmy Pedro, a 2-time Olympic bronze medalist and world champion, to discuss what it really takes to become an Olympian in Judo. How should you train? Which competitions should you enter? Where c...
Pulling Guard 01.01.2024 27:25
Shintaro is now a dirty guard puller! We Judokas, and some BJJ'ers, love to make fun of guard pullers, but is the ridicule really warranted? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter discuss pulling guard, especially Shintaro's recent experience in his BJJ journey. Is pulling guard useful? If so, when is it useful, and how can we do it most effectively? Join our Discord server and start chatting...
No-gi Judo 25.12.2023 34:04
With no-gi grappling's meteoric rise, no-gi Judo has recently been gaining attention. What exactly is no-gi Judo? Is it basically just Judo without the gi, or is it an entirely different sport that deserves its own spotlight? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter discuss no-gi Judo: how they have been approaching it, and how we as Judokas should approach it. Join our Discord server and start cha...
Everyday Judoka - An Interview with Jimmy Pedro 18.12.2023 47:06
In this special episode sponsored by FUJI Sports , Shintaro sits down with Jimmy Pedro to discuss the most important demographic in Judo—the everyday Judoka. Jimmy goes into detail about how hobbyists, everyday Judokas, can get the most out of Judo, and what the broader Judo community can do to help them succeed. Check out American Judo System for valuable resources for the everyday Judoka! Join o...
Judo Metagame 17.12.2023 31:53
A metagame, often described as a 'game within a game,' refers to the strategies used within a game to secure victory. Every competitive game, including Judo, has its own metagame. Yet, due to Judo's rapid pace and nuanced tactics, its metagame can be challenging to recognize and analyze. In this episode, Shintaro and Peter delve into the most prevalent metagames in Judo today and discu...
Making Friends at the Dojo 04.12.2023 27:07
Making friends and finding your own community at the dojo is key to success for any Judoka. That's actually how Shintaro and Peter became friends! In this episode, Shintaro and Peter discuss how we can make friends at the dojo effectively, and foster a friendly environment where everyone is welcome. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patr...
Judo Games 27.11.2023 21:29
Incorporating small games into your practice is a popular training method across many sports. Does this also work for Judo? In this episode, Shintaro and Greg discuss in depth various Judo games that can help you become a better Judoka. They talk about various aspects of the games such as how they can help you and how they have worked at Shintaro's dojo. Join our Discord server and start chatt...
Judo for Intermediate BJJ’ers 20.11.2023 24:57
Recently, many intermediate BJJ'ers are dabbling in Judo to improve their takedown game, but are they approaching it the right way? Some Judo throws can be detrimental if used incorrectly in BJJ. Is it better off for the intermediate BJJ'ers to learn wrestling? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter go in depth on how intermediate BJJ'ers should incorporate Judo into their training and ga...
BJJ for Intermediate Judokas 13.11.2023 27:11
It's quite common in America for intermediate Judokas to supplement their training with BJJ. Maybe the BJJ school offers more flexible class times, or they want to improve their newaza. What is the best way for them to approach BJJ to maximize its benefits? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter discuss strategies for intermediate Judokas to effectively integrate BJJ into their training. Join our...
Judo Comment Sections 06.11.2023 31:08
The Judo community lives in the comment section! If you're doing an Uchi Mata and you hit that far leg it's actually Hane Goshi....and you'll hear about it. The comments on our videos are overwhelmingly positive, but there's always some that stick out as negative. We talk today about the commenting judo community across the internet and give our thoughts. like COMMENT subscribe lol...
Ouchi Gari 30.10.2023 24:00
Ouchi Gari is possibly the most ubiquitous and frequently used grappling technique. Why is it so popular, and how can we really take advantage of its versatility? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter go on a deep dive of Ouchi Gari to answer those questions. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shintaro_higashi_...
Higher-Order Thinking For Judo 23.10.2023 20:19
When most people talk about their Judo game, they tend to focus on their favorite techniques and maybe favorite combinations around them. But Judo is more than that, and we need to be doing higher-order thinking. How is your natural athletic ability? What is your opponent's Judo game? What are the weaknesses of my Judo game? In this episode, Shintaro and Greg analyze Greg's Judo game in de...
Safe Judo Throws 16.10.2023 23:53
Judo with its high amplitude throws is known to be one of the more dangerous grappling arts out there. Are there any "safe" Judo throws then? In this episode, Shintaro and Peter discuss this question in depth. Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/shintaro_higashi_show . Any amount helps!
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