For the first time, the two newcomers put judogi on. They recognised that it was a strange feeling before they entered the tatami but once they bowed, all their concerns vanished.
"It was a great experience for us," said Carolina Trautner, before adding "to have Regina and Johannes as coaches was great and we have learned many things about judo, in practice as well as in theory. We have learned a lot about the judo philosophy as well.”
The content of the two hour session was designed like normal judo training, beginning with taiso (exercises), counting in Japanese and then some movements to understand and perform ukemi-waza (breakfalls) with crash mats. They also looked at the importance of kuzushi and then moved on to some groundwork techniques. Randori was also practised, although it was modified with different judo games.
"Judo is an interesting kind of sport and I see the crucial parts, referring to the judo values like respect and humility, while also considering the rest of society,,“ concluded the former State Minister. During her time in the Bavarian government, Mrs Trautner was responsible for gender equity and she took the opportunity to ask Regina about her experiences as a female judoka in a male-dominated environment.
The women talked particularly about gender roles in countries where Johannes and Regina have been involved in judo development programmes. "I have learned that judo is ideal for developing self-confidence, which is so important for girls and women," concluded the impressed Bavarian politician.
Maybe Carolina Trautner will continue with judo, who knows, since she knows for sure that our sport is perfect for the development of physical capacities and has a richness that goes way beyond competition. It is about developing a philosophy that can do a lot of good for society.