John's
Story
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John
Saylor began judo and jujitsu training at the age of 14 under
Korean War Veteran Sgt. Doug Grant, and Jim Nichols. Immediately
after graduating high school Saylor left home and trained under
2-time World Judo Medallist Kil Soon Park from 1972 through 1975.
Following his time with Kil Soon Park, Saylor spent a couple years
on the Ohio State University Judo Team.
From
1978 through 1980 Saylor moved to New Jersey and trained under
former All-Japan College Champion and 2-time U.S. Olympic Coach,
Yoshisada “Yone” Yonezuka.
John
also trained for many years at Camp Olympus, the great summer
training camp founded by 1964 Olympic and 1965 World Medallist,
Jim Bregman. Here John worked with many great instructors including
Olympians Jim Bregman, George Harris, Ben Campbell, Jim Wooley,
World and Olympic Champion Anton Geesink, Hayward Nishioka, Paul
Maruyama, Geoff Gleeson, Bill Montgomery, and many others.
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Especially
influential in John’s career was 1976 Heavyweight Olympic
Medallist, Allen Coage, who later wrestled in WWF as “Bad
News Brown.” Allen took Saylor under his wing and for
several years served as a mentor, training partner, and friend.
Allen Coage, who before entering the WWF wrestled for Antonio
Inoki in Japan, was also the first to teach John the system
of body weight exercises advocated by the great professional
submission wrestler Karl Gotch. These are exercises John still
incorporates in his training today.
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Throughout
his competitive career Saylor, as a member of various U.S. Judo
Teams, trained and competed throughout Europe, Japan, South America,
Canada, and South Africa. In 1979, while staying at Tokai University
in Japan, Saylor was able to train with and observe some of the
best judoists in the world, including the great Heavyweight Olympic
and World Champion, Yasuhiro Yamashita, 1980 Light Heavy Weight
Olympic Champion Robert Van de Walle of Belgium, and 2 complete
Soviet Teams. Most of the Soviets were not only world-class judo
fighters, but top SOMBO wrestlers as well.
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After
a serious shoulder injury in 1982 Saylor retired from competitive
judo. Since then he has devoted himself to coaching and teaching
judo, jujitsu, submission grappling and self-defense.
He served as Coach of the U.S. National Judo Training Squad at
the Olympic Training Center from 1983 through 1990 which produced,
or served as a temporary home, for many National, Pan American,
World and Olympic medallists and champions. Shortly after leaving
the OTC, John completed his B.A. at Colorado Christian University.
After completing his degree Saylor helped train 3-time Olympian
Grace Jividen. He accompanied her to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
where she narrowly missed a bronze medal in a hard-fought, scoreless
decision loss against the Cuban.
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In
1987 John was voted Coach of The Year by the United States Judo
Association. During his tenure as Coach of the U.S. National
Judo Training Squad at the OTC, John was selected by the governing
body of judo, along with his good friend Steve Scott, to attend
the U.S. Olympic Committee Coaches College.
John and Steve completed this program several times, and for
2 years John was asked to present a segment on training for
combative sports.
It was during these coaches college sessions that John developed
a life-long friendship with outstanding coach and co-author
Steve Scott.
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In 1985 John Saylor founded the Shingitai
Jujitsu Association, and has remained active as director to this
day.
Saylor is a 7th Degree Black Belt in Jujitsu, and also holds black
belt rankings in judo, Tae Kwon Do, and Ashihara Karate, the latter
of which he studied under 1978 All-Japan Full-Contact Karate Champion,
Kancho Joko Ninomiya.
He is a certified Systema (Russian Martial Art) instructor, and
is also certified by world- famous powerlifting, conditioning,
and speed strength coach, Louie Simmons, to teach The Westside
Method of Training.
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John
is also the author of Strength and Conditioning Secrets Of The
World’s Greatest Fighters, as well as many jujitsu instructional
DVD’s, and is co-author with Steve Scott of The Principles
Of Shingitai Jujitsu.
Today John still teaches camps and seminars on jujitsu, submission
grappling, MMA, and self-defense at his Barn of Truth Dojo located
on 60 pristine acres bordering the Mohican State Forest in Perrysville,
Ohio.
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