On Monday the 15th of January I attended my first Judo class.
My local club offered a 4-week free course for children and adults, with the adults session being 8.30-9.30 pm on a Monday.
Having trained in kickboxing on and off for the last two years, I was excited for a new challenge.
It was a combat sport I hadn’t experienced before but wanted to expand my skill set and knowledge of training in other martial arts.
As I arrived I had little clue what was happening, where I was, or who anybody else was.
I felt slightly nervous but was generally just tired due to the time of day (should’ve taken pre-workout!)
The class began with a bow to show a sign of respect to the sensei and other judokas.
Although our class was older, he believed in using judo-related ‘games’ to help us learn.
We did things such as:
- Pairing up trying to touch one another shoulders, knees, and outside of their ankles.
- Attempting to defend being slapped in the face from a bottom position.
- Trying to escape from the pressure of an opponent holding us down.
- Practicing falling, requires a technique that breaks a fall to minimise injury when thrown.
The games were fun and you could see the relevancy to Judo, although they were very exhausting.
Next was learning our first official Judo pinning technique. Kese Gatame (Scarf Hold).
We practiced this by drilling it with a partner, practicing the technique, and adding more resistance as we improved.
As my partner was a brown belt I found it very difficult to escape his grip, the force and technique he had were far superior to mine, but it was a good chance to learn.
As the class came to an end we played one final game which included us trying to gain positions over our opponent, although everyone was very tired at this point!
If you are reading this and thinking about beginning Judo I’d recommend it as it’s very beginner-friendly and it’s great for your fitness.
Follow my blog for more Judo updates over the coming week.
Peace Out.