Starting Judo Jan.24th

[farmboy]

I'm psyched, because I've really wanted to train some grappling for a long time, now. They are offering a Judo course at the college, and my wife is signing me up for a birthday present. It only lasts for about 3 months, but I'm just happy to be able to do it at all.

I've been taking karate and kickboxing for about 2 years, and I'm going to have to take a break in order to do this. But at some point I'll be going back. I have a bag at home that I'll keep working on.

Anyway, I'll probably be on the grappling forum, most likely asking questions. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[350 lbs fist]

I'm starting this Friday! Yeah!

I just need to complement my ground game with some gi takedowns if I wanna do well in the Mundials this summer.

 

[farmboy]

Good luck to you, too. I wish there was a BJ dojo close enough to take that, too, but I can't afford to drive to the closest one. Oh well, this will have to do for now!

 

[deadlift ryan]

ive been doing bjj for about 6 months now.
i lost my first fight to a guy who was a judo black belt.
i started judo last month and im loving it.
to be honest my bjj class has never really done any stand up stuff and when i did my first comp i didnt have a fucking clue what to do apart from clinch like how ive been taught in thai boxing.
so i started judo to bust my virginity in what to do standing up with the gi.

 

[judogido]

Get ready to be sore....

... but DAMN its addictive!!

 

[Steeltwo]

Get ready to be sore....

... but DAMN its addictive!!

no shit




rub your first two sets of knuckles(behind the finger nail and the middle ones) on some carpet until they are raw. It'll help with getting them up to snuff and not getting ground down so bad when it comes time for class.

first practice, I skinned my knuckles so bad, it took 2 weeks for them to heal completely.

 

[tommboy]

lol....... what do you do that gets ur knuckles skinned????

 

[Enemy of Evil]

I love Judo, been doing it for 15 years. Best standing grappling par none. Awsome takedowns, deeper than wrestling and a great workout. If your short stick with throws like Ippon seiongi, or tai otoshi. If your tall stick with throws like osoto gari and haraigoshi. Plus mix them up as combos, very powerful. oh yeah..when you get into a street fight, dont use bjj, just use judo, you will not even have to go to the ground. When you throw, just make sure he lands on his head and give a nice kick to finish it off if you like. He will not get up. Then immediatelly pounce to the next assailant for another beautiful throw. (best throw for the street=ogoshi or koshigurima). Wow....it works wonders.

 

[bjjvaletudoktb]

Get ready to be sore....

... but DAMN its addictive!!

That is so true! Trained yesterday evening, still feel it in my back, neck, legs, arms and shoulders ... thank god I can go training again tomorrow!

Trust me, you'll love every minute of your training!

 

[Steeltwo]

lol....... what do you do that gets ur knuckles skinned????

some throws you have to use some arm power, and if you do not off weight them properly you need to compensate with power.

technically my knuckles should never be skinned up. But my last name isn't Mifune.

 

[sambosteve]

ive been doing bjj for about 6 months now.
i lost my first fight to a guy who was a judo black belt.

What event would put a newbie against a BB like that??

 

[deadlift ryan]

its was the london bjj open.
it was white belt level and this guy decided to enter at white belt level even though he was a black belt in judo.

 

[farmboy]

That's not really fair, kind of like the opposite of what BJ Penn did in the clip you see going around.

 

[LV Penn Fan]

To improve my BJJ standup, I too did try Judo for the first time while on Christmas vacation in Hilo Hawaii. We had some great Judokas visiting from Japan including all Japan 60 kg champion Akira Yajima, along with University Coach sensei Suzuki from Tokoku University. They brought along 15 of the regular team down for the five day seminar. I was amazed on how the Ne Waza ground game is so similar to BJJ. I learned a ton from Akira, including what mind set you need to have when competing. He shared a story from the championships that he broke a rib during the match, referee ready to stop the match, Akira refused to stop. With his rib clearly seen poking through his rib cage, he pushed the rib back into place and continued with the fight. He finshed the fight to win. Just goes to show you what kind of heart and discipline these japanese judokas has. Koga also has stories with injuries, and continued to enter competition to win and also has great technique that he displays on his DVD "the new wind". I have a new found respect for Judo and wound love to train more often.

 

[ShadowNINku]

I just started JUDO today after 10 months of BJJ/NogiBJJ/and MMA clinchwork

I did alright in Randori, looking for things that they had not seen much such as a double necktie or going for underhooks with a gi on, they went for double legs here and there and I sprawled easily.
now the hip throws I had trouble with

In Ne-Waza(groundfighting) I held my own for the most part even though I don't do much gi work at my regular school

when I tried to take the back (happened twice) instead of a turtle they just layed down flat....wtf??

 

[Guards]

Shadow, if you were trying to take the back of someone from a turtled position, or were moving for supremacy of someone in a compromised position, Sport Judo has 'Osaekomi', which is very similar to(but much more difficult than...) wrestling pins. If you maintain dominant position with your opponents shoulders down to the mat for 25 seconds, you win the match. In Sport, they may open up to prevent you from rolling them into a pin. Remember, Judo is Sport first, Combat second. Either way, you're a year-in grappler, and were confused by their tactics.


For myself, I'm jumping onto the "NEW JUDO!!" Bandwagon. I trained in my early teens(21 now, trained around 14-15) with one of the Olympic coaches for several months. Tomorrow I start Judo anew, many years later. I know exactly what I'm headed towards, and I'm excited as all hell. It's going to be a bit rough, because my cardio/stamina is down and out from a blown-knee followed by a multiple fracture ankle. Hoping neither will interfere with my Ukemi(breakfall techniques... Slamming my ankle on Tatame mats might be pretty rough). I'll be jogging 6 miles to the Ikudokan Kasuga Dojo in Arizona on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 2 Hour sessions 3 times a week for $70 per month.

For the true Judo newbs, your initial classes will be very slow, as they'll most likely be focussed solely on falling techniques. If anywhere, PAY ATTENTION HERE. These techniques are what will prevent broken arms, dislocated shoulders, slipped discs in the back, head trauma, and a number of other injuries. Once you get your Ukemi down, you'll start working on some foot techniques and hip throws. Then, the REAL fun begins!

I'm so eager for my first class to roll around that I can hardly wait!

P.S.- Clip your fingernails before Judo! :icon_twis

 

[ShadowNINku]

true I needed help with that Ukemi, I was hurting like hell, I used to be able to do it well as a kid in NINJUTSU(we did lots of throws)

 

[beatnick]

Train your ukemi skills a lot, otherwise you will be afraid of getting throwed and thats the worst thing u can do. A stiff body will not last long. These are my tips, the ones l always follow:

1. Keep your chin glued to your chest so you wont get a neck injury
2. Keep a relaxed body when being throwed
3. DO NOT keep your legs crossed, keep them away from each other and flat or your will end up with broken ankles, knees.

U can always train the ukemi at home to build up the reflexes, slapping on the floor with your hand helps as well.

 

[farmboy]

We used to practice ukemi in my old karate dojo when I was taking "aiki-jitsu" and a little at the dojo I was at until last month. I put that in quotations because I don't know if what we were doing was really that great. We did do some judo throws, too, but it's been a while, and I'm going to try to go to this new class with a fresh mind and no preconceptions. The guy that teaches the class is supposed to be a really good instructor.

 

[Guards]

Everyone on the New Judo bandwagon, and even some of the Old Judoka's give us some updates!

My first class was nothing special, really. I had my paperwork in-hand and showed up about half an hour before the Sensei arrived. He seemed glad that I came back, and it appears that, at least among the men, I'm the oldest student he has(there are others older than me, but all have their blackbelts, and are at least 10 years older than I am. I can't really call them students)

Before class began, he gave me a CD with some testing information, videos, and a digital page-by-page Acrobat copy of Mifune-Sensei's 'Canon of Judo'.

He didn't have a gi that would fit me properly, so I went through the first 30 minute Ukemi class that EVERY ONE OF HIS STUDENTS completely skips out on in my BDU pants and a T-shirt. It was me, and a 7 or 8 year old little girl who is actually learning her Ukemi for the first time before she joins the real class. My falls were a little bit rusty, but still around 70%. I made a few minor errors with things like backwards somersaults, but other than that, he had only minor bits of advice to give on correcting my positions. He prefers the Ukemi to land on the ball of the foot to their 'standing leg'. This was different than what I'm accustomed to, so I've still got to work on landing with the toe 'almost pointed' instead of landing on my heel. After seeing each of my Ukemi performed, he said I basically don't even need the class, and I'm welcome to join his full class once I receive my Gi. I plan to show up for Ukemi practice every class anyway.

The Ukemi class starts at 6:00 PM, and none of the regular students arrived until at least 6:27 for the 6:30 Opening Ceremonies to general Judo instruction and practice. When everyone lined up, Sensei gave the class 1 minute to introduce themselves, and for me to introduce myself to everyone in return. The class consists of maybe... 15 students or so. With 4 acting instructors present, that gave alot of attention for correcting my warm-up exercises(trying to understand some of the stretches was awkward... ). The warm-up before instruction was roughly 30 minutes, with the general stretching, push-ups, sit-ups, minor Ukemi drills and practice, etc.

I receive my Gi tomorrow night, on Friday's class. He doesn't quite know 'how much' Judo I've studied or practiced in the past. His highest ranking student, that I've seen so far at least, is a Jr. Green. 15-16 years old, maybe? A pretty big boy, probably 200+ pounds at about 5'8. I'm hoping to get some practice with him, soon. I'm eager to see how well my technique is really holding up after all these years. For reference, I suppose, I'm about 5'11 / 190.

Oh, and after 30-40 minutes of breakfall practice between the normal warm-up, and 30 minute Ukemi practice, I have a 2-inch-wide stripe of dark bruising from the elbow to my wrist on both arms. And I like it. WAR JUDO!!!!