09/05/2026
To: Judo Club Members and Friends of Judo
Great information to share with anyone interested in the sport of Judo!
Why learn judo? Training positives are:
Physical – You can train to respond to any threat while getting a good aerobic workout. You tone up muscles and learn to defend yourself, while improving speed, flexibility, power, agility, balance, and reflexes.
Mental – Learn how to control yourself in any situation. Judo will give you self-confidence in all areas. Judo encourages competitive spirit and a feeling of confidence. For those not interested in competing, judo is a great recreational or defense activity.
Safety – Judo training includes how to fall without injury, a skill unique to judo and useful in everyday life. Our club is committed to taking every precaution to keeping students as safe as possible. Our experienced instructors use warm-up regimens to help eliminate pulls and strains.
Our practical, traditional self-defense techniques, avoidance strategies, and methods of controlling others through holds and joint locks.
Judo is many things to different people: an art, sport, discipline, recreational or social activity, keep-fit program, means of self-defense, and way of life. It is to some extent all these, but to most participants it’s a sport.
Introduced into the Olympics in 1964, judo is played by millions throughout the world. People play to excel in competition, stay in shape, and develop self-confidence. Most people play judo for the fun of it.
As in all sports judo has a strict set of rules governing competitive play and ensuring safety. Judo offers those desiring to test their skills the opportunity to compete at levels ranging from club to Olympic competition. Weight and gender divisions are used in competition, and age groupings for juniors and masters.
Judo emphasizes throws as well as pins but is best known for its spectacular throwing techniques. Judoists wear special clothes to help with the application of throws and other skills, clothing that enhances control for safety in practice and competition. Judo is played on special mats for comfort and safety.
Unlike other martial arts, there’s no kicking or punching in judo. You don’t need protective gear or boxing gloves to play judo. Judo emphasizes sport, fun, safety, and full physical activity for top conditioning. We teach and practice appropriate exercises and falling techniques before each workout. Judo's safety record is enviable when compared to other vigorous/contact sports. Instructors with nationally registered ranks teach classes.
If you like sports involving physical activity, you’ll probably love judo, an inexpensive, year-round activity that appeals to people from all walks of life. Judo provides the means for learning and improving oneself physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.
Regular judo training can improve an individual's aerobic capacity, speed, power, strength, agility, and flexibility. As a sport that has evolved from a fighting art, it develops complete body control, fine balance, and fast reflexive action. Above all, it develops a sharp reacting mind well coordinated with the same kind of body. Judo utilizes virtually every muscle of the body and is an excellent overall conditioner.
Judo developed from fighting systems of feudal Japan, principally jujitsu, the art of self-defense. Judo training gives a person an effective self-defense system if the need arises, providing a decisive advantage over the untrained individual. Instruction stresses both sport and defensive aspects of judo.
Observe a few classes and then decide if you'd like to learn this exciting Olympic sport. If yes, join the USJA right away so you can get on the mat and begin working toward your first promotion and competing in a tournament. Because judo is an individual activity, everyone makes the team; nobody warms the bench.
Tournaments, Camps, and Seminars: Membership with current insurance in a national judo organization is required for all tournaments, clinics, and camps.
United States Judo Association: The USJA is a national judo organization that offers summer camps, clinics, and seminars. Clinics may be general or specific in nature, e.g., to certify instructors or review technical skills.
