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Judo San Antonio

If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue.Smoothcomp est un logiciel de tournoi pour les sports de combat. La manière la plus fluide de participer, organiser et suivre des compétitions. Rendez-vous sur le tapis! Sensei Psenak takes a detailed and personal approach to his students, breaking down complex moves into their basic components. In addition coach Patrick is also a blue belt in BJJ under House of Jiu-Jitsu academy. Obtaining his Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) from Sensei Hrbek in 2021, Sensei Psenak brings a unique union of some of the best Judo instructors along with his background in the intensely competitive and successful European Judo scene.Our goal is to build strong individuals with good morals and character, and that can defend themselves when needed against attackers and bullies and overcome any other roadblocks that life may bring. Through physical exercise and the education of Judo, we strive to build a moral code of courage, respect, modest, friendship, honor, self control and courtesy.

Can I learn judo at 30?
‘In my opinion taking up judo at any age is an excellent way for getting fit and healthy. It is one of the best things I have ever done, and I love it.
Sensei Patrick Psenak began training in Judo at the age of 10 in his native Slovakia. Sensei Psenak participated in and medaled in the tough, competitive European circuit of Judo tournaments, and in 2018, moved to the United States and continued his Judo training under future Hall of Famer and former US Olympic Judo Coach Jim Hrbek, Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt) in San Antonio, Texas.

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Among his many students, Sensei Hrbek was a one-time coach of Judo Olympic Medalist and MMA legend, Ronda Rousey. Sensei Psenak’s coaching pedigree, both in Slovakia and the USA traces directly back to the Founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, and the Kodokan – the World Headquarters of Judo in Tokyo, Japan.Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasizes grappling and a focus on ground fighting. Judo, by contrast, emphasizes throwing techniques with less emphasis on fighting on the ground. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can be more dynamic than Judo because it requires constant movement. Judo, however, can be less physically demanding.

These can be done from a standing position with opponents thrown to earn Yuko points or waza-ari points. The goal is to unsettle your adversary rather than overcome them.
Takedowns in Judo tend to be used if practitioners are on their backs during a fight. This is not a good practice as it can leave you vulnerable to an opponent close by, making it easy for them to counterattack.The creators of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos and Helio Gracie, were not hefty guys. They had to create a method for jiu-jitsu that used strength and aggression against the opponent.Judo requires far more work than BJJ. BJJ’s essential components are technique balance, synchronization, and rhythm. But all these traits are prerequisites for Judo which is more physically demanding.BJJ seems trendy, while Judo is not. Unfortunately, Judo isn’t part of popular culture these days. But here’s a shortlist of popular media that BJJ is featured in:Judo clubs will have 10 to 15 people on a mat for each session in the UK and USA. BJJ clubs now get 10 to 20 on a pad (yes, they do!). They will have a packed house of 20 to 30 people every session.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has consistent results because of how well it is learned, how techniques are used, and how it is taught. You can knock someone out with a punch or a head kick. However, it rarely happens.Locks are a martial arts technique that includes wrapping one hand around an opponent’s neck, wrists, or knees while using the other hand to control the opponent’s body. Nearly all martial arts include striking techniques, grappling/throwing strategies, and weapon defense techniques. Many karate systems, including Tae Kwon Do and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, fall into this category. What matters is how much attention is given to each method. Some martial arts focus more on striking while others focus on weapons training. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu focuses mainly on defending against strikes, weapons, and throwing techniques. Additionally, practitioners spend a lot of time learning the finer details of grappling techniques that enable a smaller person to control or subdue a larger opponent. This technique helps you avoid being knocked down by your opponent. You pass your legs through the opponent’s to control them, then you attack from a dominant place.Every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner must be familiar with different grips. The collar grip (sometimes called the rear-naked choke) is a technique that allows you to control your partner’s back. This method may also be utilized for self-defense.Grappling is a method for controlling your adversary from the floor. It is essential to immobilize them, stop their movement in all directions, and then attack when they’re down. The pinning Technique involves grabbing your adversary’s hips or shoulder with one arm in front of them and the other arm behind them. You can perform many other moves, such as an arm lock or choke. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo are two of the most famous martial arts in the world. Although they may share many things in common, many aspects make them different.

BJJ practitioners may be more proficient on the ground, but they are still better off if they are standing. Judo practitioners are more adept at ground fighting than BJJ practitioners. More often than not, Judo’s moves are superior to BJJ techniques in a fight.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo use different movements in their respective sports. Here’s a summary of the many approaches practitioners from each martial art should be familiar with:BJJ is more popular than Judo because of its more prominent web presence. Unlike in Judo, one takedown may lead to an athlete winning about. Athletes can also instantly lose if their guard fails. BJJ is extremely popular, though Judo’s groundwork is far more exciting than BJJ.

Judo has a more balanced approach to life. While a brown-belt Judo guy might not have the same ground game as a blue belt in BJJ, they will still be able to dominate most assailants or stop/escape a fight faster.
Bridging or shrimping are two standard techniques in Judo and wrestling. It’s essential to be able to stand up quickly after falling flat. You can also defend yourself against attacks by going under someone’s legs. It will enable you to escape the opponent’s grasp.BJJ has more applications off of the mat than Judo. However, Judo is more dangerous than BJJ. The kinetic energy in Judo can be produced while standing, and throwing people can cause more significant damage than in BJJ. There are thousands of people who practice these martial arts worldwide.

No-Gi and BJJ will dominate grappling competitions in the United States and the United Kingdom. Judo clubs in the UK will continue to attract juniors but fewer senior students as these Judo-trained individuals tend to move on to BJJ. It will help create a great style and movement for BJJ in the UK.It would be like having a gun that sometimes shoots and sometimes misfires. That makes no sense at all. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a form of martial arts that always gets results and has been done many times. That makes it different from other forms of martial arts.

A novice practitioner of martial arts can become confused about choosing among the diverse spectrum of options. Especially, when his mind is captivated with a large number of questions related to the effectiveness, difficulty, and applications of the specific martial art. To decide which martial arts is easier to learn, let’s first acquaint ourselves with judo, Wrestling, and BJJ. Likewise, Judo has a different set of rules. It involves gripping and stand-up fights. There are some regulations regarding Judo gripping and positioning. It’s against the rules of judo to grab the Judo player from the legs. A Judo player, when comes on the mat, has to leave everything. In wrestling, the wrestler is penalized for the second when he is not doing something. But in BJJ, athletes are trained for 5-10 minutes round and work on the takedowns, submissions, and sweeps to handle different scenarios during competitions.In wrestling, a variety of grappling techniques are incorporated including clinch fighting, submission, mounting, takedowns, and joint locks. Wrestling is based on the methodologies to gain a dominant position over the opponent and resist them through your body weight.Judo and Wrestling are part of a standing game, while BJJ is a ground game as most of the fights end on the ground, it would be easier to learn BJJ as Judo and Wrestling require more strength and force while standing as compared to BJJ.Most individuals preferred to start Judo and Wrestling at a young age because both are effective forms of martial arts for the body and mind. BJJ can be started at any time in life. This aspect makes the BJJ more reliable and effective in martial arts.

In wrestling, one-minute positional drills are allowed for a certain hold. The wrestler then performs a specific drill with maximum intensity. This clearly depicts the level of intensity differences between BJJ and wrestling. A grappler who excels in kimura or guillotine choke cannot attempt these chokes as they are restricted in wrestling.BJJ focuses on ground-based movements, encapsulated in various techniques of joint locks and submission techniques and executed with perfect timing to dominate the opponents or gain a submission. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu methodology is joint manipulation and the application of chokes to destabilize the opponent.

If we go through the pages of history, we will find the Takeuchi-Ru martial art in 1532 which became the foundation of the Japanese form of Ju Jitsu. The word “Judo” is said to be derived from Ju-Jitsu which means “gentleness, softness or yielding way”. The basic philosophy of Judo was to defend or offend without using any weapon but one’s own body.
Judo and Wrestling are not supportive when it comes to old age and longevity. Wrestling requires lots of strength and in judo, Sutema Waza is hard to perform. BJJ and Judo have similar uniforms called Gis for the fighters. The Judo uniform is known as “Kimino” and the BJJ uniform is known as “BJJ GI”. The Gi is a sturdy, durable, and thick-weaved uniform that can withstand greater external pressures and movements as compared to the judo uniforms. Ju-Jitsu means the “ arts of science ” and Judo means “ the way of science.”The use of “do” is similar to the word “tao” in Japanese ( which has philosophical overtones). The word “do” shows a road or path to attain mental, physical, emotional, and moral stability. The physical ability of the individual shows the maximum efficiency in daily life which then evolves into “mutual prosperity”. Thus Judo follows a holistic approach to life.

Is 21 too old to start judo?
You are not too old or young to begin judo training, Judoka regularly start from 5 years old through to their 50’s and even older.
Which martial art is easier to learn depends upon the different experiences, expectations, preferences, and your body structure and capacity. Many athletes think that stand fighting exhausts the participants as compared to Jiu-Jitsu which is ground-based and it is a sport that offers a big tenure.After the above discussion, we can say, without any doubt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is easier to learn as compared to Judo and Wrestling. The following reasons can help you to understand why BJJ is easy and beneficial to learn:

Chokes and locks used in wrestling are somehow similar in BJJ. So, learning Jiu-Jitsu provides a strong base for Judo, Wrestling and then you can easily gain proficiency in MMA.

When it comes to sparring and training BJJ and judo, it is more beneficial as compared to wrestling. Its moves are very much practical and can be lethal in most cases. As BJJ trains the practitioner’s techniques to neutralize the opponent without hurting them severely or causing serious injuries.
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, regarding belt levels, some quality is assured. No matter from which part of the world you attain your blue or purple or any belt rank. The skills attained and the performance level will be the same.The Judokans have to show their performance in front of the provincial grading board. They must have scored 120 points. The point accumulation starts from the brown belt rank and its age requirement is 14.

Jiu-Jitsu outperforms judo and wrestling when it comes to variations in techniques and takedowns. Judo is tough to learn and it comprises fewer submission techniques as compared to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
For No-gi competitions, the BJJ uniform consists of rash guards and shorts. The no-gi uniform is similar to wrestling. Wrestling uniform called Singlet.

Can Judo beat BJJ?
Can BJJ Defeat Judo? BJJ practitioners may be more proficient on the ground, but they are still better off if they are standing. Judo practitioners are more adept at ground fighting than BJJ practitioners. More often than not, Judo’s moves are superior to BJJ techniques in a fight.
In the early 1900s, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was derived from Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Judo and it was transformed into a new martial art by its renaissance pioneers. Historians are of the view that the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are linked to Buddhist monks some 4000 years ago. From India, it extended its roots to Japan and then transitioned into an effective combat sport. BJJ is an art that has taken the form of a competitive combat sport now.

Is 30 too old to learn judo?
Anyone can learn judo. As well as more children than I can count, I have taught hundreds of people who started judo in college or later just to get in shape, for fun or to meet people – the same reason college students try any sport. If you start at 30 your odds of winning the Olympics are zero.
As we all know BJJ, Judo and wrestling are three different disciplines of martial arts which enhance fighters physically and mentally whether they are on mats in octagons or their real life.

Every martial art has some strengths and weaknesses. But we can look for which have minimum weakness and grant more strength to the practitioners with ease to learn.Cross-training stories are even different. Some serious critiques and some take everything very lightly and humbly because there are different aspects involved which intervene to affect the performance and training during martial arts.

It is commonly noticed that Judo and Wrestling are usually followed by children up to five years. They focus on strength and conditioning training programs. The children are required to compete in the Olympic sports thus transforming them into athletic kids. But BJJ takes the training period differently depending upon the coaches and love and passion for training. It can take a maximum of two-three years to reach your required belt division.When we talk about self-defense in martial arts then BJJ is the best choice for close-range combat style as Judo has some limitations and is dependent upon the rules. Judo methodologies are efficient in street fights as compared to BJJ. No Gi BJJ is helpful in street fights. There is no heavy uniform. As 90% of street fights end up on the grounds, BJJ comprises a large number of offensive and defensive techniques as compared to Judo which is a standing fight. Wrestling has its roots linked with ancient France as observed in cave drawings dating 15,000 years ago. If you search for Babylonian and Egyptian artifacts you will come to know that ancient wrestling techniques are still used by modern-day wrestlers. Judo was founded in 1882 by D. Jigoro Kano and means the “gentle way.” It teaches people of all ages the importance of flexibility when applying technique. In judo, when performing a throw or other skill, emphasis is placed on flexibility and efficiently using your leverage and balance for every movement. To be successful in judo, it’s much more important to learn technique, timing, and skill, instead of simply using brute strength to win.

Can you kick in judo?
Judo does not involve kicking, punching, or striking techniques of any kind. Judo involves no individual equipment or weapons of any sort.
Judo, like many other martial arts, combines physical activity, self-defence skills, and discipline. Judo is an excellent sport for children to learn for many different reasons, including to make children more physically healthy, mentally well, and build confidence, self-esteem, and respect for others.

Judo has so many health benefits, both mental and physical, especially in children. According to Frederic H. Thanes, a judo instructor at Last Minute Writing and Writinity, “not only does judo focus on building physical fitness, but it also improves children’s focus, develops positive attitudes about sports in general, and increases self-esteem, self-discipline, self-respect, and courtesy toward others.”

Kids who have attention problems will take judo classes and the difference in their focus is night and day. They feel like they really want to learn and they’re really engaged, which pushes them to focus more. That can even be seen as therapeutic and helpful as they grow older and need to concentrate at school or work.
Judo classes start with ukemi, which literally means “receiving body,” and teaches students how to properly react to an attack and shows the necessary skills to respond to an attack safely. This means that everyone must learn how to fall before learning anything else. If you can’t learn how to fall the right way, you will get hurt practicing judo. The reality of judo is that you will get thrown really often, which is why you need to learn to break falls.As a martial art, judo focuses on building self-respect, respect towards others, including opponents, and respect towards your teacher. In tun, this nurtures their trust, confidence, and judgment so they can grow as balanced and emotionally healthy young adults.Kyle Powers, a judo master at Draft Beyond and Research Papers UK, explains to his readers that “it’s rare for children who practice judo to get involved in bullying or schoolyard fights. Because it’s a sport that builds discipline and respect of others, students known that engaging in aggressive behavior is not the proper solution and their judo techniques are for their classes.”Judo is an excellent activity for young kids because it builds healthy and strong muscles early on, improves their cardio, and lowers their cholesterol. Children who participate in judo have a reduced risk of childhood obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis, even as they leave childhood and become adults. It also sets the foundation for them to become healthy and active adults who appreciate the importance of physical activity.

Judo is about giving children an outlet for their boundless energy while also discouraging violent behavior, like many martial arts. Students of judo have compared discipline in judo to discipline in the military because it teaches you to respect those around you, pay attention to detail, and learn how to present yourself.
There are two main methods of ukemi in judo, either when your arm hits the mat first, or when you’re falling and you roll your body forward in a motion of somersaulting. The most important thing to learn as a student is to not put your hands out when you fall because that’s how you get injured. Judo teachers explain that before any judo training begins properly, students have to become comfortable with falling and get rid of the instinct to put your hands out, the cause of the large majority of injuries.

Children’s concentration has increased exponentially after they start practicing judo because they get used to following very detailed and specific instructions from their teachers, paired with focusing deeply on their techniques of movements. Studies have shown that children who are hyperactive or who suffer from attention deficit disorders benefit immensely from the disciplined environment of judo.
As touched upon earlier, there’s a lot of focus on small movements such as grip fighting and footwork that may seem too boring for some. However, this is nothing compared to the level of details poured into breakfalling as a beginner. Breakfalling is learning to fall safely, to protect your arms and head. This is a skill that should mean you don’t fall badly on your arm and break bones which is otherwise a possibility for beginners.Imagine you’re a bigger person and you walk into a boxing gym. You may get outboxed by a quicker, more technical boxer that can work you. However, you will still have the physical advantage of size and strength and as the saying goes, you always have a punchers chance. This isn’t disrespecting boxing either, but merely saying it how it is.

I’m always looking for new subjects to write about regarding judo as well as contributions from my readers. Please send them to [email protected], thanks.
Because of this, there’s a lot of time spent drilling breakfalls as a beginner when it comes to judo. Perhaps one of the main reasons people train is for the fun aspects of randori where you get to test yourself and get challenged. This isn’t always the case, and although repetition breeds consistent results, some people get disheartened by this and feel it’s a waste of time and isn’t fun.This is why people say that judo has a steep learning curve because it doesn’t. You can’t just turn up in a dojo and expect to do well. Instead, you need to put the work in and learn the technique. It will also take years in some cases to feel any significant progress, whereas in many other martial arts, this process can take months in comparison. One day, it may all click in your brain, but until then the small progress that you make may not be fully appreciated by yourself.

If you do plan on sticking it out in judo and you begin whilst out of shape – then you’ll be playing catch up for the first few months or even year whilst your fitness begins to improve. This is just yet another reason as to why judo can be difficult to learn, as it adds yet another layer of problems and puzzles to solve and even if your technique is good, but you’re too slow or weak – it may feel like you’re treading water in terms of progression.
Although physical toughness is hard, it’s also translates to the learning process. Obviously, it’s easier to commit and learn something if your body feels healthy and unbroken. However, if you’re constantly in pain then you’re less likely to stick with something.If ever you’ve stepped foot in a judo dojo, typically the demographic features kids, and adults that have trained for a while. However, if you compare this to Aikido for instance, the Aikido dojo will have a lot more older practitioners that have just started training. The reason for this is that judo isn’t just hard on the body, it’s also requires a certain level of cardio, speed, and athleticism to keep up during randori.This means that if you plan on starting judo in your 40s and you aren’t in great shape to begin with, then you may be in for a hard time. Simply put, many people aren’t used to the level of intensity required for judo and it can be a shock at first. As mentioned, certain other martial arts are much easier to dive into and require less physical conditioning.

Whilst wrestling is a highly technical martial art in itself, it’s also more stripped down compared to Judo. Literally in some cases, as the gi is not present. Anyway, the good thing about wrestling is that it often makes logical sense. For instance, if you shoot with a double leg, you’re diving in on the legs and lifting them off the ground. Of course, a penetration step is not easy to learn and is quite counter intuitive as well, but stuff like high crotch and single leg takedowns have entries that are easier to understand.
I’ve often said judo is the football of the martial arts. Bruce Lee agreed with assessment noting Kano’s randori is the best training method ever developed. It allows full contact and 100% commitment to the technique. No pulling punches or protective equipment. The end result is a level of toughness and knowledge / confidence that judo works and what to expect when facing real resistance.

Over the years, time and time again the consensus is that judo is probably the hardest and most difficult martial art for the average person to learn. There are multiple reasons for this that will be discussed in depth below. However, if you’re reading this and wondering if judo is for you, don’t be put off entirely, read the article and then make your own mind up afterwards. In short, although judo is a difficult skill to learn, it’s also highly rewarding and looks beautiful when it’s done correctly.However, it’s true that grip fighting is a fundamental part of judo and is worth learning. If you don’t put the time into this, then you won’t progress very far. In short, this a lot of people start judo and want to dive right into the fancy looking throws, such as tomoe nage. However, against an experienced grappler or judoka, this isn’t possible without setting up the key grips. This can be hard to stick to and takes discipline that many people don’t have the time to sink into learning.

In judo, this is rarely the case, and at times it can feel like you’re throwing in extra moves for the sake of it. One example of this could be the Ouchi Gari. On the face of it, you’re just reaping the inner leg. However, this requires precise footwork and an unusual movement from your back leg. A lot of people will naturally try to rush the Ouchi Gari and neglect the subtle details. Like grip fighting, this is something that takes years to learn and perfect. It’s not something that can do overnight and is far harder than it looks.Overall, it’s fair to say that judo is very hard to learn compared to most other martial arts. In fact, you could go as far to say that it’s the hardest martial art to lean in terms of mastery. As a result, it’s not too surprising that some are put off by its traditions and quirks. Nonetheless, the sheer number of global judoka proves that it’s still as popular as ever and for now at least, many people enjoy and embrace the difficulties that learning judo involves. As for judo, this same scenario gives the newcomer even less of a chance in sparring, regardless of their size. As mentioned previously, stuff like grip fighting and detailed footwork is key in judo and lays down the foundations for success. Without these, you will be in big trouble and fundamentally your judo won’t work. This means that beginners in judo find it even harder to find success, especially during randori. As a result, it’s only natural that they feel disheartened. If you compare this to other martial arts, then you’ll find that repetition is a strong feature in judo. Whilst all martial arts involve drilling techniques, this is especially the case with judo where it’s more prevalent. This goes in line with judo’s highly technical image, but is still off putting to some. If you’ve ever seen the ‘wax on, wax off’ scene in Karate kid…it’s kind of similar as a newer judoka.Whilst this is true for all martial arts, it’s especially true for judo. Here, you’ll need to put in the reps and work when it comes to the less obvious stuff, and this isn’t necessarily fun or easy. With judo, the end result may be a nice looking throw. Most of the time though, it’s the work and build up before this throw that isn’t appreciated by outsiders – which is what makes your Judo succeed or fail.

Overall, judo is one of the most brutal martial arts to put your body through. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out why as well. Being repetitively thrown to the floor will eventually take its toll on your bones and muscles. Similarly, your fingers will end up gnarled and broken by years of grips and grip fighting. For more information on this subject, feel free to check out our comprehensive articleon the matter. This will give you a bigger idea of why so many people quit judo, or avoid it altogether.
At the same time, in all honesty – judo simply isn’t for everyone. It takes a certain type of person and character to get into judo and is not a soft martial art. Here is why judo is so hard to learn.

In judo, grip fighting is taken incredibly seriously. Glancing over at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling, grip fighting is still a big deal – but in judo you can spend entire classes going over intricate, specific details on grips and how they work. In short, it takes years to develop good, strong grips and just as long to be able to break the grips of your opponent. For some people, this is simply too boring and isn’t worth investing the time in learning.
Recently I read an editorial on BudoDragon.com on this subject which I liked very much. They granted me permission to include it in my Black Belt Blog this week.By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.

I’m a total newbie in San Antonio and want to start practicing and learning judo. But I’m not sure what places aren’t mcdojos and the average prices are
If you are associated with Alamo Judo Club in San Antonio, TX, please add additional information to this page like school’s Website, class schedule, school introduction and more. There is no cost. Update this Page.This Chart shows the Martial Arts Styles offered most in San Antonio, Texas area. View a list of Dojo in San Antonio, or enter your address below to find schools closest to you.

Which is harder to learn Judo or BJJ?
After the above discussion, we can say, without any doubt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is easier to learn as compared to Judo and Wrestling. The following reasons can help you to understand why BJJ is easy and beneficial to learn: Real-life Fighting System.
If you are a student at this school, help your local Martial Arts Community by writing a Review of Alamo Judo Club. You can also help your school by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest etc.Judo classes are available for children and adults. Daytime and evening classes offered all year round on various weekdays. Please contact Alamo Judo Club for exact class hours for different age groups.

Alamo Judo Club is a Martial Arts School offering Judo classes in San Antonio, TX for kids, men and women. Alamo Judo Club is Located at 3723 West Ave. If you are associated with this Dojo, please provide additional information such as class schedule, Website address etc. There is no cost.‘Four of my grandchildren study judo and I attended most competitions to watch them, so I therefore decided to take up the sport, and that is where my judo journey began.’ ‘In my opinion taking up judo at any age is an excellent way for getting fit and healthy. It is one of the best things I have ever done, and I love it. You will meet new friends that are tough, loyal and dedicated. To become a part of the judo family is an honour and you can improve your fitness both physically and mentally. Sometimes at training I am truly inspired by the likes of Gordon Swan, a 3 Dan in his mid-50’s recovering from a double hip replacement, and a 3 Dan female player who is in her 70’s – we call her Sensei Maz and she trains two times per week. They both inspire and give me motivation. ‘I started my judo journey at 99.5kg and was now going into my first competition, the 2016 British Masters Championships, to compete at M7 -73kg. I won gold!’‘I started under a first-rate coach Scott Malone and the ever-watchful eye of Andy ‘Mac’, as we call him! I’m not going to pretend that starting judo at 59 was easy, in fact it was very challenging, but after great coaching, and Andy advising me to sit out when I needed to, my judo and fitness progressed to twice weekly sessions. One session was at Perth High School, where I was introduced to two brilliant young coaches, David Scobbie and British Judo’s Aiden Moffat, who now take the Dundee classes as well. Taking the two classes improved my training, judo, fitness and general health no end, and by 2016 I had passed my brown belt grading and was ready to compete.’

What is the difference between jujitsu and judo?
In Judo, much of the emphasis is weighted on standing techniques versus ground techniques. On the other hand, Jiu Jitsu is heavily focused on ground techniques with some standing techniques in the form of self-defense.
‘In my opinion Judo, compared to these other exercises, attracted me because of the concept of using your opponent’s weight against them, the friendliness of the judoka in the class and their willingness to help and pass on knowledge to me.’ ‘I have decided no major competitions for me this year as I am currently training towards a Veteran grading in September. I set myself the goal of achieving my Dan grade before or during 2020, as I will be 65. I have passed the theory, so I’m already halfway there with 50 points, so I’m hoping I can fulfil my ambition by then! If you have an inspirational story that you would like to share, please email [email protected] and you too could be featured on our website.‘At the European Veteran Championships, at the Emirates Stadium in Glasgow, I fought a two time World Champion Veteran Sambo player, unfortunately I did not win a medal, but what an experience!’

‘Previously I had always been in fairly good shape and had a good level of fitness up until my early fifties, but after taking early retirement at 52 I turned into a couch potato! As a teenager I started karate, up to brown belt level, but after breaking my wrist I took up long distance running before then moving onto weight training and five-a-side football. However, seven years of inactivity took its toll.’
‘I can still remember the head coach at Tayside Judo, Andy McInroy’s face when I turned up at the club and said I wanted to start judo at the age 59. He looked at me (5’4″ and 99.5kg) and said “REALLY?”

Is judo a good sport?
Physical Health Children who participate in judo have a reduced risk of childhood obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis, even as they leave childhood and become adults.
‘On the morning of 7th February 2017, I did not feel well at all and knew there was something wrong. It turns out an artery had ruptured near my heart and a blood clot from it had passed through my heart and caused it to arrest – I had a heart attack! After I was stabilised in coronary care I asked the cardiac consultant if it was my fault, and if doing so much training at my age had caused the rupture. He said ”no, not at all, whatever you’re doing keep doing it, your fitness has in fact saved you.” Judo helped save my life!’

‘After my heart attack in 2017 I just wanted to make it to the mat in Cardiff for the British Masters. I had the privilege to fight the very formidable Chris Doherty in the final and I managed to overcome my 2016 opponent, Irish Masters champion Manus O’Donnell, en route to winning silver. In 2018, at the British Masters in Thetford, I remember waiting to go on the mat and numerous players wishing me good luck. It was only after the fight I realised my opponent, Steve Ashford, had won the British title ten times and was also a Commonwealth gold medallist! To have shared a mat and fight with these men was an honour and privilege.’
‘I have been studying judo now for five years, I started judo in May 2014 firstly to get myself back to a reasonable level of fitness and to lose weight.’

But beyond the development of physical prowess and athletic ability, judo students learn much more. They learn how to control their feelings, emotions, and impulses. They learn about values of perseverance, respect, loyalty, and discipline. Judo students develop an outstanding work ethic, as well as important social manners and etiquette. They learn to overcome their fears, and to show courage under pressure. Through the rigors of daily practice, they learn about justice and fairness. Through their experience, they learn about politeness, modesty, and many other wonderful values that contribute to their development as successful citizens of society. As such, judo facilitates the development of important moral knowledge and values, those that are important to help people to become active and contributing members of their communities, nations, and the world.
Judo is a rigorous and demanding physical activity. The practice of judo techniques helps people develop basic and fundamental physical fitness in a number of ways, such as the development of strength, flexibility, agility, speed, dynamic and static balance, explosive power, and endurance. The practice of active attack and defense helps develop reaction time, coordination, and overall physical self-confidence.Judo is much more than the mere learning and application of techniques, however. In its totality, it is a system of physical, intellectual, and moral education. Judo has its own culture, systems, heritage, customs, and traditions. Moreover, the principles of gentleness are carried from the practice mats and into most students’ lives, in their interactions with their friends, family, work colleagues, and even strangers. Judo gives its students a code of ethics, a way of living, and a way of being. It is a part of the physical education systems of many countries.

The word judo consists of two Japanese characters, “Ju”, which means “gentle” and “Do”, which means “the way”. Judo, therefore, literally means “the way of gentleness”. Judo was conceived by Japanese educator, Jigoro Kano in 1882.
Judo students also learn valuable social skills, and build long-lasting and meaningful relationships with others. The camaraderie and bonding that occurs among partners who have shared the rigors of physically difficult and mentally demanding training are deep, often providing the basis for relationships that last a lifetime. Through judo, people are able to develop friendships and integrate socially almost anywhere.

Is judo a hard sport?
Over the years, time and time again the consensus is that judo is probably the hardest and most difficult martial art for the average person to learn. There are multiple reasons for this that will be discussed in depth below.
Teacher Jim Hrbek is a two-time Olympic coach and nine-time world coach. Hrbek won Coach of the Year from U.S.A. Judo in 2005. Here’s what the Schenectady Gazette had to say when Hrbek won a Southland Olympia Award in 1986:

Judo is one of the grappling arts, which means that it has no strikes and uses no weapons, unlike karate or tae kwon do. Judo was developed in 1882 by Jigoro Kano as a comprehensive method of physical education, and it continues to provide exercise, entertainment, and self-defense knowledge today. For fun or competition, Universal Judo provides instruction and enjoyment to practitioners of all skill levels and ages. Call ahead to schedule your first visit.
Today’s side deal helps you flip boredom over your back and pin it with a wristlock: for $30, you get one month of classes (a $60 value) at Universal Judo. Universal Judo instructor Jim Hrbek is an award-winning, two-time Olympic coach and nine-time world coach. A current 7th-degree black belt, Jim has been teaching Judo as an ideal method of physical education for more than 25 years. Classes cater to students at a variety of levels, allowing you to warm up at your own pace and participate as you can. You’ll get individual attention to help you learn the moves and get a taste of sparring in your first couple of classes, after which time you’ll be able to participate more fully at a faster pace. Youth classes are offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and adult classes are held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.Judo and Jiu Jitsu are just two of the Martial Arts we teach here at Absolute MMA in West Jordan, Utah. While both fighting styles are forms of grappling, there are key differences you need to be aware of depending on what your goals are and when you’re using each set of skills. Judo and Jiu Jitsu are similar in a sense that fighters will clinch with their opponents in a self-defense situation, work for a takedown, then submit their attacker. Below are some of the unique characteristics that separate Judo vs Jiu Jitsu.

What does judo stand for?
gentle way Judo, meaning “gentle way”, is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century.
In judo competition, there are five different types of ways to secure a victory. The first is by a throw in which an opponent is thrown with force and speed which leads to the opponent landing on his/her back. The second is pinning or holding your opponent on the ground for 20 seconds. The third and forth are submission: Chokes and Armlocks. The final method is by referees decision. In Jiu Jitsu, you’ll spend some time learning how to take a fight to the ground but most of your classes will cover how to survive, defend and attack on the ground. In a typical Jiu Jitsu class, you might learn techniques such as how to escape if someone mounts you or how to work for a submission if your opponent is in a turtle position. The majority of your training in Judo is spent starting on the feet and learning takedowns with some time spent on the ground learning some submissions and pins. You’ll also find yourself doing everything from learning how to fall properly to the footwork needed to execute throwing techniques.

At Absolute MMA our philosophy for these arts is to combine the strengths of each Martial Art. While each art is taught individually, we believe the strength of our program is that we combine them to work systematically together in harmony and effectiveness for both sport and self-defense. We believe having the confidence to grip and engage with a standing opponent will greaten our success while fighting from the ground and vice versa. Our ultimate goal is to be a well rounded grappler from in both disciplines of Martial Arts.Absolute MMA is one of Utah’s best MMA gyms and trains students and athletes of all levels including beginners, hobbyists, fitness enthusiasts, amateur and professional Mixed Martial Arts fighters as well as many others.

In Judo, much of the emphasis is weighted on standing techniques versus ground techniques. On the other hand, Jiu Jitsu is heavily focused on ground techniques with some standing techniques in the form of self-defense.
Now that you’ve learned more about the differences between Judo vs Jiu Jitsu, which fighting style are you most interested in? Take a look at Judo Classes, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes we offer near Salt Lake City, Utah. When it comes to Jiu Jitsu tournaments we see two basic styles or formats a tournament may follow such as a point system/submission/time limit or a submission-only tournament that may or may not have a time limit. Generally, most Jiu Jitsu competitions end by submissions such as joint locks and chokes. However, there is a point system for moving through a hierarchy of positions and accumulating points that also can secure a victory. As in Judo, the final method is by a referee’s decision. “Youth sports academy providing year round training and club team options to beginner and advanced athletes in the sports of volleyball & basketball.” more“Outstanding place to train and get a good workout in, I’ve been training here about 6 months taking multiple classes and every one has been a joy to be in the…” more

“Certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Training Center with very welcoming and extremely knowledgeable instructors. I showed up to train here when visiting from out of…” more
“Excellent Karate Studio! My son (soon to be 6 years old) has been a member for the last year and we could not be happier. The facility is clean and the…” more

“We were looking for a place for our kids to learn a martial arts discipline that would be useful in a real life situation. Obviously I hope they never have be…” more
“A really nice husband and wife team run this school. The environment is very welcoming. Very technical Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction. An added bonus is that they have three BJJ black belts who train there. They also have a couple of Judo black belts train at the school and have Judo class twice a week. After every BJJ class they open the mats to about an hour of sparring and all three BJJ black belts regularly roll with the students. My only complaint is that the school is too far from my house and I can not make the commute from the west side of San Antonio to the school’s location on the east side everyday, so I had to find another school for my regular training.” The main purpose of the throwing techniques (nage waza) is to take an opponent who is standing on his feet, mobile and dangerous, down onto his back where he cannot move as effectively. Thus, the main reason for throwing the opponent is to control the opponent and to put oneself in a dominant position. In this way the practitioner has more potential to render a decisive outcome. Another reason to throw the opponent is to shock his body through smashing him forcefully onto the ground. If an opponent executes a powerful yet fully controlled throw, he can win a match outright (by ippon) on the basis that he has displayed sufficient superiority. A lower score is given for lesser throws. A score for a throw is only given when executed starting from a standing position. There are several types of sparring exercises, such as ju renshu (both judoka attack in a very gentle way where no resistance is applied); and kakari geiko (only one judoka attacks while the other one relies solely on defensive and evasive techniques, but without the use of sheer strength.)On the ground, the contestants aim to either obtain a hold down, or to get their opponent to submit either by using a choke or strangulation or armlock (locks on joints other than the elbow are not allowed for safety reasons.)