Is this good Judo?

**antonyneal** · Posted On: 9/15/2011 9:13pm

I have started training Judo primarily instead of Muay Thai because being a poor student 4$ per hour of training compared with 20$ per hour of training makes it impossible to choose Muay Thai.

But I was wondering if some bullies could tell what they think of the typical training that goes on at my dojo.

The training typically goes for about 2 hours and 20 minutes and costs 8$. The session usually has about 8 students and 2-3 black belts.

15 minutes- setting up tatami

20 minutes - warm up running around in circles, fifty push up(which I can never finish) and situps, running around the dojo carrying another guy and ground work specific strength exercises.

10 minutes - stretching out

15 minutes - learning and practicing standing techniques with relatively little resistance, I am a noobie so I forget the names but we practice setting up different throws, how to move our selves and our opponent around ect

10 minutes (douse not happen every training session) - we take out crash mats and take turns throwing as many people as possible as quickly as possible into the floor with relatively little resistance.

25 minutes full resistance - 3 minute rounds of ground work swapping between partners at the end of each round

25 minutes full resistance - 3 minute rounds of standing work swapping partners between rounds

10 minutes- more strength and cardio training with stretching at the end

We line up in belt ranking order then the sensei gives us any news about the club like tournament results or new belts being awarded and we put away the tatami. I notice a distinct lack of kata being taught but apparently every one at the dojo knows the kata they need to in order to get the gradings.

I would also like some advice on weight division. I weigh 120kg(264 pounds) am 6 feet tall and I out weigh every one in my dojo by about 40kg(88 pounds). I am keen to be competitive in competition and am curious what weight division I should try to enter. The sensei seems happy for me to enter the over 100kg division eventually when I have enough experience to compete but I think he might be a little too happy to have a heavy weight at his dojo.

I dont mean to disrespect the sensei he is a good teacher and a very nice guy.

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 9/15/2011 9:33pm

It sounds normal. Cheap too. That kind of warmup is standard but old-fashioned. A little short on technical instruction and drilling, but that's not unusual either. Kata? Heh.

**ADM** · Posted On: 9/15/2011 9:36pm

Is this good Judo?

You know you could have written about 1 paragraph there and put up a video. How can anyone tell if that's good Judo from a routine class schedule?

**antonyneal** · Posted On: 9/15/2011 11:33pm

Originally Posted by ADM

Is this good Judo?

You know you could have written about 1 paragraph there and put up a video. How can anyone tell if that's good Judo from a routine class schedule?

I guess I could have done that if if I had video or the capacity to record some. I was more asking if that was a appropriate training schedule for competitive Judo. Maybe I should have named the thread "Is this a good training schedule for a Judo class?" but it seemed a bit unwieldy for a title.

**ty5** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 3:50am

What do you think of it then?

Looks similar to the club I go to, accept that the warm up is about 20 minutes then the rest is straight randori for an hour (60% newaza / 40% tachi waza) then a warm down.

It would be good in fact if there was more technique training at the club, as the only technique stuff we do is for newaza, but the guy who runs it likes fighting and has a slight preference for newaza, so we all have a good fight. Planning to go to a seperate class for the technique stuff as my throws are rubbish but my ground work is not too bad for my grade.

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 4:03am

Sounds like a typical recreational club.

**Syphilis** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 5:00am

your times are probably a bit off, but that doesn't seem like a strange class setup. 50 mins of full resistance sparring is pretty good.

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 5:22am

Its impossible to answer the question from your description.

Its a fairly standard class structure, however, class structure bears no relation to the quality of Judo in the club.

I've done this class structure at clubs that are stuffed with elite and former elite players and at clubs that are filled with average, recreational players.

My importantly for you would be the question is this a good Judo structure for an adult beginner, for which the answer is an emphatic, no.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't a good club and the people running it aren't teaching good Judo.

**Gosai** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 6:42am

Originally Posted by judoka_uk

My importantly for you would be the question is this a good Judo structure for an adult beginner, for which the answer is an emphatic, no.

However, that doesn't mean it isn't a good club and the people running it aren't teaching good Judo.

What would you say a good structure for an adult beginner is, Judoka?

I'm kinda curious since I've recently taken up with a local Judo Club, though I'm probably going to make a habit (or try to make it one) of working out with the instructor after classes too.

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 9/16/2011 7:16am

I would think generally more drilling, less sparring.

Unless you're packed to the rafters with instructors, it can be difficult for smaller clubs to train beginners and intermediate/advanced students separately. Newbies tend to get thrown in the deep end sometimes.