"Proper" judo, judo in london and a question about goshinkwai.

[Mello]

Hi all,

What's the state of judo in london? Are there any good or well known classes? I'm also wondering if there are any which focus less on the olympic sport of judo and have classes geared towards mma or self defence.

Also, i've heard of this system called goshinkwai yawara (i only bring it up here because it is supposedly based on judo). Does anything know about how good they are, i've heard good stuff, but nothing from anyone with any full contact experience in martial arts.

Thanks

[judoka_uk]

London boasts some of the best clubs in the country.

Judo classes don't teach MMA or self defence because they focus on teaching Judo. All the best Judo clubs focus exclusively on Judo. If you want to learn MMA go and join an MMA club. If you want self-defence sign up for your local running club and don't do stupid things at night.

Good Judo clubs in London and by good I mean seriously good:
http://www.budokwai.co.uk/
http://www.willesdenjudo.com/

A full list of London Judo clubs is avaliable here:
http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/thesport/findclub.php

If you live on the outskirts of London these are some seriously good clubs:
http://dartfordjudoclub.com/
http://www.camberleyjudo.co.uk/

[bigstu31s]

Can I ask what your reasons for wanting to learn Judo are. If you just want to learn some flash takedowns to use in the MMA world then as Judoka UK said, I would look for an MMA specific club. If you want to learn submissions for MMA you're best bet is probably BJJ, which you can usually find in an MMA club.

Wherebaouts in London are you looking to train? I ask as there are plenty of good clubs just outside London in the home counties.

[Mello]

Thanks for the quick response guys, much appreciated.

I live in hackney, so about as far north as tottenham, as far east as stratford as far west as west end and as far south as london bridge are my reasonable distances.

Thanks for your reply. I want to learn judo because i want to improve my throwing, it's a weak part of my game because I have always been primarily punching and kicking kind or person. However, i preferably want to learn in an environment where the throwing skills i learn will be integrated with my striking skills (if that makes any sense).

I'm not a big fan of the MMA/BJJ style takedowns because they seem geared towards going to the ground to submit, rather than trying to pull of a perfect, effective throw.

The budokwai looks promising. How good is the judo at the tokei centre do you know? http://www.tokeicentre.org/about-us.html

[judoka_uk]

The Met Police train there in sooper sekret police only sessions.

Apart from that I know nothing about it, because they don't list the instructors on the website. According to the BJA site the coach there is a 3rd dan and has been for 17 years. So I imagine the quality is pretty good.

[Lindz]

Thanks for your reply. I want to learn judo because i want to improve my throwing, it's a weak part of my game because I have always been primarily punching and kicking kind or person.

what game do you play?

However, i preferably want to learn in an environment where the throwing skills i learn will be integrated with my striking skills (if that makes any sense).

mma or sanda

I'm not a big fan of the MMA/BJJ style takedowns because they seem geared towards going to the ground to submit, rather than trying to pull of a perfect, effective throw.

Judo or sanda

[Mello]

@judoka_uk thanks a lot, i'll check tokei out first, seeing as tehy are cheaper. budokwai looks a good option too.

@Lindz: i'd love to do sanda, but there isn't much choice around london. i'm gonna check out the tang long sanda, and the sanda near london bridge run by neil rosiak. Do you know anything about those 2 schools?

Frustrating thing is i'm not available on thursday evenings, which is when so much training takes place.

[Lindz]

I forgot, shuai jiao and sambo could also match your "pull off a perfect effective throw" idea.

[Mello]

Thanks, but there isn't any of either of those in london as far as i'm aware. Shuai jiao would be lovely.

[judoka_uk]

If there's anywhere in the UK where I would expect you could find Sanda and Shuai Jiao it would be in London. I'll bet there are a few clubs practicing off the radar and without websites.

Anyway, why bust your balls seeking out some obscure club where you don't know the quality when you can get some of the worlds best Judo instruction.

Yeh the Budokwai's a bit pricey for a Judo club. However, there is the upside that you might get to see Kylie Minogue in lycra...

[Lindz]

@Lindz: i'd love to do sanda, but there isn't much choice around london. i'm gonna check out the tang long sanda, and the sanda near london bridge run by neil rosiak. Do you know anything about those 2 schools?

Never been to Blighty, so I don't know anything about them.

[Mello]

@lindz: thanks anyway

@judoka_uk: well there's a little sanda, and one guy teaches expensive private shuai jiao lessons. I might just find a new muay thai class, train some judo at the same time and put it together myself in my spare time.

On the other hand... kylie minogue in lycra you say?

[judoka_uk]

@judoka_uk: well there's a little sanda, and one guy teaches expensive private shuai jiao lessons. I might just find a new muay thai class, train some judo at the same time and put it together myself in my spare time.

On the other hand... kylie minogue in lycra you say?

Indeed. Madonna used to train in the gym there when she was married to Guy Ritchi because he practices Judo there. Luckily though she's now taken her freak arms away with her to the states or whereever she is nowadays.

[Mello]

Well the commute better be worth it, i'll check them out on saturday.

Thanks all.

PS. apparently they offer Hontai Yoshin-ryu jujutsu on a wednesday night. anyone know what that's about?

[oplus]

Do some proper Judo, damnit!