What made you start judo? And how far into your journey are you?

So I've been absolutely hooked on learning hane-goshi lately (yellow belt) and I should be getting at the point where I can try it in randori soon.

The issue is, similar to shoulder throws like morote (I don't really do ippon, never felt quite right) I just can't find ways to apply these throws in randori. My partner is also a yellow belt and it always ends up just being a leg sweep battle where he occassionally tries a hip throw and I just try to counter it with a leg technique. I want to take more initiative in randori, and actually apply the things I'm learning.

I want to start applying hip and shoulder throws, in particular those 2, but I just can't seem to find ways to put myself into a position to apply them. I think my kuzushi is lacking for these throws, but I also just don't have a plan at all how I am planning to apply these techniques.

As for the second question, I don't quite understand when you'd go for morote over hane-goshi, or even harai-goshi. I get that the throws are different, but I fail to see the difference in situations where you'd choose one over the other.

Appreciated as always!

Hello everyone. I have been doing judo on and off for almost 18 years now (I'm 37) and after all this time I still never got to take the black belt exam - long story. Now I've decided to go back to it more regularly, but I found out that I have two bulging discs. The doctor said it's not super bad and I just need to be careful and do some physical therapy, but does anyone have any experience with this? I've been feeling pretty scared since I got the diagnosis and I'm afraid that judo will make it worse very quickly. I don't want to stop because I love this sport and it's been a big part of my life and I'm really passionate about it. The place were I train is very competition forward but now I'm afraid that I'm just a fall away from paralysis or something. How do you do it? Do you guys take a step back and just enjoy other aspects of it? Any exercises you can suggest to keep this in check? Did someone switch to BJJ because it's less impactful? (I have no idea if that's true, it just feels like it).

i am new to the world of judo, but im eager to learn its history. I want to know which judo fights are considered the best fights of all time . Mostly i want to know the history of the lower divisions, like lightweights or welterweights or even flyweights and bantamweights . Which fights were the most exquisite in terms of pure technique? thank you very much

Hi all,

I might be moving to Vermont from New York. To much of my surprise, I’ve only found 1 dojo in the whole state for judo.

With that being said, are there any tournaments in Vermont? Where can I look for them? The only thing I can find are karate tournaments.

Thank you.

Yesterday, one of the senseis said we were gripping strong but not achieving kuzushi and getting our ukes to move. He showed us the tsurikomi static drill and in the past, we were taught tai sabaki pulling action. Are there other types of generic movements / concepts for achieving kuzushi? Both tai sabaki and tsurikomi are pulling, are there any movements that involve pushing? The only thing I can think of are the movements to off-balance for osoto-gari (pulling onto one leg) and ouchi-gari (but that backward driving movement seem specific to that throw).

White belt here (how do I add my belt under my username?)

Seoi Nage can't just be using strength to pull an opponent, by the arm, over your back? What's the trick to it?

Is it correct to use your ass to unbalance them? Serious question.

Ex. Tai Otoshi makes sense to me because I'm (to my understanding) pulling my opponent over my extended leg.

Hello Everyone. I'll be getting a tattoo on my chest ( not big just a few inches accross) and was wondering if it's ok to practice judo and bjj with a new tattoo. My current plan is to cover it with a bandage and maybe an undershirt under my gi. Also considering using wrestling foam but I feel like that might not be a good idea over what is essentially an open wound. Anyone have any experience with this?

I’m 5’9 and 230 pounds. What size will fit me? Most charts I see list my weight for taller people. Thanks 🙏

usually, we have randori in the last 20 minutes of class. but today, the sensei asked us to sit on the floor and gave an inspiring speech. he started by saying that many students ask him: what do i need to improve in judo? but he said the right question would be: what do each of us have to offer through judo? he talked about routine, resilience, discipline, about life outside the dojo and our responsibilities towards those we love and towards society in general, which can look up to ordinary people like us. he spoke about bad and good habits and at that moment i felt the urge to be a better person, to strive to be a better son, a better friend, a better worker, to try to do everything in life the best way i can. usually, this motivation doesn’t last long for me, i have a certain problem with consistency. unfortunately, soon i forget some things lol, but it was so emotional. in the end, everyone stood up and felt that the class had been even better than if we had had a randori as usual. i don’t know if you guys have this pleasure too, but every day i feel that the sensei is more than just a teacher to me, he has become a figure of great wisdom and fatherhood.

I just started Judo in July. I know how to do all Ukemi correctly, including the forward roll, but for some reason I just can’t apply it in practice and keep getting concussion symptoms such as tiredness, dizziness, blurry vision, etc.

For example, last week we practiced a throw where Tori put his head under my armpit and fell on his side and he fell so fast I couldn’t do a forward roll and I landed on my head. I saw stars for like a minute afterwards and was dizzy for the next five minutes.

I will say when I first started Judo this occurred more frequently and I’ve gotten a bit better at falling but I’m worried that it’s still happening. I don’t want to end up with brain damage or anything.

I did go to a doctor in August when this first started happening and they said I likely had concussion symptoms before but was fine at the time.

Should I just stop Judo permanently or go less frequently or practice more Ukemi or something else?

I am planning to start running for better wrestling stamina, yet the weather out there is pretty cold, mixed with strong wind.

The question is;

• How to stay away from getting cold/illness?

• Should I wear extremely heavy to avoid any cold, or should I wear light and get warmth after running?

• How many days in a week should I run?

I am living abroad and I have no chance of getting sick.

Any suggestions to keep my health stable while maintaining daily running is appreciated.

With all due respect.

I'm a yellow belt and have been training for a bit but it's been inconsistent. Lately I've been making some big improvements and really feeling like I'm getting a better understanding of myself and how to move. I'm one of the bigger students where I train and I've always been quite fit and very strong. I'm concerned that if I try to use that strength against smaller opponents it will cost me technique and impede my learning but at the same time it's compromising what I believe to be the growth of my own personal style. Is utilizing strength against an opponent who is smaller being a bully or should I embrace it so I'll be ready against similarly sized opponents? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Hello, folks! So I was studying the history of judo due to being study the history of BJJ and got really into the idea of starting judo. Luckily I found a dojo less than 3 minutes from home where I can go two times per week.

I really liked the vibe of the sensei and black belt's there. The sensei is a renowned referree even internationally. I felt very welcomed there, the class is very small there are most of time only 4 or 5 adults a brown, a purple heavyweight old fellas and light younger blue belt, another heavy white belt and me. The only thing that's making me a little bit uncomfortable there is the duration of the warm up, it lasted more than half part of the 2 classes that I've been to.

I said to the folks at the dojo that I have come from BJJ and have a little experience with wrestling too. But I not disclosed that I'm a black belt who teaches and study PE at university, didn't wanna boast myself and sound arrogant.

Last Tuesday we warmed up forever running laps, doing push ups and hip escapes. Then I only did 30 uchi komi repetitions (10 osoto gari, 10 seoi nage and 10 ouchi gari). I expected to do uchi komi at least 2x that amount, I mean 30 reps it's a very low quantity to begin the learning process.

And it's not that I'm a lazy dude, I'm a triathlete who have a 62 vo2max at 34y. The exercises not tire me at all, it's just that the class time got sucked in doing things that I really find not useful in that situation.

The questions are: how the warm ups are conducted where you guys train? It's rude of my part if I politely address this question to sensei privately outside the class?

By comon sense I plan to train there at least a full month before thinking of another option. Sadly there's no other place where I can fit in my routine easily.

And btw, I really liked judo it's way more fun than wrestling in my perception. I really hope to make it part of my martial life alongside with BJJ too.

Just saw this at the Vet tourny. Guy was penalized for it.

Hey i’m a judo beginner and i’ve really been liking O Uchi Gari as a low risk throw option

My instructor emphasizes not lifting your foot off the ground much at all and doing a nice clean semi circle with the foot(sort of like this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I3BWf1ZoIuc) because or else “it will not work”. However when i watch O Uchi Gari highlights it’s seems like pros also often go for a high hook slightly below the knee and drive hard into their opponent to make them hop and lose their balance (like in this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WOtrX2DCr34), which is how i have found success doing it (against other white belts to be fair).

Is one better than the other? Could I get any input on this and what i should try to adopt ?

Im kinda new to the world of Judo. I have seen that guys like Wim Ruska, Anton Geesink and others are very accomplished , but they are all heavyweights. Arent there other foreign Judokas who were Pound for Pound GOATS in the lower weight classes or at least on the Middleweight, Welterweight and Lightweight divisions? i want to know. Thank you very much

Hey, I’m completely new to Judo and was wondering if there were any budget friendly gis I could look up because I can’t seem to find anything. I would prefer it to be under $100

Hi, our instructor taught the back-step o-soto-gari in class and he gave me an instruction to "drive" with my whole body. I am not good with the regular o-soto-gari but I am working on using the collar grip and I can generate energy with the "kick". However, with the back-step one, I have zero idea how to generate energy with my lower body. Any advice?

Side note: I drilled with a brown belt and it was quite surprising, when he did the throw on me, I could tell he used very little energy and I hit the ground faster and harder than I expected. When it was my turn, I could tell I used way more energy but my throw was soft and slow.

Just curious to see what unique rituals or habits people have! I've noticed everyone has their own little quirks to get into the zone.

For instance, a buddy of mine swears by eating a honey-dipped lemon, while another friend eats raw ginger before every event. Anything similar that you guys can't without before a big competition?

Thanks for reading, have a great day!

I want to get back into Judo. Last time I have been on the mat was when I was a kid and I probably remember little to nothing. I am based in Isle of Dogs and I was wondering if there are any suggestions for clubs that are willing to take beginners and don’t happen to be Mcdojo’s.

I heard of Budokwai but it seems to be fairly far away from my place (around 1h) commute.

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