Judo Clubs - Attending A Judo Club Is One Of The Easiest Way To Improve Your B

[Shari Blair]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players and competitors are continually seeking
new and innovative ways to improve their BJJ skills and techniques. A
huge library of BJJ skills, BJJ instructional DVDs and books, and
online resources are now available. However, supplementing your BJJ
training regime with a visit to your local Judo club represents a very
simple, affordable, and many would say, cutting edge way to improve
your BJJ performance.
Judo clubs are typically cheaper to attend than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
clubs, typically upto half the price. They are often more readily
available outside of major cities and many of the members may have
been practicing Judo for several years. Judo classes can be more
physically demanding for BJJ players at first due to the different,
but related, demands on the body such as more intense gripping,
conditioning of the body for stand-up skills, physical co-ordination
required in the stand-up position, shorter-time rounds during
groundwork, and the greater overall time period spent in standing
sparring (randori). BJJ players tend to lack throwing and takedown
skills and have less intensity in these areas due to the typical focus
on groundwork. The attitude also tends (although is not always) to be
more aggressive in Judo than BJJ, whether sparring in standing or
groundwork.
All of these factors can help to develop more rounded BJJ players.
However, the true purpose of this article is to try and assist BJJ
players in their first sessions of Judo.
Firstly, I recommend that you always contact the Judo coach
responsible. Explain that you would really like to learn Judo, find
out costs, club rules, and obviously times and dates. Be modest about
the extent of your training in martial arts and emphasise your
willingness to learn. Show an interest in the club concerned in order
to break down the natural barriers of human nature within a combat-
based environment.
Secondly, stick to the etiquette of the club. Some Judo clubs can
place great importance on such matters, personally I can't stand
outdated attitudes, bowing (it doesn't show respect but that's for
another article!), the term "sensei", etc, but focus upon your goal of
improving and go along with it. Check your attitude at the door (I've
learnt the hard way!) to minimise the chance of being unwelcome and
having an entire club wishing to break you during randori.
Thirdly, don't go all out in groundwork. Any BJJ player has a huge
advantage here (you generally only do groundwork in BJJ) and a good
blue belt should be able to hold their own with dan grades. However,
you are here to learn so during groundwork, practice the areas where
judoka's are relatively well versed. I always practice north-south
defence, head and arm escapes, and turtle bottom positions and return
to these positions if I escape.
Fourthly, during stand-up sessions be a sponge. Many BJJ players,
especially those relatively new to the sport will forget that many
judoka's at their local club have many years and often a decade or so
of experience. In any other context, having this level of expertise on
the mat would be considered a fantastic opportunity and should be
viewed as such. Outside of Brazil and maybe the US, few BJJ clubs
would have this level of experience around the mat, regardless of
whether this is Judo or BJJ.
Fifthly, don't get discouraged if you are repeatedly thrown. In fact
expect it and if you have the choice of more than one judo club, check
them all out. In big cities, you will often find a number of highly
competitive clubs and its really a privilidge to get thrown around
effortlessly. In time, you will begin to compete and this will give a
huge advantage in BJJ competition.
Finally, as Dave Camarillo says in his brilliant Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu
book, leave your "BJJ glasses at the door". As a Judoka, I will never
use seionage as I am simply too tall and the hand position does not
favour me either. That said, I will always work such throws when asked
and focus upon my footwork (balance, co-ordination and speed), my hip
placement (getting low), rotation, etc. As you progress, you can then
develop your own style further.
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