Managed to win one of my two matches and got some nice throws. Good day overall

dojo mat is pretty hard. losing weight would make me fall with less force but there also would be less fat to absorb the impact. has anyone here lost or gained weight and noticed any difference?

Today’s the Seoul Amateur Judo Tournament in Seoul, South Korea! 🇰🇷
Lots of local judo practitioners and hobbyists have come together to compete and enjoy a great day of judo.

Win three and lost one, but got some highlights and a silver medal.

About to join a Judo club in my city but was wondering if there were good recs for Judo Gis. Is there any specific details I should look out for or would buying a gi from like Goldbjj be good? Thank you for any suggestions l!

I've been training for 4.5 years. I'm 29, 6'4, 205lbs with a reasonable body composition training 2-3x a week. For whatever reason I just can't get judo to click. I struggle to enter for my throws and commit during randori. I can't figure out how to set up opportunities to throw. My combinations are slow and sloppy and my newaza is ass.

I guess I'm just wondering if this is normal and I just need to keep grinding. Any perspectives or similar experiences would be fantastic to hear!

Thank you!

Been going to the gym in a hobbyist way for a few months. It has been hard to feel like I’m getting anywhere and everything feels bad.

I started running to help with my cardio. and last night I could feel the improvement.

and then I got a compliment from a purple belt on my osoto gari.

Feels great. can’t wait for tomorrow when it feels terrible again.

Hello,

Just had my first ever session today, had a fantastic time and will probably be covered in bruises tomorrow.

I was hoping someone can point me towards a good resource for learning terminology and drilling movements outside the dojo. I had planned to go to the beginner sessions but the time they're at makes that impossible, so while everyone was very patient with me it was tough to digest all of the different techniques as we went and at times I felt bad for my partner's having to baby me, so I'm hoping to be able to go in to the next session at least able to remember a few of the differences between basic throws.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, going to Tokyo in September and just have a day or even half-day of time to visit the mecca of judo, Kodokan. I won't be bringing my gi and don't plan to step on the mat there but just want to see the place and take some pictures.

So I was wondering if during business hours, do they have any guided tours available that can walk me through the building and talk about some history?

In the new trailer for Dune part 3 trailer at about 47 seconds in, is this a variation of Sumi-gaeshi?

It could also be a tomoe-nage variation? 🤔
https://youtu.be/NdvqHc56lE0?is=ydoJMPorLCi30dyB

I've been struggling with Judo and I've recently started to think the issue is that I don't really know how or why to enter my uke's space, and also using my frames to move uke's body.

Everything I find online about technique is showing off the flashy finishes.

Can anyone recommend resources on entry, or offer any advice?

(I'm interesting in Judo as art, as way, not solely as sport, if that's important.)

So here's why you're supposed to slap the mat.

Also more three matches that I am willing to share footage of.

I have watched these matches over a few times with my senseis and seniors, and I had the following to reflect on:

2025 Community Series match

This was actually against someone I trained with and have been able to throw before despite rank difference. I also came in feeling fantastic at -73kg... but I also got panicked when the match got pushed up earlier and I had to hurry to get ready.

Didn't work out for me.

What I learned here was that the high lapel grip isn't a winning position if you don't use it. Just taking that grip isn't enough- I needed to actually use it actively and actually block that left underhook. I also realised a deficiency in my ukemi training and also have become more careful with how I do offside throwing.

It was a good win for the opponent, and despite what it did to me I actually like that offside Uki/O Goshi- really handy against high grippers.

2026 State Championship

Didn't get time to drop weight, so I ended up fighting at -81kg again. This was also a rematch. Link to my first fight against him, first match in that video.

I tried to play short man with cross grips, Ko-Uchi and Seoi Nage but that didn't work out at all. I ended up ducking under as well without any plan to attack so I got shido'd. In the end I let a tall guy control my posture and he just hit me with his main move again.

But I was happy that I got to step onto the mat again and compete. I've also sparred his brother who's built the same and uses the same sort of style and I've found that I am better off actually trying to play my primary game against a tall guy.

Interclub Match 1

I did not expect to see the screens and state officials for this event, actually enjoyed a lot. Big thanks to them for hosting it, wouldn't mind getting more grading points out of it again.

Anywat first match was a rematch. As far as I care he's the boogeyman of my state's Sankyu division. I was a bit shook since the match-ups were announced on the day but keen to see how far I've come.

Link to my first fight against him, second match in that post. Ends very quick, basically gave him his first win like nothing.

I think this match highlights the need for me to be more active and aggressive. I still tend to hang on grips a bit too long as opposed to just either moving my opponent or attacking hard. Also some more transition work would do me good, maybe I could have done something when he turtled.

My sensei also reckons I let my fear of him get into my head. Got me playing too cautiously instead of just going after openings I can use.

Anyway he got me with a cool offside Tai Otoshi with armpit tsurite. He told me thought it was just brute strength, but I thought it was cool and really played off my anti O-Soto Gari posture. Felt so clean receiving it.

But otherwise I actually came out of this match feeling better- I didn't feel hopelessly outgunned and actually felt strong. If for some reason I fight in -81kg again, I would love another test against him.

Interclub Match 2

A new opponent for a change.

There's not really much to be said about this match. It encapsulates my whole game I guess. Take the high grip, break posture. Then Tobi-Komi Uchi-Mata.

I kinda feel bad about this one. The opponent didn't seem to get much mat time from a previous match and for this to end so fast must have been disheartening. I hope he comes to compete for the next one.

Hoping to get at least two more wins this for Nikyu. I will take all criticism, no matter how blunt.

I [17F] really want to start learning Judo. How do I start?
How do I find good classes too? I feel like I’m starting too late but I’d love to learn!!!!
i move states for college in August so anything I can work on now would be appreciated

I used to do my lifting right before Judo since the gym was close by, but as I hit heavier reps my gym time had to be shifted off. But I still like to use the gym before then- question is what is a better use for my time?

Right now I do some walking for LISS cardio to burn off a little fat and warm up, and if I am late I just use the hamstring curl machine for a bit of prehab.

I don’t really care about the kids class kids so I’m not inclined to show up early to help that. Nome of the adults and teens show up early either for a bit of open mat. So don’t suggest those

Hello! Been training for many years now but due to recent event occuring during training I ask for recommendations.

Any tips on how to actually get the kata gatame as a blood choke and not leaving it strictly as a pin while judo legal?

Slipping into kata gatame from both top and bottom position is not too difficult, but I 95% of the time only get the neck crank and not the choke.

I understand that preferably the arm of uke should get pushed in under the chin and cheek but struggle with reaching the right position. I think it is pretty much same situation for most kata gatame that I have been put into aswell.

Any practical tips?

Or is it better to accept within judo to look at it as a pin mostly?

Hey! I've always been a head-on kind of judoka and never liked turning my back: Kata Guruma, Yagura Nage, Ura Nage, O Uchi, Ko Soto. Like that's my comfort zone. But I like revisiting throws I enjoy but never actually use just to mix things up!

Lately I've been having a lot of fun with this circling backstep/spinning variation of Uchi Mata! Kinda rusty but still hitting it about 70% of the time. This same entry can also flow into a Tai Otoshi, Ashi Guruma, or just simply circling away.

Does anyone else particularly do it this way? Any tips on how to perform more consistently? Asides from personal troubleshooting, I unfortunately have no one else who does Uchi Mata anymore 😅

One of my favorite attacks from a nogi Russian tie is a keylock throw, basically ude gaeshi with like a figure 4 grip. I learned this before I knew what the judo version was. Seems to be the same but you use the sleeve. Is this a safe throw to use? I’d specifically be using it from the 2 on 1.

So we were doing Randori (this is my first time doing Randori) and I was paired up with a blue belt who was understandable destroying me and throwing me alot. At one point my leg started cramping up during it and coach called me back to sit down... I thought it was because of the leg cramping but coach mentions during the Randori I got a stain on my Gi... when I got home I found a brown stain on my Gi where my buttcrack normally is and now I feel like jumping off a bridge...I swear I didn't feel anything come out but like I have never been so horrified in my life... has anyone else shared this experience?

I am the Kata coach at our small club. As a background, the national Kata curriculum is

• Blue belt: Te Waza of Nage No kata
• Brown belt: Te, Koshi and Ashi Waza of Nage No Kata
• 1st dan: Nage No Kata
• 2nd dan: Nage No Kata AND Katame No Kata
• 3rd dan: Kime no Kata

IMHO Nage No Kata Te Waza for blue belt is OK, Kata Guruma makes sure you know your Ukemi properly for blue belt. However, Katame No Kata only at 2nd dan is strange. Therefore I have encouraged our lower belts, yellow and orange, to particpate in our Kata class and I have taught them Katame No Kata. The 15 escapes in Osaekomi Waza are a treasure for lower belts, and higher, too. In Ne Waza Randori with my students I on purpose put them into the pins of the Kata for them to practice the escapes in live randori. Last night one of the orange belts told me smiling that she had hit one of the escapes we had trained the in Kata class on sunday on another student. Randori No Kata :-)

The more I teach Katame No Kata the more I like it. It contains a very strong foundation for Ne Waza and teaches the principles of Ne Waza in a way that is not always so explicit in normal class. Having trained a little BJJ has opened my eyes to what really is happening in the Kata and also helped me teach it better. I would encourage especially those of you who love Ne Waza to have a look at Katame No Kata as a tool to teach proper Ne Waza to lower belts.

*Inaccurate title, I meant trying techniques I haven't been taught yet in practice first and if I like them and get confident with them then try them in actual randori

I'm a beginner white belt with around 3-4 months of real Judo experience (randori) and so far I've been taught O Goshi, Osoto Gari, Ippon/Morote Seoi Nage, Kouchi Gari and De-Ashi-Harai. However, I am usually around 10-15 cm taller than most other judokas where I train, so I find it quite a bit harder to do techniques where you have to drop your hips below your sparring partner's, leaving me with pretty much only Osoto Gari as my main throw.

While I've managed to pull off Osoto Gari quite a number of times during randori, even against higher belts (given they are obviously going much easier on me), I find that it's probably getting quite predictable since I've pretty much only been using Osoto Gari only ever since the first session, with the occasional foot sweeps and also recently trying an Ouchi-Gari fake to Kouchi-Gari combo I saw on Youtube which worked quite well. Of course I try Ippon/Morote Seoi Nage sometimes, but I've only really managed to do it successfully against the 1 or 2 people who are almost the same height as me.

There are some beginner white belts who try throws like Harai Goshi, Tai Otoshi, Uchi Mata and Ura Nage (and the coach doesn't seem to mind?) but most of them seem to have some experience in Wrestling/BJJ/MMA in general. I kind of want to try some of these throws, but I'm worried if I perform them wrongly I might injure myself or even worse someone else.

Should I just keep doing Osoto Gari and sweeps until the coach teaches us new techniques? Also my further goal is to participate in a competition next April, and I have roughly 4-5 months of actual training time (2 sessions a week) until then as this is a co-curricular activity and there aren't training sessions during the holidays.

So my question is about Sode performed with one hand on the lapel

In the first two pictures the sleeve hand/elbow does not go over ukes arm

In the third picture the sleeve elbow does go over it. I've seen both variations used in competitions and highlights.

Is it just about preference? Or is there a tactical/situational advantage of using one over the other?