Why do Judo?

I have been doing Judo for over 25 years! When I first started I didn't know that I was going to remain in Judo for so long and indeed begin to coach a club. It sounds like a cliche when someone says that Judo is for everyone, however it's not cliché because the club environment that hosts Judo is indeed for everyone. All abilities and backgrounds are catered for amongst others of various abilities. That's quite unique! That is one of the highest level reasons for Judo being so successful within communities around the world! It builds positive, nurturing environments and it builds people! For me the biggest benefit i've seen for people is the confidence and the sense of achievement it gives someone. One day a child or an adult comes into the club and one day that same person is standing out in the middle of a mat with 100's of people watching them apply their skill and courage 1-on-1 with another Judoka... That's courage and certainly a real achievement for anyone!

There are lots of great benefits to having Judo in your life:

Physical Health

Judo has so many health benefits, both mental and physical, especially in children. According to Frederic H. Thanes, a judo instructor at Last Minute Writing and Writinity, “not only does judo focus on building physical fitness, but it also improves children’s focus, develops positive attitudes about sports in general, and increases self-esteem, self-discipline, self-respect, and courtesy toward others.”

Emotional Health

As a martial art, judo focuses on building self-respect, respect towards others, including opponents, and respect towards your teacher. In tun, this nurtures their trust, confidence, and judgment so they can grow as balanced and emotionally healthy young adults.

Limiting Aggression

Judo is about giving children an outlet for their boundless energy while also discouraging violent behaviour, like many martial arts. Students of judo have compared discipline in judo to discipline in the military because it teaches you to respect those around you, pay attention to detail, and learn how to present yourself.

Kyle Powers, a judo master at Draft Beyond and Research Papers UK, explains to his readers that “it’s rare for children who practice judo to get involved in bullying or schoolyard fights. Because it’s a sport that builds discipline and respect of others, students known that engaging in aggressive behaviour is not the proper solution and their judo techniques are for their classes.”

Increased Concentration

Children’s concentration has increased exponentially after they start practicing judo because they get used to following very detailed and specific instructions from their teachers, paired with focusing deeply on their techniques of movements. Studies have shown that children who are hyperactive or who suffer from attention deficit disorders benefit immensely from the disciplined environment of judo.

Kids who have attention problems will take judo classes and the difference in their focus is night and day. They feel like they really want to learn and they’re really engaged, which pushes them to focus more. That can even be seen as therapeutic and helpful as they grow older and need to concentrate at school or work.

Judo, like many other martial arts, combines physical activity, self-defence skills, and discipline. Judo is an excellent sport for children to learn for many different reasons, including to make children more physically healthy, mentally well, and build confidence, self-esteem, and respect for others.

In summary... from what I've seen, Judo has had a positive impact in a lot of peoples lives! Sometimes for a short time and sometimes for a long time.

You have to start somewhere!