Besides the cost of booking a training session or obtaining a judo club membership, there may be other expenses associated with judo training. Such expenses include:
- The cost of getting judo accessories or equipment: For judo training sessions, trainees are usually required to obtain certain accessories such as a judo uniform, belt, and sparring gear, and these accessories are generally not covered under the training fee. While some judo clubs may offer these accessories to trainees at a discounted rate, some clubs charge the full fee necessary for procurement. Regardless, any amount spent on getting these necessary judo accessories is an additional expense common to judo training.
Administrative fees: Some judo trainees may wish to join nationally recognized judo associations, such as the United States Judo Federation or the United States Judo Association, to take advantage of opportunities to develop their judo knowledge and skills. Accordingly, there are various administrative fees incidental to the membership application and registration process for these associations, and these fees account for additional expenses.
Furthermore, some judo clubs may also offer additional services, such as personal training, which are not included in the membership or basic training fee. As a result, it is essential to inquire about what is included in a judo club's or instructor's membership or training fees before joining the club or booking a training session.
Who Will Do the Work?
Generally, a judo instructor personally handles the training sessions of trainees. However, if you join a judo club, there might be a rotation of judo instructors. In most cases, judo clubs have multiple judo instructors and assign these instructors in an organized manner. Nevertheless, whether one or more judo instructors will handle your training sessions, it is crucial to ensure any judo instructor assigned to train you has a competent level of experience and expertise. Considering how intricate judo can be, incompetent training can lead to a poor understanding of the martial art and injuries during sparring. You can typically find out about an instructor's level of experience and expertise by asking the judo club, the instructor, or any current member or trainee of the judo club or instructor, as the case may be. Furthermore, before finalizing any agreements with a judo club or instructor, ensure they have satisfied any legal requirements necessary in your state of residence. You can confirm a judo club or instructor's level of compliance for legal requirements by contacting your state's consumer protection agency.
What Qualifications Should a Judo Instructor Have?
As of 2019, it is estimated that there are 417,100 recreation workers in the United States providing instruction and training in several activities, including judo. Depending on the activity and the level of coaching, the educational qualifications for a recreation worker vary. For judo instructors, the typical educational qualification is a high school diploma or its equivalent. In addition to their educational qualifications, judo instructors typically improve their knowledge of judo by maximizing training programs and events organized by nationally recognized judo associations such as the United States Judo Association. Furthermore, judo instructors develop their expertise and judo knowledge by applying for additional training and obtaining certifications from associations and organizations such as the United States Judo Federation or the United States Judo Association. Finally, other experiences or expertise are typically acquired through personal practice and maximizing any opportunities available in the judo community.
Will You Provide References?
Before joining a judo club or booking the services of a judo instructor near you, it is vital to ascertain the club's or instructor's expertise and professionalism. An effective way of doing this is by asking for references from previous members, visitors, or trainees. Generally, references are reviews of a judo club's or instructor's overall service delivery. References typically shed light on the club's or instructor's level of professionalism, expertise, work ethic, and other training-related information and they help with your decision-making and give you an indirect experience with a judo club or instructor.
Besides asking for references, you can also visit review-dedicated platforms such as Better Business Bureau, Google Review, and Yelp. These platforms contain different reviews from individuals who have practiced at a judo club or hired a judo instructor. The information on these platforms can help with your decision-making. They are also a good starting point for finding suitable judo clubs or competent judo instructors.
In addition, you can ask friends and family members to refer a competent judo instructor or judo club to you. Since friends and family members are easily accessible and share a close relationship with you, they are also likely to give detailed information and be more honest regarding a judo club or instructor. However, ensure to ask any referred judo club or instructor for references from members or trainees.
Quick Facts about Judo Instructors
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Expert Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Judo Training
What Are the Basic Skills in Judo?
The primary objective of judo as a sport and form of martial arts is to throw, imbalance, and defeat an opponent with a choke, pin, or joint lock. In achieving this, judo practitioners learn some basic skills that include:
- Posture and movement
- Holding and grip
- Throwing and falling
- Choking, pinning, and joint locks
These skills are typically categorized into three techniques which are grappling techniques (katame waza), throwing techniques (nage waza), and vital-point striking techniques (atemi waza).
What Is the Purpose in Learning Judo?
The purpose of learning judo is to attain physical discipline through the practice of attack and defense, mental discipline through the training of the personality and mind, and ultimately positively contribute to society.
What Are Some of the Working Principles of Judo?
Some of the working principles of judo are:
- Take advantage of your opponent's strengths and weaknesses
- Know when and how to apply momentum and force
- Understand the value of giving way
- Maximize balancing and off-balancing
How Long Does It Take to Learn Judo?
The length of time for learning judo largely depends on a practitioner's judo aspirations. For example, it may take a couple of months of consistent training to earn a white belt which typically signifies that its holder has passed elementary judo training. In contrast, it can take between three to six years, or more, of dedicated training for a judo practitioner to earn a first-degree black belt. A black belt indicates that its holder has attained a high level of judo understanding and practice.
How Do You Rank Up in Judo?
In the United States, the United States Judo Association and the United States Judo Federation have varying ways through which they rank judo practitioners under their oversight. For example, judo practitioners under the United States Judo Association rank up after they meet certain association-dependent minimum requirements, pass the applicable examinations, get a promotion recommendation from their instructor, and provide the proper amount of documented USJA Activity Points.
What Is the Difference Between Judo and Jiu-Jitsu?
The differences between judo and jiu-jitsu are their emphasized techniques and their scoring systems. In judo, practitioners are taught to master their standing or posture technique, with lesser emphasis on their ground techniques. In contrast, jiu-jitsu practitioners are trained to master their ground techniques, with a lesser focus on their standing or posture technique. Also, winning a judo game involves pinning your opponent for at most 20 seconds, throwing your opponent on their back, or forcing your opponent into submission. In jiu-jitsu, winning a game is based on point systems, time limits, and forcing an opponent into submission.
Why Judo Is the Best Martial Art?
Judo is regarded as the best martial art for several reasons that include that:
- It focuses on training the mind and not only the body
- Its techniques, such as grappling and throwing techniques, are effective in reducing the differences in opponents' strengths and weaknesses
- It applies beyond sports and is applicable in general life affairs
- It teaches its students and participants to contribute to society