By Raffles Judo ‘24
“Wait, you’re in Judo? Can you throw me?”
We sure hope our popularity is as high as people’s hopes to be manhandled by us. Beyond our reputation for being a bunch of gym rats, Judo is much more than meets the eye. For starters, unlike other martial arts, in Judo we do not kick at all.
What exactly do we do, then? That is for you to find out in this article.
What is Judo?
Judo (柔道), which means “the gentle way” in Japanese, was founded by Jigoro Kano-sensei in 1882. Due to his small physique, Kano-sensei created judo by formulating two key principles: seiryoku zen’yō (精力善用, maximum efficiency, minimum effort) and jita kyōei (自他共栄, mutual welfare and benefit).
How does Judo work?
It’s safe to say we’ve all fallen for Judo, not only in love but also literally. Being repeatedly thrown definitely isn’t pain-free, and thus learning and mastering of a breakfall (ukemi) is the first and most essential step to learning Judo. Not only does it save you hospital fees, but it also reduces the pain from the impact. With how important this is, you aren’t allowed to learn a throw until you’ve mastered it.
The way to score in Judo is to land your opponents on their shoulders, using throws (tachiwaza) and pinning them down with groundwork techniques (newaza) like holds, chokeholds or joint locks. If the opponent is thrown on one shoulder, it is considered a Wazari (half point). If the opponent lands on both shoulders, you earn an Ippon (one point). You will win the bout by either scoring an Ippon or two Wazari.
Who should join Judo?
Judo works within weight categories, so there is no need to worry about your stature or build, as we accept people of all heights and weights. If you’re worried about your skill level, rest assured that we have many new white belts, so prior experience is not a requirement.
However, we strongly believe in a work hard, play hard attitude, and so discipline is a vital value. If you can promise to give your all every session, and keep a growth mindset open to feedback, this is the place for you!
Training Outline
After our usual warm-up routine of cartwheels and handstands (don’t worry, you’ll get there one day), we start off with a technical practice session. The coach usually teaches us new techniques or skills before giving us time to try them with our partners, while correcting us pair-by-pair. Another usual practice during our training is Uchikomi, where we practice our throws repeatedly to train our muscle memory and agility for an actual match.
Nearer to NSG, we will be given time for randori, which is the sparring segment of training. Everyone will be “fighting” at the same time as we try out our main throw and strategies. This is usually our favourite part of training as we get to try out all our ideas, and playing with different people help us learn more about each other’s strengths and grow as a batch.
As a sport centered around throwing people, it is no wonder we need a strong build. Thus, at the end of every training we have a short physical training (PT) session. 100 push-ups are definitely painful, but it helps us build a stronger mentality and bond as we struggle together.
Training schedule
Training sessions will be held at the Multi-Purpose Hall at the Year 1-4 side of the campus. During off-season periods, we train twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. A few months before the National School Games, we will have an additional session on Saturday, 9:00 am to 11:30 am.
Since you’ve already scrolled this far, why not give Raffles Judo a shot? While on the mats we may seem scary, in reality we are a bunch of friendly seniors who are always open to guiding and helping others. Other than learning how to protect yourself, and scaring your friends to stop them messing with you, there are many other valuable values and skills you can learn from Judo. Hope to see you on our team!
