# Don't Skip a Judo Class



## Catching Fire (Apr 23, 2009)

I had my first Judo class yesterday. It went pretty well but I had alot of awkward SA moments. I'm setting a goal to never miss a class because I'm tired or because of SA.


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

That is great that you are doing that. I have always wanted to take a martial arts class but never had the time/money when I was younger and now I think I am too old. I have a vision of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer was taking karate and his entire class consisted of kids. :lol


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## Catching Fire (Apr 23, 2009)

Penny said:


> That is great that you are doing that. I have always wanted to take a martial arts class but never had the time/money when I was younger and now I think I am too old. I have a vision of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer was taking karate and his entire class consisted of kids. :lol


That actually happened to me once. I acidentlly went to the kids Tae Kwon Do class and they let me take class. I ended up sparring little kids and feeling really out of place. When I told my dad thats how I found out about the Sienfeld thing lol.

Your never too old to do it. One guy in my Judo class must be over 50. There are a couple of guys in their 30s too.


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## UKPhobe (Oct 22, 2008)

Well done.

What did you cover? Presumably stances, movement and breakfalls.


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## UKPhobe (Oct 22, 2008)

Catching Fire said:


> That actually happened to me once. I acidentlly went to the kids Tae Kwon Do class and they let me take class. I ended up sparring little kids and feeling really out of place. When I told my dad thats how I found out about the Sienfeld thing lol.
> 
> Your never too old to do it. One guy in my Judo class must be over 50. There are a couple of guys in their 30s too.


Robin Horsfall in his autobiography spoke about how he spent a year inbetween tours doing a Shotokan Karate class alongside kids.


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## Catching Fire (Apr 23, 2009)

UKPhobe said:


> Well done.
> 
> What did you cover? Presumably stances, movement and breakfalls.


I actually did it over a year ago but had to stop after a few monthes because of Tae Kwon Do. So I know the basics and just reviewed stuff.


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## slyfox (Nov 18, 2007)

Good luck Catching Fire! You have gotten off to a great start!


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## UKPhobe (Oct 22, 2008)

Catching Fire said:


> I actually did it over a year ago but had to stop after a few monthes because of Tae Kwon Do. So I know the basics and just reviewed stuff.


So what were you reviewing?


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## Catching Fire (Apr 23, 2009)

UKPhobe said:


> So what were you reviewing?


I did breakfalls, a few basic throws, and did some chokes. I had my second class on Thursday and really felt like I was doing it. I threw, was thrown, and did randori(sparring). I'm missing the class on Sunday because I'm down at the beach with my family. But I don't count that as breaking the goal. Although I'll lose some of my momentum with the break which sucks.


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## contranigma (Jun 24, 2009)

I took Judo this past year at college. It was twice a week and I made most of them. Martial arts can be pretty intimidating once you start actually sparring (randori). There were a few guys in the class who were wrestlers in high school, so they had an advantage coming into it. I guess it's good a good challenge for my SA.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

This is kind of a dumb question, but I've been thinking about martial arts classes for a while. I wear glasses and I can't use contacts (literally, I can't relax enough to put in contact lenses). If I take my glasses off, I'm pretty much blind and I doubt I could follow what anyone else in the room is doing. I'm guessing it's a bad idea to practice with glasses on, so will I have to figure out a way to wear contacts?


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## S.T.A.T. (Jan 17, 2009)

mountain5 said:


> This is kind of a dumb question, but I've been thinking about martial arts classes for a while. I wear glasses and I can't use contacts (literally, I can't relax enough to put in contact lenses). If I take my glasses off, I'm pretty much blind and I doubt I could follow what anyone else in the room is doing. I'm guessing it's a bad idea to practice with glasses on, so will I have to figure out a way to wear contacts?


It is not a dumb question. I am in the same situation as you. I wear glasses when they are doing instruction then take them off when we are doing drills or randori.

Cool thing with judo at least since you and your opponent are always physically connecting, it won't be as bad. In fact in a sport like judo, you learn to develop you sense of touch without relying on visual cues like most people.

I trained judo from 2002 until june 2008. I got promoted to brown belt (sankyu) in 2006. I loved it but got tired of it. I wanted to try something in life. But great sport to train in! It's fun!


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