Have you started Judo recently and want to get better? Judo can be quite frustrating at the beginning as you will find yourself being thrown most of the time and probably wondering how to get better at Judo quickly.
Here are 6 tips to improve Judo for beginners.
Work on Perfecting Ukemi
Judo is the art of throwing, thus it is also by default the art of knowing how to fall down properly. Learning how to properly break fall (Ukemi) will help you safely take part in Randori (sparring) as well as better protect yourself from injuries.
Perfect Your Front Rolls (Zenpo Kaiten)
Learning how to roll properly will help avoid injuries as well as learn how to properly commit to throws as many times you may need to roll with the opponent in order to score, a great example of this is when doing the Uchi-Mata, many a time you will need to finish the throw by rolling with your opponent.
Learn The Basics of Judo Footwork
Every Judo throw is based on some type of footwork mixed with proper grip and kazushi (unbalancing and opponent). An often under looked aspect of Judo is the footwork, especially among beginners. Developing proper Judo footwork will make your technique faster, smoother and much more effective.
Build Your Judo for Your Body Type
There are many weight classes and body types that you will find in Judo, everything from quick and light Judo competitors to heavy and strong Judo super heavyweights. Sometimes the techniques that work for lighter weight and smaller Judokas may not work for larger and much more heavy set Judokas. Knowing which techniques have a higher percentage of success for your body type is a great way to improve your Judo as you will be learning the most efficient Judo for your body type and thus be much more effective on the mat.
Start Practicing Uchikomi
Uchikomi stands for repetition training and it is generally done alone but can be done with a partner as well. It is very common to see Judo practitioners practicing Uchikomi with Uchikomi bands or DopamineO Resistance Bands.
Practice makes perfect and doing Uchikomi daily will perfect your technique, increase confidence and develop conditioning. It’s extremely easy to train Uchikomi and should be done daily.
Watch Judo Competitions
Watching high level Judo competitions will really help you understand the rules of judo as other elements of Judo such as the timing needed, techniques that work, how Judo setups look and what the styles of Judo from around the world look like. You can learn a lot from watching IJF Judo competitions and hopefully get motivated doing so as well. Judo is a fun sport to watch so sit down, kick your feet up and enjoy the Judo action.
In Conclusion
These are some simple tips to get better at Judo for beginners and if you incorporate some of them into your training you’re only going to find yourself getting better at Judo more quickly.
