Kids Judo 5 years +

Judo or Jūdō (meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Dr Kano Jigoro. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking or by executing a strangle hold or choke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons defences are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).

The philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for other modern Japanese martial arts that developed from traditional schools (koryū). The worldwide spread of judo has led to the development of a number of offshoots such as Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Practitioners of judo are called jūdōka.

While judo includes a variety of rolls, falls, throws, hold downs, chokes, joint-locks and strikes, the primary focus is on throwing , and groundwork . Throws are divided in two groups of techniques, standing techniques (tachi-waza), and sacrifice techniques. Standing techniques are further divided into hand techniques, hip techniques, and foot and leg techniques . Sacrifice techniques are divided into those in which the thrower falls directly backwards, and those in which he falls onto his side .

The ground fighting techniques (ne-waza) are divided into attacks against the joints or joint locks, strangleholds or chokeholds, and holding or pinning techniques.

A kind of sparring is practised in judo, known as randori, meaning "free practice". In randori, two adversaries may attack each other with any judo throw or grappling technique. Striking techniques (atemi-waza) such as kicking and punching, along with knife and sword techniques are retained in the kata. This form of pedagogy is usually reserved for higher ranking practitioners (for instance, in the kime-no-kata), but are forbidden in contest, and usually prohibited in randori for reasons of safety. Also for reasons of safety, chokeholds, joint locking, and the sacrifice techniques are subject to age or rank restrictions. For example, in the United States one must be 13 or older to use chokeholds, and 16 or older to use armlocks.

In randori and tournament (shiai) practice, when an opponent successfully executes a chokehold or joint lock, one submits, or "taps out", by tapping the mat or one's opponent at least twice in a manner that clearly indicates the submission. When this occurs the match is over, the tapping player has lost, and the chokehold or joint lock ceases.

ALL OUR JUDO CLASSES are taught by John Ellis (Commonwealth Grandmasters Judo 2012 - Heavyweight Champion )BLACK Belt 4th Dan.