Judo, being a well-organised sport, has some guiding principles which judokas, regardless of age, must adhere to.
Contestants bow before stepping onto the mat and after the competition. This is etiquette in the sport. At the same time, inappropriate behaviour such as foul language and bodily gestures are not tolerated.
Punching, kicking and intentionally injuring an opponent is not permitted. As a safety regulation, touching the opponent’s face, and attacking joints other than the elbows is not allowed.
No contestant can be allowed on the sporting arena if they are wearing hard or metallic objects otherwise they would be expelled from the tournament. Metallic objects could include earrings, wedding rings, hard plastic protective gear and hair-ties with metal parts.
Judo is a sport of unarmed combat intended to train the body and mind. It draws its roots from Japan in 1882 and has since become one of the games played at the Olympics.
The most unique thing about the sport is that it calls for calm and humility. A judoka (judo participant) responds to the opponent only when attacked. This is a great sport for teaching young ones to respect each other regardless of ability.
A participant applies self-defence techniques only when the opponent makes a move. The idea is to destabilise the opponent, get him on the floor and subdue him.
It is recommended that children start training at the tender age of five so that the self-defence techniques are applied naturally at a later date in life. “When kids train at a young age, it becomes a natural thing to protect themselves when necessary,” says Jennifer Jean-Louis, a senior referee at the Kenya Judo Association.
She gives the example of a mugging incident where the victim is overpowered when he takes a lot of time trying to calculate the next physical move.
Muscles
While most sporting activities only build one set of muscles, judo coordinates the entire body by conditioning all the muscles. “It increases your flexibility, making you much more agile. Besides, it is fit for both male and female participants,” says Mrs Jean-Louis, who is a black belt judoka.
In judo, the darker the belt, the more successful you are. The belts’ colours depict seniority of the judoka and include white, yellow, orange, blue, brown and then black, in that order. For children with low-esteem issues, judo can help them re-evaluate their emotional worth.
“Interacting with other participants in the sport helps boost self-esteem which has a positive impact on behaviour as the children overcome shyness,” she notes.
Black belt
There are fewer female judokas in Kenya compared to their male counterparts, mainly due to the risks involved in the sport, which are, however, a result of lack of concentration or incorrect technique.
“I have had to fight men on my way to the black belt rank since there were no female competitors. However, the trick of the game is to master the skill of falling,” she says.
Quite often, the beginner in judo may feel that they are not picking up the techniques. While it may appear that the basic moves are simple, the coordination necessary to do them right can only be achieved after practising many times.
The basic curriculum for judo training begins with simple stretching and strengthening exercise. From here the dojo (place where martial art training is done) is equipped with spring floor mats. These come in handy at the next training stage which involves lots of rolls and falls.
Learning the rolls and falls allows trainees to better handle the numerous summersaults that occur.
Enrolling for judo classes should not be much of a hassle. Training is offered in a number of gyms and clubs across the county.
Evening sessions
Since training sessions last between one and one-and-a-half hours, this is not a strenuous sport. Mrs Jean-Louis, however, encourages participants to maintain a regular workout plan since it affects their prowess in the sport.
School-going children as well as working adults can enrol for evening sessions which is convenient as it does not disrupt their daily schedules. The price per session differs depending on the age of the judo trainees and the gym where they train.
