English Judo Blogs

The Inter-Provincial Team Championships 2025 brought together teams from across the country in an exciting and hard-fought competition. We’re delighted to publish the official results , celebrating the athletes and provinces that showcased incredible teamwork, technical skill, and judo spirit. 👏 Congratulations to all competitors and coaches — and thank you to everyone who helped organise this fantastic event. 📥 View the full results now on the IJA website! 🔗 Link to Results Page   #InterProv... Read more

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By the time April waved goodbye, every continent had checked off its big-ticket judo bash for the year, now the global spotlight shifts to the grand finale: the World Judo Championships! From June 13 to 19, it’s all about individual glory, and on the 20th, it’s team spirit in full force with the mixed-team showdown. For the third time, Budapest will take centre stage as host of the IJF’s flagship event. Dr. Toth László, serving as President of the EJU, President of the Hungarian Judo Asso... Read more

We are pleased to share the official Points & Wins list from the Northern Ireland Open 2025 , which took place on 12th–13th April . The weekend saw some fantastic judo on display and great performances from athletes across all categories. A huge well done to everyone who competed! Our thanks also go to the Northern Ireland Judo Federation and the many volunteers and coaches who supported the event. 📌 You can now view the full Points & Wins list HERE The post Points & Wins – Northern Ireland ... Read more

Commonwealth Sport today announced it has signed an exclusive agreement with Seven for the network to become the official Australian broadcast media partner for the 2026 and 2030 Commonwealth Games.  The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in Scotland from 23 July to 2 August next year. The host selection process conducted by Commonwealth Sport for the 2030 Commonwealth Games is currently in progress.  The agreement covers broadcast, digital, connected TV, radio, social... Read more

Despite a packed international competition calendar, the Berlin “Millennium Team” Cadet European Cup 2025 attracted 751 judoka from 38 countries. The stacked competition saw experienced athletes go head-to-head with newcomers. Top seeds had a tough time living up to expectations at Sportforum Berlin, with only one of 14 managing to secure gold. Italy’s Giorgia GRASSI once again impressed. After winning silver in Porec and gold in Teplice, she captured another title by defeating Alexandra ... Read more

The final of the mixed team event at the European Championships in Podgorica on Sunday was a real thriller. Next year’s Individual European Championships hosts, Georgia, met with the formidable Italian team, who had broken their medal record this week by taking eight medals. Their strength continued into the final day, battling their way to the gold medal contest. Read more

As expected, on the final day of competition at the 2025 Asian Judo Championships, Japan was not as prolific as on days one and two. Team Japan nevertheless finished the individual phase of the competition, before the mixed team tournament, with no fewer than eight titles, ahead of Uzbekistan and Korea with two titles each. For the last five categories in contention, the other nations vied for the top prizes. Read more

It was a true fairytale situation for next years Individual European Championships hosts, Georgia. Meeting them in the final of the Mixed Team European Championships 2025 were the formidable Italian team, who had broken their record this week, taking eight medals. Their strength continued on to the final day, battling their way to the gold medal contest. In the first contest was the men’s -73kg, Manuel LOMBARDO (ITA) faced Mikheili BAKHBAKHASHVILI of Georgia, and the pair were cat-like i... Read more

Despite a packed international competition calendar, the Berlin “Millennium Team” Cadet European Cup 2025 attracted 751 judoka from 38 countries. The high-level event featured seasoned cadets clashing with promising newcomers, and in a testament to the depth of the field, only one of the 14 top seeds managed to take home a gold medal. Read more

The IJF Team snatched their bronze medal in the Mixed Team European Championships 2025, leaving no room for doubt about who should receive the award, winning four consecutive contests. Karen GALSTIAN (IJF) was in trouble against Bilal CILOGLU (TUR) in the opening contest, picking up two shidos, but as the clocked ticked away, he managed to transition in to ne waza from a sumi gaeshi attempt by Ciloglu, securing the osae komi and first point for the IJF team. Next up, Tamara LISHCHENK... Read more

In the first of the bronze medal matches of the Mixed Team European Championships 2025, Germany were taking on the fairytale story that was Belgium. In their mixed team debut, Belgium had stunned teams including France for a chance to take bronze. In the end, the win went to Germany by means of a draw, selecting the +90kg men to go head to head for a second time. It was certainly a controversial contest for the spectators, with opinions split on the landing for the yuko score awarded to ... Read more

As the 2025 European Judo Championships in Podgorica approached its final stages, Dr. Tóth László, President of the European Judo Union, reflected on what he described as an “unforgettable success.” Dr. Tóth shared his hope that this event will leave a strong legacy for judo’s growth in Montenegro. Dr. Tóth praised the Montenegrin Judo Federation, the countless volunteers and the local community for their incredible contribution. “For a small country, this is an outstanding achievement.... Read more

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Serbia to Host the 2026 European Judo Championships Mixed Team Event. The official handover ceremony took place this afternoon in Podgorica, marking the conclusion of the 2025 European Championships. During the ceremony, Mr. Milovan Bratić, President of the Executive Board of the Serbian Judo Federation, proudly accepted the honour and received the EJU flag on behalf of Serbia. Serbia has embraced the mixed team judo format with energy and passion, steadily building its presence at the Eu... Read more

There is no escaping that judo is a heartbreaking sport. All can be over in a matter of seconds after months, even years of preparation. Some judoka go head to head for their entire careers and the rivalry between Ilia SULAMANIDZE (GEO) and Zelym KOTSOIEV (AZE) looks set to be one of the most epic. Already the pair have gone toe to toe on the tatami six times, resulting in a 3:3 split record. The most recent win was on the final day of individual competition during the European Champions... Read more

As always, the Mixed Team European Championships is a huge celebration, the atmosphere in Podgorica, Montenegro was incredible during the preliminaries, and some big surprises made it all the more entertaining! For the first time, Belgium entered a team and in incredible fashion, defeated France in the repechage round to advance to the bronze medal round. For the first of the semi finals, Irina ZUEVA (IJF) was first up to take on the current World Champion, Odette GIUFFRIFDA (ITA) in the... Read more

Author: Tatjana Flade Belgium’s very first mixed team has created a sensation at the European Judo Championships Seniors in Podgorica, Montenegro by advancing to the bronze medal match. They first beat the Netherlands before losing to Italy in the quarterfinal but then the Belgians overcame hot favorites France in the repechage and are fighting for bronze. “This is crazy. We are just a small team and we don’t have any substitutes. We are here for the first time and to beat France and t... Read more

Montréal, April 26, 2025 – After a successful first day of competitions at the Panamerican and Oceania Championships where Team Canada collectively earned four medals, Canuck judokas added two more medals to the overall haul, Saturday, in Santiago, Chile. Keagan Young (-81 kg) and Coralie Godbout (-78 kg) both reached the finals in their respective categories, but lost their final duels. No tears were shed though, as both athletes will take home bronze medals. Recall that yesterday, Fr... Read more

In the men’s heavyweight final of the European Championships in Podgorica, Inal Tasoev of the IJF team successfully defended his title. The former World Champion was the one to beat, overcoming a series of top athletes along the way, including double Olympic Champion Lukas Krpalek of the Czech Republic. Read more

Romane Dicko of France made history in Podgorica by claiming her fifth European title, once again overcoming her long-time rival Raz Hershko of Israel in the women’s heavyweight final. Dicko had to dig deep to manage the final, as Hershko initially disrupted her rhythm and prevented her from establishing her usual dominance. Read more

The final of the European Championships U100kg brought an electrifying head-to-head between Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan and Ilia Sulamanidze of Georgia. These two always deliver thrilling performances, and Saturday’s showdown in Podgorica was no exception. The crowd erupted as Sulamanidze used spectacular ashi-waza to throw Kotsoiev, though the overspin limited the score to a yuko. For the remainder of the match, Sulamanidze kept up the pressure, while Kotsoiev, the Olympic Champion, strugg... Read more

Patricia Sampaio of Portugal was the star of the show in the -78kg category, overcoming the fast-rising Anna Monta Olek of Germany to claim her first senior European title. It was a tough contest, but the Olympic bronze medallist delivered when it mattered most, scoring with a powerful seoi nage. Sampaio became the sixth Portuguese to win the European title. Telma Montieor is without any doubt topscorer with six titles. Sampaio is the second Portuguese women. Read more

On the second day of the 2025 Asian Judo Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, five new weight categories were in action. While Japanese judoka again dominated the competition with three titles, their supremacy was contested by Uzbekistan and Korea, who each claimed one title. Read more

The spotlight in the -100kg category in Podgorica, is firmly on Olympic finalists Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan and Ilia Sulamanidze of Georgia. Kotsoiev’s dominance has been remarkable, with back-to-back world and Olympic titles under his belt, making him the man to beat. His return to competition in Podgorica is eagerly anticipated. Read more

The -78kg category o Saturday is stacked with firepower, from rising stars to seasoned champions. Leading the charge is Portugal’s Patricia Sampaio, who’s been knocking on the door of a senior continental title for years. After bronze in 2023, Sampaio has found new rhythm in 2025 with gold in Paris and a string of medals from Tokyo to Tbilisi. This might finally be her moment to step into the spotlight. Read more

Montréal, April 25, 2025 – Lead by  Evelyn Beaton,  who won the gold in the -52 kg grand final, Team Canada collected four medals today – one gold, one silver and two bronze – on Friday, the first day of the Panamerican and Oceania Judo Championships held in Santiago, Chile. -52 podium – Evelyn Beaton 1st – photo CPJ In addition to Beaton’s medal, Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (-63 kg) earned silver, while both Julien Frascadore (-66 kg) and Yanis Hachemi (-73 kg) took third place – g... Read more

The Welsh Judo Association is pleased to announce the release of the Athlete Nomination Policy for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, taking place in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August 2026. This policy outlines the process by which judoka will be considered for nomination to Team Wales’ selection panel. Developed in collaboration with Commonwealth Games Wales (CGW), the nomination framework ensures a transparent, performance-based pathway for selection. The Commonwealth Games is the bigg... Read more

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As mentioned in my introduction, we are incredibly proud to announce that 2 x Olympic medallist, World Champion and multiple World medallist Baul An will be coming to Budokan in 2 month’s time. Read more

Cadet (U/18) and Junior (U/21) Panamerican Oceania Championships 18-19April Clarissa Vumbaca and Crosby Peake with Kerrye Katz coaching   Read more

Welcome to all new club members. We hope that you are enjoying your Judo experience with the Budokan family. Membership is steady at 210 and there is a lot going on. This Newsletter contains an update to the #1 April Newsletter with a view to keep you informed before the news gets dated. Read more

2025 major events   Read more

See the attached document . 16 Budokan athletes competed in 27 divisions at the Melbourne International Open. Rob, Kerrye and Nathan attended this competition to provide coaching support for our guys.  mio_2025_results.pdf Read more

Don’t forget that nominations to the NSW State Team CLOSE IN 2 DAYS TIME on 24th April and are completed on-line at https://www.judonsw.com.au/2024/03/2024-nsw-state-team-nominations/ Read more

In February, Judo Australia, together with CombatAUS celebrate an expanded performance coaching team. Performance Judo in Australia takes to a new level of commitment with the announcement of a bolstered National Coaching team to spearhead efforts towards Brisbane 2032.  Read more

In the last Newsletter, I acknowledged a number of very generous families that have made donations to the club: Shahmatov family for the filtered and chilled water dispenser in the kitchen, Ma family for the new Loan Judogi rack, and the Lee family for the new colourful Budokan Bag Tags. I failed Read more

Due to the limited dates that Baul An could be locked in for the seminar, we have needed to reschedule our Budokan-hosted NSW Junior competition 1 week earlier than planned, from 29th June to 22nd June.  This competition is a fantastic opportunity for first-time competitors from Budokan to compet Read more

17 category awards were presented to 66 recipients at our Awards Night late last year, as well as some special awards celebrating our Olympic representative and Olympic referee. Read more

We are thrilled to share the inspiring judo story of Rebecca Casey , a dedicated member of our judo community who continues to shine on and off the tatami. Rebecca’s journey reflects the true spirit of judo — perseverance, respect, and continuous self-improvement. From her early days of falling in love with the sport, to representing her club and country, her passion for judo continues to inspire younger judoka across Ireland. 🇮🇪 Her story reminds us that judo is more than just competition; i... Read more

The Irish Judo Association proudly acknowledges the achievements of our newest certified Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches . After completing their Sport Ireland Coaching Courses in January and March 2025 , these coaches are now even better equipped to support the growth of Irish Judo at club, provincial, and national levels. We commend their dedication to advancing their coaching skills and helping to inspire and nurture future generations of judoka. Thank you to all our coaches for their continue... Read more

Montréal, April 20, 2025 – Both Cadet and Junior teams representing Canada earned bronze medals on Sunday, the last day of the Panamerican and Oceania Championships Juniors in Peru. Photo: Judo Canada The Cadet team featured: Addyson Tamura (-48 kg), Maia Thomson (-63 kg), Missy Jen Dorval Mbele (+63 kg), Amir Temirbaev (-60 kg), Tristan Bourque (-81 kg) and Franck David Moussima Ewana Elouti (+81 kg). The Team faced a tough bout in the first round against Team Brazil, and lost ... Read more

The first draft... And here's the Director's Cut! Read more

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Real strategies used by our judo coaches that most sports clubs won’t tell you — but every parent should know. “Why is my child acting out after the Easter break?” If you’ve found yourself asking this question lately — you’re not alone. Maybe they’ve become a little more moody. Maybe they’re glued to a screen again. Maybe they’re bouncing off the walls one minute and melting down the next. You’re doing everything right… but it still feels like something’s off . Here’s the good news: It’s not... Read more

Loika Robertson and Charlie Thibault coming home with bronze medals Montréal, April 19, 2025 – Canada’s judokas earned three medals – one silver and two bronze – Saturday at the Panamerican and Oceania Championships Juniors Individuals in Peru’s capital city of Lima. Photo: Judo Canada Charlie Thibault, Arthur Karpukov and Loika Robertson Arthur Karpukov was Team Canada’s star on Saturday with his silver medal. The Montrealer gave it his all in the -81kg class final, despite suff... Read more

Below are links to all the techniques (tachi-waza and newaza) that you need to master in order to grade up to each belt: Yellow Orange Green Blue Brown Read more

Montréal, April 18, 2025 – The Canadian cadet delegation definitely made its presence felt on day one of the Cadet and Junior Pan-American Championships in Lima, Peru, capturing fifteen medals on Friday, including three gold. Connor Gallant (-66 kg), Tristan Bourque (-81 kg), and Maia Thomson (-63 kg) climbed to the top of the podium in their respective categories, thanks to their perfect competition records. Photo Judo Alberta Maia Thomson Thomson led the charge, defeating Brazi... Read more

Yesterday we held our first “open mat” which was attended by Judoka from Winchester Judo Club, Fleming Park Judo Club, Southampton University Judo Club and Matsumachi Judo Club. Judo and BJJ open mat attendees With 6 Judo black belts on the mat, we enjoyed well over an hour of randori with other Judoka and with some of the BJJ practioners (including BJJ black belts). This fortnight our coach Lance has been teaching Judo to the BJJ learners as part of their take downs block of traini... Read more

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What an amazing start to the year the club has had at our new home as part of Parity Martial Arts and Wellness. Starting with a Thursday session, we quickly needed a Sunday session too. Highlights have included hosting a session with our friends from Fleming Park Judo club and a club visit from our friends at Fort Purbrook Judo Club. As we go into second quarter of 2025 we shift focus to grading some people (once club revalidation proces... Read more

Newaza Openings 1. Knee Roll 2. Sankaku Sit-Back 3. Fukuda Roll 4. Alligator Roll Right Wrist Control Series 1. Thread-the-Needle 2. Keylock Roll 3. Power Half Nelson 4. Briggs Sankaku 5. Shiba Lock Left Wrist Control Series 1. Figure-4 Roll 2. Figure-4 Roll (Sumi-Gaeshi) 3. Adams Juji-Gatame Roll (Version 1) 4. Adams Juji-Gatame Roll (Version 2) 5. Kataha-Jime & British Strangle 6. Traineau Roll 7. Figure-4 Sit-Back Roll Jacket Skirt Tie-Up 1. Regular Roll 2. Reverse Roll 3. Bulldozer Roll 4... Read more

Yusana and Azril did a demo of judo techniques at SMK (P) Pudu under very rainy conditions. It's difficulty enough to do judo techniques well, imagine how hard it was to do it when the mats are slippery due to the rain! But they did an excellent job. Read more

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Congratulations to Our Newest Dan Grades! The Irish Judo Association is proud to celebrate the success of our most recent Dan Grade candidates who were promoted during the National Grading held on Sunday, 23rd March 2025 . These judoka have shown outstanding commitment, technical ability, and passion for judo – reflecting the spirit and discipline our sport is built on. A number of candidates have also met the criteria and are now subject to the required waiting period before formal promotion... Read more

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In today’s world of likes, shares, and social status, many children chase popularity at the cost of their values. As a parent in Woking, you’ve likely seen this play out—whether in your child’s classroom, on the playground, or online. And with the rise of social media and peer influence, children often feel pressure to fit in rather than stand out for the right reasons. But here’s the truth: popularity doesn’t always equal happiness or good choices. Two Approaches to Popularity Consider these... Read more

Northern Ireland Judo Federation (NIJF) is proud to announce its continued engagement with Disability Sport NI as part of its mission to make judo accessible to all. As part of this initiative, the NIJF will be undertaking the Inclusive Sport Award for the 2025-2026 period and beyond, reinforcing its dedication to fostering an inclusive sporting environment. The Inclusive Sport Award, presented by Disability Sport NI, is a benchmark for standards, and recognises organisations that ac... Read more

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Montreal, March 31, 2025 – Strength and conditioning coach Nicolas Thébault is about to embark on a new chapter in his professional career. In the coming days, he will leave his position at the Institut National du Sport du Québec to take on the same role full-time with Judo Canada. Thébault is already a familiar face to Canadian judokas, having worked with them for nearly a decade. He sees this new role as a natural progression in his career. Over the years, in addition to working with j... Read more

Stress Awareness Month: The Connection with Judo and Mental Well-Being April marks Stress Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the effects of stress on mental and physical health. In this month-long observance, individuals, organisations, and communities are encouraged to explore strategies for managing stress, learning about its impact, and seeking ways to improve overall well-being. One interesting and often overlooked approach to stress management is through phy... Read more

“Nothing short of inspiring. Engaging, empowering girls of all ages and skill levels” – Sanshirokwai Dojo Girls That Judo (GTJ), a groundbreaking initiative led by Steph Walker, a Welsh Judo employee and final-year student at the University of South Wales, launched Girls That Judo in July 2024 to address the unique barriers women face in judo, a discipline that has long been male-dominated. GTJ, now in it’s 8th session, continues to provides a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for ... Read more

What a year it’s been so far! Welsh judokas have already made a significant mark on both the national and international stage. From impressive podium finishes at regional and national competitions to standout performances on the world stage, our athletes have showcased remarkable skill and determination. These accomplishments reflect not just the talent of the athletes but also the dedication of their coaches, support teams, and the growing judo community across Wales. With every co... Read more

Our Young Judokas Make Us Proud at Bishop’s Stortford This weekend, our young team from Fighting Fitness Judo headed to Bishop’s Stortford for another exciting children’s judo competition—and they did not disappoint! With determination, teamwork, and great spirit, our judokas competed against children from clubs across the region. For many of our members, this was another step in their journey to becoming confident, skilled martial artists. Here’s how they did: Gold Medalists Anastasia Tur... Read more

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The Entry List is now available for Leinster Championships 2025 (Closed). We look forward to your presence at this amazing event, where you can show your support for our athletes as they prepare to showcase their progress and dedication to judo. 📄 The full list is now available here: LINK 👏 Best of Luck to all judoka who will step onto the tatami this Sunday and give it their all. A special thank you to the organizers, referees, and volunteers who will make the event a memorable and successfu... Read more

The Judo Canada Athletes’ Committee is looking for two new members to join the team. Eligibility Criteria: Must be a current National Team member or have been a carded athlete within the last five years. The committee must include at least one man and one woman at all times. One athlete must not be based at the National Training Centre (NTC). A maximum of one retired athlete may sit on the committee. If you’re interested or want to learn more, reach out to us! a.valoisfortier@judocan... Read more

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The Galway Open 2025 was a fantastic display of skill, determination, and sportsmanship, bringing together judoka from across Ireland for an action-packed day of competition! 📄 The official Points & Wins list is now available! 📌 View the full results here: LINK A huge congratulations to all the competitors who stepped onto the tatami and showcased their hard work. A special thank you to the organizers, referees, coaches, and volunteers who made the event a success! 💬 Did you take part in the ... Read more

Montréal, March 24, 2025 – The two Canadians who competed at the Para-Judo World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday were defeated by athletes who went on to win medals. Justin Karn (-70 kg J2) and Eitel Houedakar (-81 kg J1) both came out of the competition with records of 0-2. Photo: Rafal Burza, IBSA Sport Justin Karn Canadian team veteran Karn lost his first match to Ishak Ouldkouider of Algeria, who won by ippon. Ouldkouider later captured a bronze medal. In the repechage, Ka... Read more

James (Jimmy) Leonard RIP The Executive Committee, members and staff of the Irish Judo Association send their deepest condolences to the cherished member of our team, the IJA Office Manager Ms. Deirdre Leonard, on the passing of her father, James Leonard. We extend our deepest sympathies to Deirdre and her family at this time. Funeral Details James (Jimmy) Leonard (Terenure, Dublin) has passed away peacefully on 22nd March 2025 in the wonderful care of the staff in St James’ Hospital. Prede... Read more

Montréal, March 23 rd , 2025 –  Kyle Reyes  climbed on the third step of the podium in the under-100 kg category at the Judo Grand Slam in Tbilisi, Georgia, to conclude his first international competition of the year on Sunday. After collecting one of the two bronze medals at the Tokyo Grand Slam during his last outing on the world stage in December, he won four of his five bouts in the Georgian capital. Photo IJF – Kulumbegashvili Tamara His battle for one of the two third place... Read more

Montréal, March 22, 2025 – On Saturday,  Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard  competed in her first tournament since the Paris Olympic Games eight months ago. The 30-year-old athlete celebrated her comeback by stepping onto the top of the podium in the under-63 kg category at the Tbilisi Grand Slam in Georgia. Photo IJF/Tamara Kulumbegashvili Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard In today’s big final, Beauchemin-Pinard prevailed over Manon Deketer of France thanks to a waza-ari she scored just over a... Read more

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From February 6th to March 13th, 2025 , Killarney Judo Club successfully ran an afterschool Women in Sport (WIS) initiative at Lissivigeen N.S. , introducing young girls to self-defense and judo techniques . 👩‍👧 Empowering the Next Generation Led by Tim Kelly (3rd Dan Black Belt) , the program aimed to build confidence, teach fundamental judo throws, and create a safe space for girls aged 10-12 to engage in sport. Each session welcomed between 7 to 11 participants , with 9 officially joining... Read more

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If uke is familiar with the Arm Roll, they might flatten out to prevent any roll. There are several options you can pursue. Here are four that are practical and effective. Read more

From a basic Arm Roll grip, you can roll uke into an osaekomi. Here are three options you can pursue depending on uke's reaction. Read more

The Irish Judo Association (IJA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Sami Smithson as the new Operations Officer – Performance Team . In this role, Sami will be responsible for the clerical, logistical, and stakeholder administration required to support the IJA Performance Team. Working closely with the National Performance Lead and Performance Team, she will play a crucial role in preparing Ireland’s judoka for the 2028 Olympic Programme. Sami brings a wealth of experience and a stro... Read more

You've rolled uke into a Juji-Gatame position. Great. Next step is to straighten the arm. Here are 4 ways you can do it. Read more

The Figure-4 Juji-Gatame Roll, invented by Neil Adams, is very versatile in that you can roll in two different directions, depending on how uke reacts. If uke flattens out, there is also a way to get uke into a Juji-Gatame position. The key here is the Figure-4 grip. Read more

This is the most common juji-gatame roll seen in competition. It was made famous by Alexander Iatskevich of the Soviet Union in the late 70s/early 80s. Read more

Russell Brown Chair NI Judo, Marc McLaughlin Sales Director SmartPay NI and Steve Setterfield Area Leisure Manager for Derry City and Strabane Council In fact, in April, you will be joining us for the SmartPayNI Northern Ireland Open, as the team at SmartPayNI have come on board to help us deliver our biggest event of the year. SmartPayNI deliver payment solutions to businesses and this year, for our spectator entry fee you will be able to pay by card! Excitement is building for the ... Read more

We offer everyone a free one week trial. You can come out Thursday and Sunday sessions to try it out. If you register at https://www.paritymartialarts.co.uk/memberships you can sign up to try Judo… Or try Judo, BJJ, Kick Boxing and all the classes at Parity Martial Arts and  Wellness. We have classes for children and adults. A majority of our participants are new starters, so it’s a great time to start. We teach in a informal style (yes, there is often music) with traditional Ju... Read more

This basic form of arm lock comes in two variations: bent and straight. Read more

This is a way to do kosoto against a same stance (ai-yotsu) opponent. Read more

This is a version of kosoto-gari that can be done even if you are not so good at timing. Read more

In this video, we show you the difference between deashi-barai and kosoto-gari. And we highlight the key points that make this technique work. Read more

“Nothing short of inspiring. Engaging, empowering girls of all ages and skill levels” Sanshirokwai Dojo Judo is an example of sport where the genders are equal in every aspect of competition, from rules, prize money, competition opportunities and mixed team events, making judo appealing for girls and women. A study by Adidas revealed that 92% of females feel unsafe when running (Adidas, 2022), Girls That Judo aims to create a secure environment where girls can devel... Read more

Interim CEO Appointment – Public Announcement The Welsh Judo Association is proud to announce the appointment of Tom Hughes as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Tom, who is currently the organisation’s Development and Events Manager, and will continue in this capacity in a split role, brings a wealth of experience to this interim position. Tom will now lead the staff team as we look ahead to an exciting 2025 for judo in Wales. Chris Emsley, Chair of the WJA said, “I’ve had the ple... Read more

A wrestling-based turnover made famous by World and Olympic Champion Kaori Matsumoto of Japan. Read more

The USJF has appointed Dr. Diba Mani as Chair of its Referee Development and Certification Committee. Read more

  It’s been a busy year for Welsh athletes, and it’s only February! Ollie Barratt showcased excellent judo against a strong lineup of World Class athletes, coming away with Bronze in the Warsaw Euopean Cup. Meanwhile, in the VI German Open, Evie Gormley came home with silver and in the Tunis African Junior Cup, Lola Hodson and Millie Bayliss secured a Gold and Bronze. Lola then went onto to secure Bronze at the African Cup the following weekend. Over in Denmark, Ashwin Yoganathan too... Read more

We’re delighted to announce, that Sarah Barritt will commence her role as the part-time Performance Coach on the 17 th of February. Sarah is a recognised high-level competitor in Judo and was previously part of the Performance pathway of the NIJF for many years. A multiple medallist on the World and European circuit, Sarah represented Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games in 2022, narrowly missing out on a medal. She brings to the role a wealth of experience, alongside innovativ... Read more

Midnight Ramadan sessions are back at Sport Wales National Centre! Welsh Judo is proud to host the  Ramadan Festival , offering  late-night judo sessions designed to accommodate those fasting during Ramadan. These sessions provide a welcoming and inclusive training opportunity for all judoka from any club —and anyone else—who prefers to train later in the evening. Current Welsh Judo members are welcome to join, while judo gis (uniforms) will be provided during the taster sessions hoste... Read more

This year we re-opened the club at Parity Martial Arts & Wellness on a Thursday evening. After the first month we have had enough participation to start a Sunday morning session also. We are offering kids and adults sessions. Both are ideal for beginners, especially the adult session. Unlike many clubs, our adult section is heavily focussed on adult novices, so if you have never done it before, or not since being a kid it’s perfect for you. Equally, we have good attendance from experience... Read more

With our 2025 restart, we are also back on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15s95SxLU4/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/southamptonjudo/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@southamptoncityjudoclub3365 and latest is… TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@southamptonjudo Which is where we posted this video, which has already had over 1000 views! It rather nicely highlights how amazing our first month back has been! @southamptonjudo #Judo Thursdays and Sundays #Ca... Read more

As February rolls in, the days are still short, the weather is cold, and spring feels like it’s a long way off. If you’ve noticed your child spending more time indoors, glued to screens, and less time being physically active, you’re not alone. But here’s the real issue: The longer children remain inactive during winter, the harder it is for them to break the cycle—even when the weather improves. A study on children’s physical activity found that shorter days, colder temperatures, and wet weat... Read more

We are really pleased to announce that we are offering Judo on Sundays as well as our Thursday sessions. Kids are from 9:30am, then after them Adults take to the mat 10:30 till 12 noon. This means each session is approximately £5,00 per session which is amazing value given the quality of our new venue. Read more

What a start to the year -llongyfarchiadau everyone!  Veterans: Tim Rolls Adaptive: Evie Gormley – A/VIF-P1 Senior:  Lola Hodson -52kg Joshua Whitehouse +100kg  Nicole Kranicola -78kg  5th Ben Moore -73 kg Junior:  Lola Hodson -52kg Millie Bayliss-63kg Max Freebury +100kg Evan Price -55kg Laurence Hill -60kg  Ben Moore -73kg Kylan Aylward-81kg  5th Paige Keane -70kg Screenshot For the full article, clic... Read more

Florida State Judo Yudanshakai, Florida Judo Yudanshakai, Florida Judo, Inc. & A. Kolychkine Judo Foundation are pleased to announce our first seminar of the year 2025, to update everyone on the new Judo rules for this new Olympic cycle. We are calling the entire Judo community in South Florida, just before the start of local […] Read more

Attached is an essay I recently wrote with Mr. George Rego of Florida regarding Kime no kata. フロリダのジョージ・レゴ氏と最近書いた講道館柔道の「極の形」に関するエッセイを添付します。 The “Form of Decision” is one way to translate the Japanese name, 極の形, which indicates that the kata focuses on decisive techniques, methods to finish engagements quickly and, if necessary, in a deadly fashion.「決断の形」は、日本語名「極の形」を翻訳する方法の 1 つであり、この型が決定的なテクニック、つまり交戦を迅速に、必要に応じて致命的な方法で終了する方法に焦点を当てていることを示しています。 Kime no … Continue reading Kime no Kata – The Heart... Read more

In today’s fast-paced, distraction-filled world, many children struggle to concentrate. Whether it’s homework, chores, or extracurricular activities, maintaining focus can feel like an uphill battle. At Fighting Fitness Judo , we’ve developed a structured approach to help children improve their focus, not just on the mat but in all areas of life. Through our 4 Principles of Focus , we teach our students the essential building blocks of concentration, self-discipline, and respect. These princi... Read more

If you’ve ever seen your child start something new and exciting only to give up at the first sign of difficulty, you’re not alone. As parents, it can be incredibly frustrating to watch. You see all the benefits of sticking with an activity, but your child doesn’t. This tendency to quit isn’t just about the activity itself—it’s often a sign that kids are still learning how to handle challenges and build resilience. So, how can you help them push through and keep going when things get tough? At... Read more

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The USJF Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to announce that the nominations for the Class of 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award (USJF LAA) is now open. The US Judo Hall of Fame Committee is soliciting nominations of individuals for consideration for induction to the USJF Lifetime Achievement Award Class of 2025. Only USJF Yudanshakai Presidents, […] Read more

So far, a majority of the information shared on this site has been about performance Judo and the metrics associated with competition Judo. This is, of course, just a subset of the Judo world, so this article is not about elite performance Judo rather about the demographics of a Judo association. Picture by MikeOliveri The British Judo Association (BJA) maintains a record of all Dan grades (Black belts and above) within their orgainsation. They also make this  information partially available ... Read more

Photo by M Lee Recently a colleague of mine sent me a study he conducted some time back observing British fighter Craig Fallon in action at the 2003 European Championships. Dave Elmore analysed all the fights Craig had on the day against Paischer, Uematsu, Morokhovets, Nazaryan and Khergiani. He carefully recorded the time spent in the following categories: Adjusting Judo Gi Gripping Ne – Waza (grappling) Hajime Matte Attacking – Tachi – Waza Defending Tachi – Waza Dave is the Judo Developm... Read more

I am, as some are aware, presently researching the attack rates of athletes in the 2008 Olympic Judo tournament in Beijing. To do this I am notating the attacks made by each athlete and analyzing the results. As with many forms of analysis there are issues to be addressed around the calidity of the data. One of which is how accurate your recording is, in this post I would like to invite you to help my project by notating a short video from YouTube and emailing me your result, this will be hel... Read more

In this post we shall briefly look at the ages of the Judoka competing at the latest Judo World Cup events in Europe. The two events are the 2009 – World Cup – Prague, and the World Cup Warsaw – 2009. Prague was a womens event, Warsaw a mens event. Method: Ages and results were obtained from the JudoInside website for both events. Data was analyzed for medalists only Statistics between winners and silver and bronze medalists is compared. Results: 24.95    Average Age of medalist 34    Max ... Read more

The text below is the result of the pilot study that was the inspiration for my BSC. research project at University of Bath on the Beijing Olympic games Judo event. The study looks at the attack rate of players in the 2006 Commonwealth Judo tournament and their success rate. I have posted it previously on www.judocoach.com/judo but have decided to add it here as it is in keeping with the subject of this site. Summary of the 2006 Commonwealth Judo Tournament. Publish at Scribd or explore othe... Read more

Recently I have been involved in two conversation threads related to, but seperate from this site. The first was about my BSc. research project notating the attack rate of Judo athletes in the Beijing Olympic Judo Tournament. The second is a thread about Talent Identification in Judo and generally. Also there have been a couple of posts in the Judo Blogosphere about Malcolm Gladwells “ Outliers ” book that helped inspire this post. In both conversations my response has been that if we can id... Read more

This weekend (25 January 2009), the first of the events of the IJF ranking system will be held. The new system of ranking is important as it shall decide who can attend the London 2012 Olympic Judo tournament. In this post we shall take a good look at the system… IJF Ranking Points System. As you can see from the table, athletes are awarded ranking points depending on the position they reach and the event they are competing in. So, win the World Championships and get 500 points, win one of th... Read more

In the area of research into the metrics of Judo, the work of Sikorski, Mickiewicz, Majle and Laska from 1987 is probably the most cited. Their 1987 paper “ Structure of the contest and work capacity of the judoist ” has been referenced and used as the basis for further research by the likes of Franchini and Sterkowicz. The work describes both the structure of matches and also the physiological elements and is of interest to researchers and coaches today. The paper identified the periods of w... Read more

In 2006, I (Lance Wicks) notated two days of Judo at the 2006 Commonwealth Judo Tournament. The purpose of the notation was to do a statistical analysis looking to prove the hypothesis that the number of attacks made by a player had a correlation with winnning the match. The results are shown below: Summary of the 2006 Commonwealth Judo Tournament. Publish at Scribd or explore others: Sport 2006 Judo The notation was done manually with a custom paper form. Each attack was recorded... Read more

Hello everyone, this is the beginning of a new web project by Lance Wicks . The idea here is to develop and share Judo analytical tools for the statistical analysis of Judo competitions. The initial project this site will be covering is a notational analysis of the Beinjing 2008 Olympic Judo competition. This is being hand notated and the results will be shared here. Please visit regularly as the site shall start shanging rapidly over the next few months. Lance. Read more