Common Questions |
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Who can participate in Judo?
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Men, women, boys and girls can all participate in Judo. In fact, it is a sport the entire family can enjoy together.
The level of participation and intensity is entirely up to you. The commitment can range from casual easy-going
recreation, to informal competition, to the excitement and challenge of world competition. The choice is yours!
Many people go beyond participation and find it rewarding to teach, coach, referee or administer at tournaments.
There is something for everyone in Judo.
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Is Judo safe?
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Judo is very safe. Studies have shown that the overall injury rate for Judo is lower than that of
other contact sports such as hockey and lacrosse. Most injuries in Judo are minor in nature, with
minor strains and bruises being the most common, and sprains and breaks being extremely rare
occurrences. Like any contact sport, Judoka will sometimes get minor bumps and bruises, or feel
"squished".
All Judo training activities are appropriate for the age and physical fitness level of the Judoka.
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What can I expect at a typical class?
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Each daily class has a slightly different focus, but classes will typically consist of the
following elements:
- Fitness training, including cardiovascular (jogging and other aerobic exercise), strength
(calisthenics) and stretching
- Training exercises to improve balance, coordination and build the foundation of skills
necessary to be successful at Judo techniques
- Technical instruction in both standing and ground fighting techniques
- Free-form practice known as Randori
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What other fees can I expect to pay in addition to the OJC membership fee?
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Costs associated with Judo training are very moderate compared to many other sports.
All members of the Ottawa Judo Club are required to also be members of Judo Ontario.
Membership in Judo Ontario is purchased directly from their web site. Membership
in Judo Ontario provides many important benefits; in addition to supporting the
development of Provincial, National and Olympic team atheletes, Judo Ontario provides
supplementary insurance in the case of accidental injury at any sanctioned event.
Each student must purchase a Judo uniform or "judogi". Due to the stress put on the
judogi from the throwing and grappling techniques in Judo, the uniform is typically
heavier than the uniform for many other martial arts. These may be purchased at a
discounted rate through the club and typically range between $40 (young child) to
$80 (adult) depending on size and quality. Over time, depending on the number of
classes attended per week, students may wish to purchase two or more judogis to
ensure that they can always arrive at class with a clean, presentable judogi.
A small fee, typically around $30, is charged at each belt grading.
Finally, judoka who wish to participate in competitions beyond the local level may
be required to pay for their travel and living expenses while attending tournaments.
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How often will I be graded to a new belt level?
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Belt gradings will be announced by e-mail and update on the Ottawa Judo Club home page.
All U15 judoka will be graded according to the "half-belt" syllabus.
All judoka aged 16 and over will be graded to full belts only.
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