[Arcid]

I am very new here and also to Judo and would like to say hello. I started Judo last year in November and i am really enjoying it alot. I started Ju Jutsu one month earlier and really like it as well. Currently training 1x Ju Justu and 2-3 x Judo a week (depending on my shifts at work).
I regret not starting earlier with these 2 sports but i was quite a gifted runner and trained 3 x daily (during my active time) and didn't have much time or energy to take up a martial art. My running has now taken 2nd place to my other passtimes. Being nearly 42,i know is a little late to start but i have kept myself pretty fit (1,81 and 78kg) and have had no major problems yet.
I am not a great throw technician, i still haven't worked out how to break my opponents balance yet and seem to use too much effort during randori. My ground work on the other hand is quite good i'm told, and i don't have many problems there.
Thank-you for taking the time to read my first post and hope to post again soon.

[JudoSensei]

Welcome to the Forum. Throws are definitely more challenging, but when you first pull one off you will be rewarded.

[Judolady]

Arcid, on Feb 10 2009, 01:02 PM, said:

I am very new here and also to Judo and would like to say hello.

Hello and welcome.

[L-kun]

JudoSensei, on Feb 10 2009, 06:51 PM, said:

Welcome to the Forum. Throws are definitely more challenging, but when you first pull one off you will be rewarded.

Oh, so true. It's almost orgasmic. Makes all the 100's of time you spend staring at the ceiling worthwhile.

Enjoy the ride. Your runner's cardio should give you a slight edge over the run-of-the-mill judoka.

[Arcid]

Hello again,

Sorry to drag up an old thread but i thought i would give a little progress report. It is exactly one year since i started Judo and must admit, i'm really hooked on it.

My progress is going good, and i am always looking forward to my next session. I have had a few injuries since starting but none directly Judo related (just from the basketball before the session we do, as a warm-up). I'm pleased to say the mat burns have gone now, not had one for months. They were annoying for the first 6-8 weeks until i was told to stay off the backs of my feet and stay on my toe tips during ground work. If only i had been told earlier, i would have saved on some socks and quilt covers .

I was overwhelmed at first with all the Japanese names (too many,too soon) and soon realised that i had to make more effort to learn them, so as to understand better what was talked about. As a beginner, simple words like 'Ne-waza, Tachi-waza, ashi,gari,ko,shime', e.t.c are all foreign and are often used between students to each other. As a beginner i was spending more time working out what the names meant than on the technique itself.

My throwing skills have improved, but i am still having problems with the 'tsukuri/kuzushi' part of the throw (deliberately wrote together). One or the other, but not both at the same time. I know that this comes with time and practise and i am more than willing to invest in them. Whenever i can, i practise my turning/fitting drills, which i find i can do on my own. Even getting my legs and body to go where i wanted them was hard to understand and do at the very start. The solo drills wre a great help.

Ground work is still my strong point and i have improved alot. I have learnt to pace myself better for the long bouts of 'randori'.Even my fitness has really improved and for an old man have no problems there. I honestly didn't think i would improve that much, because i was quite fit beforehand, but i have. Even noticed one or two muscles, which i didn't have before .

Overall, i have really learnt alot in one year and am looking forward to learning a lot more. Judo has become part of my life now and i am looking forward to the future. I have not met a single 'Judoka' who wasn't friendly or willing to help me and have always felt honoured to be part of this community.

I hope, this update of my progress will answer one or two questions for those who are thinking about or have just started Judo. I certainly have had fun thinking back to the very,very beginning. I still have a long,long,long way to go and am still an absolute beginner but i am looking forward to all i have to learn.

Thanks for reading !!!

[stacey]

thanks for the update! It sounds like we hooked another Glad to hear you're getting a lot out of judo, that you like the community, and that you're participating and learning a lot. It's nice to have something you look forward to every week. Yeah, the Japanese terms can be overwhelming at first, especially when you've got a constellation of mat burns on the tops of your feet making your showering just so pleasant. Glad you dealt with both. That "live toe" analogy has served me well in real life as well. The tsukuri/kuzushi thing does come, but just look at your throws now compared with a year ago. Now, you not only know that that perfect throw is out there for you, but that you'll recognize it when you see it - and it'll make you want more.

you play basketball for warm-ups?