Students

As long as new students keep coming to judo classes, many more will be able to experience the “fun” of judo, which is the main goal of the class.

The beginning judo class is a great way for our younger students to be exposed to judo. The students learn a variety of techniques which include throws, pins and turnovers. The class is set up based on the rank requirements to be promoted to the beginning judo ranks. When students first start, they learn how to correctly take a fall and then learn three pinning techniques.

After they learn how to fall and pin, the students move on to learn standing techniques. More time is spent on the teaching of these techniques since there are many to learn in order to be promoted. Each class ends with randori (sparring), either standing or ground. This practice helps prepare the students for experiences they may encounter in a tournament.

The beginning class provides that strong base that will one day allow them to reach their goals. The students in the beginning class are given the option to compete in the local tournaments that usually occur once a month.

For the three days that the beginning class is held, there is a different instructor. Themis Lonis teaches on Monday night, Molly O’Rourke takes Wednesday night, and Junya Anami Sensei handles the Saturday morning class. If it is not their day to teach each instructor will try to assist the main instructor for that day. These three instructors work together to ensure that the students are learning the same things in each class. For each class, the instructors try to keep everything simple so that the students are able to pick up on the technique that they are learning quickly. The atmosphere is kept light, but still strict enough that the students don’t run amok. If time permits, some type of game is played at the end of class. Some of the students’ favorites are bulldog, where on student starts in the middle and has to turn people over, making them a bulldog. The winner would be the last one not turned into a bulldog. There are also relay races, tunnel tag and a new game called line monster, which the students are still learning to play. All in all, the classes are fun way to learn judo and the students can’t help coming back to keep learning.

Beginning Children’s Class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30- 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 9-10 am.

Intermediate Class

The intermediate class was started about two years ago, when the children’s class became too large. At the time the children’s class averaged about thirty students per class. Students ranged from 5 years old to 13 years old. Since there were a lot of beginning students the instructors couldn’t teach more advanced techniques. The older kids in the class were reviewing the same techniques over and over, so the instuctional staff came up with the plan to start the intermediate class.

The intermediate class meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 to 8. They also attend the Saturday advanced class from 10 to 12. There are about fifteen students in the class. The intermediate class is for students who have satisfied the beginning requirements of technical judo and are older in age. The class is still fun like the beginning class, but the students also have the chance to learn intermediate techniques and learn more about the history and philosphies of judo.

One goal of the class is to prepare students for the advanced class. The intermediate class provides a more intense and disciplined work out than the beginning class; however it does not match the intensity of the advanced class. Students get to do more randori and technical training. Another goal of the class is for the students to improve technically. The intermediate class learns more advanced techniques such as shime waza, which could not be taught in the beginning class. Students in the intermediate class have also been taught some forms of kata by instructors Dan Israel and Steve Hata.

Advanced Class

Advanced Class at East Bay Judo offers more then just a good workout. Matsumoto Sensei takes a lot of time to explain the philosophy, culture and history of judo as well as the technical and competitive strategies. Class averages in size from anywhere of seven to fifteen participants per session. Class is open to anyone who has previous knowledge of judo, or is a member of either the intermediate or adult class. There are plenty of black belts to work out with. Practices are often intense with a lot of randori time. It lasts anywhere from an hour and forty five minutes to two and a half hours of strenuous exercise, as it is also a competition geared work out. The atmosphere is great and new training partners are always welcome.

The Advanced Class meets Mondays, Wednesday and Friday from 6:30 - 8:30 pm and Saturdays from 10am - 12pm.

Judo for Busy Adults

The adult judo class was started some six or seven years ago by a group of Tippet Studio emplyees and taught by longtime East Bay Judo Institute member and assistant instructor Ken Kokka Sensei. Well the Tippet folkes have since retired from judo and Kokka Sensei is now pursuing a film degree at UCLA. In a sense you could say the class has come around full circle because we now have a few students from Tippet’s cross town rival Pixar Studio’s.

In reality the adult class serves as a way for busy adults to get a workout, and learn a little bit about judo, one of the objectives Kokka Sensei had when he started the class. Today the class is taught by Dan Israel Sensei, yodan and Steve Hata, nidan. While the focus is on the technical and recreational aspect of judo, advanced students are given the option to compete at local tournaments and to attend advanced class to work out with competitors and increase their training regiment.

Adult Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 - 9:30 pm

Women's Judo

The Beginning Women’s Judo class was first just a good idea that eventually turned into a reality. The class began in March, ran on an eight week session and ended in May. Taught by Sayaka Matsumoto and assisted by Marija Djokic, the Beginning Women’s Judo class provided a fun and relaxed environment where women could learn the fundamentals of judo. By the end of the eight week session, the participants had learned different pins and throws and were even doing some light randori. The progress made by the group had far exceeded the expectations of the instructors. Because of the class’ success, the instructors plan to continue meeting on future Saturday afternoons.

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