Martial Arts Revolution

Judo Training Methods
Judo uses three types of training method: formal exercises (kata), freestyle fighting (randori), and matches (shiai). In the formal exercises we determine various instances in which defence or attack might be needed, establish rules for controlling body motion in accordance with correct judo theory, and practice using these set of movement rules. We will omit discussions of both the formal exercises and the techniques used in them.
In freestyle fighting two men practicing together make full use of the throws and the grappling techniques to polish and refine themselves. In matches, we too make use of all the techniques at our command, but in this case the aim is to defeat our opponent.
Training order requires thorough training with freestyle fighting and then participation in matches. Once you have gotten to the point where you are relatively good in judo, you will decide what things you need special training in and practice them yourself in formal exercise training. 
If you are interested in trying these methods out or in fact take up Judo as a past time, you can visit the Singapore Judo academy.

View Larger Map


The three kinds of practice

From the past, we have been taught of three kinds of practice: first rapid techniques which are applied against a man who is better at judo than yourself. In this type of practice you get thrown a great deal. We call this sutekeiko, or throw-away practice, in Japanese. The second method is to practice with someone around your level with the same way you would have if you were involved in a judo match. The third method calls for your practicing with someone not as good at judo as you are. This is not supposed to be a chance for you to shove and push with the strength of your body and arms; it is supposed to be practice in which you use proper body motions, force your opponent off balance, and use techniques that you can handle easily.
Practising to win is an error

One of the most striking things to happen on the postwar judo scene is the almost total abundance of practice for practice's sake, not for the sake of winning. We are told in precise detailed explanations that all virtue lies in practice for practice's sake. It is so significant to progress in the techniques that we must not neglect it. Ignorance of this importance and the attitude that one is a senior or one is a teacher and need practice only to win is a grave error. Prewar senior judo men and teachers reprimanded for this attitude.
Practice for practice sake is the basic element of progress. To repeat, practice for its own sake is the key to progress. Rather than thinking of throwing or taking down your opponent, think that he is actually being good enough to become the model on which you can both brush up on the techniques you are good in and learn various new techniques. Do not be affected if your opponent throws you or turns your own attack against you. Practice with the single idea of learning the body movements and the techniques themselves. In practice sessions use as many right techniques, left techniques, and counter attacks as possible. Naturally, with all this activity one of these practice bouts can only last two or three minutes. That is all right, but remember, work out, rest a moment, work out again, rest again, and keep this process going throughout the entire practice session.
Nowadays, practically everybody assumes that the thing to do is to have an advanced judo man teach you what to do and then for everyone to practice with someone more or less on their own level of proficiency. This notion results in the young man anxious to practice but standing glumly around in the training room because he is ready to work out but is so good that no one is willing to practice with him. Such an attitude, of course, is foolish way of thinking.

Adapted from: http://judoinfo.com/kudo.htm
Compiled and Edited by: Wan Qi