Can you imagine what a Adult Women’s Beginner Judo Class look like? This is something beyond imagination in Japan!! (Not enough students…) However, in the United States, we do get enough powerful women to hold a class!!
The age ranges from Girls to Mature Ladies!! Compared to Japan, gender discrimination is by far less here in the US where women also need to be strong. I was surprised to see many women after becoming a mother to starti Judo as a hobby as well as training, Of course in this class all coaches are Women too. This every Saturday class starts and ends with Women Only!!
If this were to happen in Japan – regardless of age, gender, experience you can start anytime and could be a lifetime sport – I would be very excited too. Today is the report from the Womens Only Class
Women’s Class Curriculum
- Warm Up Session (Stretching and Cardio):20 min
Starting from calisthenics to warm the body up – sometimes we introduce “circuit training” -Circuit Training is using a pair of dice to determine the number of times you do each exercise. It could be 2 (twice) or up to the evil count of 12!! Having fun while training is very US Style. - Footwork Session (Shadow Practice of Judo Techniques):20 min
While holding a dumbbell or a plastic bottle with liquid – weight – practicing arm moves with stress on the hands. What’s interesting is that they all spontaneously pickup heavy stuff (Their determination is higher than men!!) - Technical Session (Acquiring Judo Techniques):20 min
On September 18th, Ms. Moe Kawasaki, the 2008 World Junior Champion, had travelled from Calgary to join me. She is a long friend of mine as as well as a roommate, classmate and of course a comrade from college. She told us her gold winning speciality – KOUCHI GARI (Minor Inner Reap)