This week, members of our Absolute MMA youth Judo team, Rianne Zhou and Kyo Mast, will be competing in the USA Judo Youth National Championships from April 24-25, 2021 at the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah! We’re excited for their opportunity to test their skills and gain competition experience on a national level.
Here at Absolute MMA in West Jordan, Utah, our Judo classes are run by owner and instructor Rob Handley who is a three-time national medalist in Judo. Judo is a Martial Art and Olympic Sport with practitioners all around the world. Absolute MMA students learn throws, pins, and submissions in Judo class. These skills can be used in self-defense situations and competitions such as an MMA match or a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament.
With the USA Judo Youth National Championships around the corner, it’s your chance to watch our young talent compete against Judoka from all over the country. They’ll get to showcase what they’ve been learning in our Absolute MMA Judo classes.
For more details regarding the event, visit this link: https://bit.ly/3gp26IH
Judo tournament terminology, etiquette, and safety
To get you more familiar with the terms in Judo tournaments, here’s a quick list of words you may not already know:
- Judoka: A Judo practitioner.
- Ippon: One full point. A match ends and the competitor who is awarded the ippon is declared the winner. This happens when a competitor is thrown with control and power or is pinned for 20 seconds. Submissions such as armbars and strangles result in an ippon as well.
- Waza-ari: One half point. Being awarded two waza-ari ends a match. A waza-ari happens when a throw is successful but lacks either control or power. A waza-ari is also awarded for pins lasting 10-19 seconds.
- Gi: Traditional uniform used by Judoka.
Following etiquette protocol in Judo competition is required for all contestants. Contestants must bow before walking onto the mat and must bow to each other before and after any practice or competition. Inappropriate gestures and language are not allowed at any time.
While there is a full list of rules related to safety for Judoka to follow, here are the top rules to be aware of for spectators unfamiliar with Judo:
- Kicking, punching, and other strikes are not permitted
- The wearing of hard or metallic objects such as rings and earrings are prohibited
- Elbows are the only joints that can be attacked in Judo
Join us for your first Judo class!
You’ll have a great time in our Judo class! Learning Judo will help you improve your physical conditioning while giving you the chance to acquire a new skill. Judo can be used to complement other Martial Arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling. All of our classes are focused on helping have fun while working towards your goals!
Come on over and sign up for your free one-week trial here! https://absolutemma.com/free-trial/