We start our champions young! The Junior Judoka class is open to children ages 3 to 12 years old.

The goal of this class is to introduce our junior students the "ABC'S" of judo --- agility, balance, coordination and speed. We aim to teach and instill proper judo etiquette and respect to our students at an early age. This class will help develop their social and motor skills, and enable the students to form friendships and learn about teamwork.

Lesson Plan includes, but not limited to:

• Ukemi Waza (Proper Falling & Landing Techniques)
• Osaekomi Waza (Pinning Techniques)
• Kumikata (Proper Gripping)
• Ne Waza (Ground Techniques)
• Tachi Waza (Standing Techniques)
• Ashi Waza (Foot Techniques)

Short games will be incorporated in our classes to ensure that our students have fun. We believe this is essential to a student's development and understanding of techniques learned in class. Games not only foster healthy competition but also imprints teamwork and cooperation.

The Junior Class will be instructed by Assistant Coach, Grace Claudio.

The Fundamentals class is open to all students ages 13 and up.

The goal of this class is to introduce our beginner adult students to the basics of judo. Proper safety etiquette must be learned first-hand before any throwing techniques are taught. Judo is a high-impact combat sport and it is vital that students must learn how to correctly fall or land, in order to prevent any injury.

Lesson Plan:

• Ukemi Waza (Proper Falling & Landing Techniques)
• Osaekomi Waza (Pinning Techniques)
• Kumikata (Proper Gripping)
• Ne Waza (Ground Techniques)
• Tachi Waza (Standing Techniques)
• Katame Waza (Grappling Techniques)
• Ashi Waza (Foot Techniques)
• Shime Waza (Choking Techniques)

To help our beginner students comfortably execute basic techniques, our training sessions will include randori (free sparring) to familiarize our students with judo matches. This will help our students test their strength and finesse against an equal opponent.

The Advanced class is open to all students ages 13 and up, with a rank of green belt or higher.

Advanced students will hone in on all techniques taught from the Fundamentals class. This includes learning modified versions of throws, chokes and joint-locks, repetitive practice and sharp execution of combination and counter techniques. Students in this class are also expected to have a full grasp of judo (Japanese) terminology.

Lesson Plan includes, but not limited to:

• All techniques taught in Fundamentals Class
• Kansetsu Waza (Joint-Lock Techniques)
• Sutemi Waza (Sacrifice Techniques)

What are the benefits of judo for special needs children? The skills children learn in judo are a great therapy for those with attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), those within the autism spectrum, and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

• Social Interaction – children are put in a fun, learning environment that provides plenty of social interaction with instructors and other students. Repetitive drills and fun but challenging activities provide them with the opportunity to exhibit teamwork and learn about cooperation. Practices are held the same days each week with the same instructors which provides consistency with their schedule and helps in nurturing a comfort level with special needs children as they become more familiar with their surroundings.
• Physical Fitness – forms and techniques learned in judo help students develop motor planning, which can be a difficulty with many special needs children but learning the necessary body positions and techniques in judo can yield huge improvements. Fun games and activities are also incorporated into every practice to add enjoyment and help speed up every child’s learning
• Mental Development – consistent practice in martial arts helps children develop confidence and improve their self-esteem. They learn to become comfortable in what may be new or unfamiliar settings. The combination of quality social interaction and fun, physical activities enable special needs children to become well-rounded, mentally nurtured individuals.

We enlist the help of local Board Certified Behavioral Therapists (BCBAs) from Riverside Youth Judo Club to assess each child's learning capacity and determine the best way to integrate them in practice.