Frequently Asked Questions

Attire – proper workout clothing is required. This includes plain t-shirts (no sharp or metal accessories), rash guard and flexible shorts or workout pants.  No jewelry such as watches, earrings or piercings may be worn during practice. Nails must be kept short to prevent any injuries.

Uniforms – first-time students may borrow a set of uniforms to start; advanced students are required to bring their own, white, single-weave cotton gi and belt. If you are interested in competing, you will need a blue gi as well as a white.

Water Bottle – occasional water breaks will be permitted throughout practice.

Judo vs BJJ. Judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) are both grappling sports. The main difference (and trust us, there’s a lot) is simply that judo emphasizes throwing techniques, while BJJ emphasizes submission techniques such as chokeholds and joint-locks. Do you learn both in judo? Of course! Judo is comprised of both “stand-up” techniques (throws) and “ground” techniques (armbars, pins, and chokes). In a judo competition, players will always begin in a “stand up” match where either player tries to throw the other and can transition to a “ground” match if neither is successful. Throwing is the primary winning strategy in judo, while submission is secondary.

Absolutely! Judo for self-defense is a highly effective martial art. Judo is used in practical situations, without the need for arms or weaponry. Its popular counterparts like karate or taekwondo are known for more offensive (striking) techniques. Judo, however, focuses on defensive tactics and how to subdue an opponent by leveraging their weight, strength, and balance against them. This includes throwing, grappling and applying chokeholds and joint-locks to suppress an attack.

At Senshi Judo, we start our warriors as early as 3 years old. This is a great age to familiarize the kids with general physical fitness — doing warm-ups, stretches, etc. – and best of all, it’s a great opportunity to begin socializing children with those of their own age. They begin to learn teamwork, coordination, and most importantly discipline, all while being in a fun and playful environment. At 3 years, children are naturally curious, full of energy and primed for learning, all of which are great starters for future judo athletes.

Training sessions are offered 4 times a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays. Although there is no definite “magic number” for optimal learning, we recommend all students (beginner and advanced) to never miss a day of practice. Students should attend judo as often as it is available to them to properly condition the body for strenuous practice. The only thing harder than doing judo is coming back after a long break!

As our Head Sensei always says, “if you’re going to miss a practice, it should be for something worth it.”

For students 15 years old and younger, the belt ranking is as follows:

White > Yellow > Orange > Green > Blue > Purple > Brown > Black

For students 16 years and older, the belt ranking is as follows:

White > Green > Blue > Brown > Black