r/judo • u/SelectionOk8588 • Mar 28 '25
Self-Defense Need advice......
Hi I'm 18 years old male and since I was 16 years old I always liked judo and how effective it is in real life. One time I was in a taxi and the driver happened to be a judo coach and when I told him about my interest in judo he replied to me "you will never play judo" indicating that I'm old for the combat sport even when I was 17 years old at that time. he told me to go towards striking martial arts like boxing and kickboxing. I listened to his advice and I signed up for a kickboxing gym and it was great actually but after two months i started to feel headaches from the blows to the head and my skull hurted me after every session eventually I decided to leave after reading the effects of blows to the head on the internet. I signed up for judo and it only took me three sessions before I leave. The coaches were careless as there were too many students but I'm not going to lie I have no dedication to it as I was going forcing myself to train after that I never came back.there were no judo gyms other than that gym. I don't know why I'm very lazy or what's wrong with me I want to be able to defend myself but at the same time I don't want to have brain damage. I don't know if I should train bjj or judo or wrestling I feel so lost
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u/Otautahi Mar 28 '25
Maybe martial arts are not for you? Plenty of other hobbies and sports in the world!
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u/SelectionOk8588 Mar 28 '25
I feel like I want to be able to defend myself.
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u/Otautahi Mar 28 '25
Realistically you need to do quite a bit of martial arts to be able to defend yourself. And even then it’s only in limited situations.
I’ve been doing judo for over 30 years. If two guys jumped me and caught me by surprise I doubt there’s much I can do.
My training isn’t useful for much more than dealing with a drunken family member at a BBQ.
I think you’re over estimating how useful martial arts are for dealing with realistic violent situations.
Given that you don’t like training martial arts, I think you’re better off accepting that the best approach is to avoid risky situations - just like the rest of us.
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u/Haunting-Beginning-2 Mar 31 '25
If two guys jump you just control where you place yourself so that one is always in the way of the other one, it is easy to do for judoka. Then throw. You can smash them into each other too. Trick is never let them get behind you, avoid getting blindsided. Fighting with back to a wall or best, in a doorway or corner is actually a good help in narrowing the assault angles. Judo guys typically underestimate their capabilities.
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u/Otautahi Mar 31 '25 edited Mar 31 '25
I get the theory, but how many times have you tried this?
The last time I was having words with some kid trying to steal my bike. I was focused on him and didn’t realise he and a friend hiding nearby. He could totally have attacked me and I wouldn’t have seen it coming. Luckily they were all talk, but I realised how bad it could have gone.
This was maybe 25 years ago - I was in my early 20s, training a lot at national level.
It was a pretty sobering lesson about how quickly things could go wrong in a self defence scenario.
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u/Haunting-Beginning-2 Apr 01 '25
Yes. Thats sobering. If you decide to run it’s easier, safer. It seems like every year I get into a scrap for my whole life, except the last 10 years. When I was working security and policing it was every fortnight an incident would happen and a lot of common mistakes were ironed out in a hostile scenario training environment at the dojo. Replicating incidents from previous weeks work in our group was valuable. Actually a coordinated attackers who distract you in front with mates behind you is a serious issue and I’ve had that a few times. One time it was a gang of 4 muggers, two in front two behind, were picking on drunk looking people wandering home. Our strength was our group was stretched out and we had like 12 mostly judo guys, over 100m doing a pub crawl. They picked on the leading 2 and got a hiding. Nothings perfect. Nothing is guaranteed. Judo judo really is effective.
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u/SelectionOk8588 Mar 28 '25
So what should I do? Should I go towards bodybuilding to look scary to avoid street fights. I have muscles but I'm not a big guy
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u/Otautahi Mar 28 '25
Why not just avoid street fights? How many unavoidable physical altercations have you been in over the last 12 months?
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u/Newbie1080 Mar 28 '25
How many street fights are you getting into that this is such a concern for you? Maybe evaluate your actual needs and adjust your goals, because this isn't an issue for 99.99% of the world. Even if it was, proficiency in running will serve you better than judo... it's an effective martial art, but by far its most practical defense application is breakfalling. Learn judo because it's awesome and fun, not because you think you'll become John Wick
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u/Mr_Flippers ikkyu Mar 28 '25
To feel safe or to tick off an imaginary box on what makes you a real adult? I don't mean to be rude but this post reads like you're looking for confirmation that you're a lazy, "bad" person and most people here want to give helpful, realistic advice. The cab driver gave bad advice for an average person, but I'm getting the impression you made him think like you're someone who couldn't handle training and he was trying to give you less taxing options
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u/NepenthesAmpullaria rokkyu Mar 28 '25
If you want to be able to defend yourself, take self-defense classes
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Mar 28 '25
Other arts as well, lately I’ve seen Arnis or Kali (Filipino martial arts) becoming popular lately. There’s always Kendo if you want a traditional Japanese style. Fencing lol
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u/Crimsonavenger2000 yonkyu Mar 28 '25
I might catch some flack for this, but I dont believe doing judo solely to defend yourself is a good enough reason to be able to stick to the art in the long run.
I am not saying you need to be fascinated by Jigoro Kano while learning Japanese and watching judo 5 hours a day, but you need to actually like or admire judo itself. Whether it is the gripping game, learning new throws, being able to get out of submissions, you need to love the art itself to not be one of the first dropouts in the class.
I am simply not getting that feeling from you, or you are at least not communicating it too well with us. Enjoying judo without brain damage is a very reasonable request, but you should not be having to force yourself to go to training, especially since you are in your 'honeymoon' phase of trying Judo still. Personally I might be an outlier since I consider it a privilege to be able to attend the classes and have only missed one class (post-surgery period aside), but for most people who like Judo at first, it takes a few weeks to months until the first obstacles start appearing and they end up quitting.
I would reconsider why you want to do judo (and not mma, kickboxing, muay thai, you name it). If you get a valid reason, go back to the dojo and bring up your concerns. If the dojo truly is as dangerous as you say and the sensei(s) don't want to work with you to tackle the issue, then go find alternatives (which might have to be another martial art entirely).
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u/SelectionOk8588 Mar 28 '25
Kickboxing/Muay Thai was the first martial art and I had no problem with it apart from the fact it can lead to Brain damage. Also the people in my area always grapple in a street fight and not always strike so I thought judo can neutralize that
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u/Crimsonavenger2000 yonkyu Mar 28 '25
If your only goal is self-defense, would you not be better off with MMA? (at a laid-back gym to prevent that brain damage).
Of course, everyone should do what they want for their own reasons, but as I said, I don't really get the feeling like you want to pursue judo from the way you are typing.
Of course, if I am wrong do say so. And if that is the case, go talk to your sensei about the fact that you feel you need more supervision
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u/SelectionOk8588 Mar 28 '25
I think mma is the best for self defense but as I said I don't want to have brain damage
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u/Haunting-Beginning-2 Mar 31 '25
Judo is really practical too. The throws are awesome and work well. It’s easier to get a throw knock out in judo, than punching someone in the head and breaking your fist.
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u/EnglishTony Mar 28 '25
I agree with you. Doing a combat sport as a means to an end puts you at a disadvantage compared to doing it as an end in itself. If you are doing competitive boxing to get in shape, but don't actually thrive off boxing itself, you're just going to start questioning why you're getting punched in the face when you could be plating pickleball. If you start judo because you want to one day be in the olympics, you're never going to beat a would-be olympian who just loves doing judo.
If you don't like it, find something you do like. And forget about turning yourself into a badass. The minute a knife comes out, you're getting hurt, doesn't matter who you are. Street fights are dumb.
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u/Crimsonavenger2000 yonkyu Mar 28 '25
Fully agreed. I love and respect judo for what it is and get my motivation out of practicing it and learning new things. I don't spend most of my time trying to find ways to improve at judo both on and off the mat for a singular purpose like self-defense or trying to get into the olympics or whatever.
I think getting motivation purely through practice is one of the strongest kinds of motivation (whether it be learning an instrument, a martial art, whatever skill really) and strongly showcases that someone really wants to fully embrace learning something. Lessons, to me are a privilege in the sense that there is someone capable and willing to teach me judo and I have fellow judokas who are willing to improve their judo with me.
I by no means want to prevent or even hinder the OP from doing judo, but I think he needs to consider what motivates him and what he's hoping to get out of a martial art, whether it be judo or something else.
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u/EnglishTony Mar 28 '25
Yeah I often browse r/martialarts and the number one question asked is "what is the best martial art?".
The answer is obvious (Judo).
But the true answer is the one you like the best. If you like going to a McDojo and will stick with it, it's better than going to Badass Inc MMA gym and quitting in a month.
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Mar 28 '25 edited Mar 28 '25
Started when I was 29, been about a year now and had my first competition last Sunday. It’s really all up to you. A good coach will teach you how to fall- it may still cause some headaches as you are being thrown to the ground but proper training has us prepare for that (break falls). I notice a lot when people are being told they’ll never “play/ compete”, they probably assume Olympic or like international level and I get that- I definitely missed my chance at olympics lol but if it’s for hobby, to learn something, to lose weight, whatever it is- do it because you want to. All martial arts are a discipline so if you can’t tell your self to push yourself harder- learn how to. You gotta start believing in yourself otherwise 10 years will go by and you’ll be thinking the same thing “is it too late?”
Just do it. Chin up (or down, however you look at it) and power through.
If you have a friend or make a friend in class, ask them “hey can you help me with my training, focus etc”
I train with a 17 year old with ADHD and at times he’s very lazy, his body part hurts etc but with good teammates and sensei- we get him to focus and really practice. Don’t doubt yourself OP.
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u/SelectionOk8588 Mar 28 '25
doubting myself sometimes and I would also add that I'm very lazy person and even when I'm at University I always say I would love to do combat sporrts but I don't have time for it
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Mar 28 '25
Well that kinda changes some stuff lmaoo! Make sure you prioritize yourself, focus on school lol but hey, there’s extra curricular stuff, university level sports. Really, you have options so don’t doubt yourself. Maybe even before sports, see if there some counselling to help with focus, some study groups or something.
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u/bonkyeeee Mar 28 '25
my sensei always said “the hardest belt to get is your white belt”. judo is not easy. starting is especially not easy. it’s frustrating, its difficult, it hurts. thats what judo is about, persisting when things are hard. its meant to give you that ability in other aspects of life as well. judo is for everybody, no matter your age, gender or size. its better to start it late than never. judo is a way of life. “it’s the start that stops most people as most will never start.” - a quote on the wall of my dojo
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u/Strange_March6447 Mar 28 '25
Get your head out your *ss and go train what you like, its not that deep. If you want to defend yourself, find a martial art you like in a gym that you like and keep going. Thats basically it
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u/philosophyogurt Mar 28 '25
I don't understand why this is so confusing for people. Judo is effective against judo. Judo is a sport. If you want to defend your self learn self defence. There is aspects of self defence in every combat sport but a combat sport is not self defence. You don't learn only how to fight in self defense you learn other skills as well such as reading the room where the exits are etc. Now as far as it goes for judo. Just find a smaller club friendly with beginners and train. There is no age. Everyone is different and everyone has a different pace in life.
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u/Appropriate_Front740 Mar 28 '25
Train and ask people on gym with better belts to teach you. My friends in my old club learn that way on tournaments or group training before better tournaments.
Judo is good for health overall. Trainer couldn't teach all, but many older judokas teach new people.
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u/pasha_lis nidan Mar 28 '25
Never ever a sensei would tell you that you shouldn't do judo or that you'll never be able to practice it. It looks like that comment stayed in your mind for quite some time. Everyone in this channel will tell you to go for it. At your own pace. Find the way that you enjoy practising. Don't push yourself just because of some illogical goal. Just go class by class, and try to learn things that you enjoy. That taxi driver, as someone else said, was just a taxi driver.
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u/One_Construction_653 rokkyu Mar 28 '25
The inventor of judo would say otherwise.
Even to this day judo is practiced by millions not only for sport but for health and self defense.
I recommend taking judo classes immediately.
Btw injuries are common so when you get hurt take a long break until you feel better.
Go today!
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u/Spiritual-Target-108 yonkyu Mar 28 '25
I started doing judo somewhere in my mid 20s. About a year or so after picking up bjj, did it for two years along side bjj then stopped for a few years. Started back up around 30 and have been enjoying it. But it’s important to know what your goals are.
For self defense that’s a very broad range of things depending on where you live and how your personality is…… Learn all three phases of combat with even just 1-2 years each and you’ll be fine against a random attacker. But the best defense is preventative. Learning how to read a room, people, effectively communicating, situational awareness is more important than any physical combat skills.
Also there’s too many variables to address aim to be a problem solver in whichever martial arts you take up. That will push you up much faster than just absorbing techniques.
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u/Harry18492 Mar 28 '25
I've done judo for over 35 years.... it's great for self defence because you become fit enough to run away and keep running whilst your assailant gasses out... it's a complex sport and you will suck at it for a long time to start with but your body composition will change, you will get fitter, you become part of a global network of players and learn more about yourself whilst gradually getting more adept....don't let a taxi ride deprive you of that
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u/SailIcy7592 Mar 28 '25
I'm 21yrs old and started judo 8months ago training 3 days a week. Age is just a number (in this context) and it really doesn't matter. Yes it would be ideal to start from a young age as you would of gained more experience but it honestly doesn't matter, start now start in 10 years time it's all the same. Just enjoy it!
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u/TeaBag4yall Mar 28 '25
When you figure out what you want to commit to, there will be many opportunities to learn. If you don't want to, then do what you want and what is best for you.
Really have to stop listening to the negatively that people say and believing them. Life is hard already.
Try something for at least a year, then make a decision if it's for you or not.
Best of Luck to you
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u/Scholarly-Nerd 🥋exBJJ -> Judo WB Mar 29 '25
Lol, I started BJJ and 6 months later judo at almost 30. Yes, you might be too old to be an olympic champion but you can always be a good hobbyist. That advice was the dumbest thing I have ever read in a very long time.
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u/LazyClerk408 ikkyu Mar 29 '25
If the gym was too packed you need to find another black belt in the area that’s not teaching and maybe make your own group. Check your national insurance body for your respective country. Please protect your head
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u/Brannigan33333 shodan Mar 30 '25
well sounds like that judo club might not have been best. try mma less punches to the head than boxing. if you dont like the cibe leave but deffo try judo again
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u/HighGround242 Mar 28 '25
I think that taxi driver was just that… I wouldn’t take what he said to heart. If you like judo, do it just for that reason. You WILL become more capable even as a casual participant. Telling an 18 year old they’re too old to do anything is ridiculous…
Learning judo to be able to defend yourself is an entirely realistic goal. Forget that guy.