Adults Judo Classes in Basingstoke

Photo of adults judo class with spectators

Work hard, get fitter and learn a host of useful skills.


Judo has been recognised for many years as an Olympic sport. Judo incorporates techniques and skills to lift and then throw your partner onto their back and pin them down. All practitioners learn how to safely perform a breakfall whilst they are beginners to Judo. Like all Martial Arts, if Judo is practiced properly the risk of injury is minimised.

We cater for younger players in their late teens or early 20s through to practitioners who are much older than that, going into their 50s. Clearly, at different ages, there can be a big disparity in terms of what a player is capable of doing, we are aware of this and can help you to maximise your training time by ensuring the techniques that you do are optimal for your age and body.

You can expect to work with a partner during the class to learn and practice techniques under the watchful guidance of our fully qualified British Judo Association coaches. It will be hardwork, you will get fitter, you will learn a host of useful skills and improve your coordination and you’ll even have fun doing it.

Professionally equipped full time dojo


Our Basingstoke Judo club is registered with the British Judo Association, the sport’s National Governing Body. We are in a professionally equipped full time dojo with mats permanently laid and a range of training equipment to use to help develop strength and flexibility. Our permanently matted dojo make training easier and safer when practicing Judo.

Practising effective Judo techniques


Judo is an Olympic sport and includes techniques to lift and throw your opponent onto their back. Once on the ground there are techniques to allow you to pin your opponent to the ground, control them and apply different hold-downs until submission. Judo translates from Japanese as the Gentle Way. The name is a big clue to one of the guiding principles of Judo, which is not to rely on force, but rather to use the force and strength of one’s opponent against them.

The techniques necessary to practising effective Judo techniques do not rely on strength or size, meaning that they can be performed against larger and stronger opponents. This makes this learning Judo as a beginner, a great martial art to learn both for children and adults either as a sport or for self defence.

What our clients think

format_quoteBryan Andrews has created the perfect community Martial Arts centre for Basingstoke, taking the time to get all the right qualifications in the arts that are taught and to be able to safely coach all categories of people including children and vulnerable adults. The coaches are all highly skilled in a variety of Boxing and Martial Arts including both Japanese and Chinese Martial Arts.format_quote
Steve Rowe 9th Dan Karate and Kung Fu teacher International Tai Chi Teacher Chairman of the Martial Arts Standards Agency Chief Instructor of Shi Kon Martial Arts Association

What is Judo?

Judo was founded by Jigaro Kano in Japan in 1882 and translates as “Gentle Way” – Ju = Gentle or soft and Do = Way of Path. While judo includes a variety of rolls, falls, throws, hold downs, chokes, joint-locks, and strikes, the primary focus is on throwing (nage-waza), and groundwork (ne-waza).

Throws are divided in two groups of techniques, standing techniques (tachi-waza), and sacrifice techniques (sutemi-waza). Standing techniques are further divided into hand techniques (te-waza), hip techniques (koshi-waza), and foot and leg techniques (ashi-waza). Sacrifice techniques are divided into those in which the thrower falls directly backwards (ma-sutemi-waza), and those in which he falls onto his side (yoko-sutemi-waza).

The ground fighting techniques (ne-waza) are divided into attacks against the joints or joint locks (kansetsu-waza), strangleholds or chokeholds (shime-waza), and holding or pinning techniques (osaekomi-waza).

For safety reasons not all of these techniques are taught to start with, as the practitioner’s skill levels increase, the more of the techniques are practiced. A kind of sparring is practised in judo, known as randori, meaning “free practice”. In randori, two partners may practice with each other with any judo throw or grappling technique, sometimes this is free practice and sometimes using specified techniques.

Our fully qualified Judo coaches who are based in Basingstoke will help you to develop high quality Judo skills in our professional centre.

Photo of adults judo class

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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How is Judo different to other Martial Arts?


Modern Judo has been designed to be practiced safely with a partner without injuring them. Judo, as a sport, involves two partners (or Judoka) gripping their partners uniform (JudoGi) to use balance and movement to throw the other or hold them down on the mats. In a typical Judo class, you will not see or learn any kicking, punching or other striking techniques.

I’ve never done Judo before.


That is okay. Beginners Judo classes or courses will teach the fundamental techniques and how to perform them safely. For example we can use the safety mats to practice breakfalls along with the first couple of throws and hold-downs. We’ll work with you to build your confidence and skills at a pace that suits you.

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