Classes are 90 minutes long. Classes consist of warmup exercises, uchikomi (standing throwing drills), newaza uchikomi (groundfighting drills), timed newaza randori (groundfighting sparring with different partners), and timed tachiwaza randori (standing sparring with different partners.)

Depending on your experience, you will be paired up with an experienced member who will introduce you to the various components of the class and basic techniques. You will set your own pace of learning with thoughtful and safe guidance from the instructors to help you.

Please remove all jewelry including rings, earrings, necklaces, or basically anything that is metal.

• Please trim your fingernails and toenails.
• Please keep your gi clean.
• Please bow when entering and exiting the mat area. 
• Please have only bare feet on the mat.

No, but it would be good to have one. Just indicate that you need a gi for your first class in your email along with your height and weight.  Arrangements will be made to have a loaner uniform (just the top) for class.

Bowing in judo is a gesture of respect, much like a handshake. It is not subservient and it has no religious significance.

If you are taking a trial-basis free class, you will be asked to observe the randori (sparring), otherwise you will spar in a safe and controlled way with our senior students, usually from the very first day.

Judo is more a sport than Karate or other forms of martial arts. Judo is an Olympic event and judo is more akin to wrestling with jackets than to Karate or Tae Kwon Do. Olympic judo has no kicks or punches. Scoring is by throwing your opponent to the ground, strangle holds, arm bars, and hold down techniques.

There is not a definitive age. But usually age six and up is recommended. It is a developmental issue more so than age. A child must know their left from their right, be able to follow four consecutive instructions, and work independently from his or her parents. We recommend any parent considering enrolling their child in Judo bring him or her to at least one class to observe prior to joining.

All students must complete a dojo membership form and a waiver of liability. There is no contract form. At registration, new students pay an annual membership fee for Jin Judo and the U.S. Judo Federation (USJF), purchase a new Judo-Gi, and pay the first month’s training dues. Thereafter, they pay monthly training dues the first week of each month. Any attendance to a practice during the course of a month requires the student to pay the full month’s training dues.

Because all of our black belt instructors are volunteers and have professions outside of judo, private lessons are not available. Judo practice is founded on the spirit of synergy and mutual welfare and benefit. The more participants in a class, the wider are the variety of styles and learning opportunities.