AB:
THIS week, Fez and I took a break from our mundane library lives as second year historians and popped along to judo. I don’t really know what I was expecting; it is safe to say neither of us had much knowledge about the sport, Fez even referred to it as karate – a massive no-no in the judo world.
CF: As I am known to be a bit feisty in Ziggy’s, the Vision editors thought it would be funny to send me and Ballard to Judo training. After spending ten minutes in the changing room applying makeup, we were finally ready. We were greeted by Jambo, the captain, who handed us our uniform and white belt. He then tried to teach us the basic moves and to our surprise we actually enjoyed throwing ourselves on the floor and making noises.
AB: The first thing I saw was Rebecca Ingle, the only girl at the session, pick up and throw on the floor a boy that was double her size, which was very impressive. The judo overalls and white belts were somewhat different to our usual sporting attire, seeing as I row and Charlotte’s a netball firsts player.
CF: We were then introduced to the coach, Charles Ashby, who agreed to teach us how to throw six-foot boys over our shoulders. We were then shown how to throw our partners over our back. After a few unsuccessful tries, I looked like Dr. Jigoro Kano (The inventor of judo), Ballard, on the other hand, still looked like a firm beginner. She showed her considerate side as she insisted on placing Robert gently on the ground.
AB: The first thing we learnt was how to fall; this was pretty important as Jambo explained you needed to fall in the correct position in order to avoid injury. It sounds simple, you had to squat down and roll on your back whilst slapping your hands flat on the floor; but it definitely took more than a few goes for the pair of us to perfect our technique.
CF: After we had succeeded in throwing our partners on the ground with some force, we were then introduced to Jonathan, the tallest member of the Judo club. Ballard and myself fought over who was to go first, as the prospect of throwing this man on the floor seemed miniscule, however we both pulled it off skilfully.
AB: Fez and I were then paired together and taught how to hold onto your opponent. Once we got over the initial struggle, and inability to tell left from right we were deemed worthy opponents. The coach, Charles Ashby, patiently taught us the basic judo moves and how to position your body weight so that we could pick people up and throw them over our shoulders.
CF: I thoroughly enjoyed judo and it was surprisingly quite easy to pick up. I would recommend it to everyone, boy or girl, sporty or non-sporty. Jambo, the captain, also plays hockey for the University; so it is definitely something you can partake in along with another sport. The whole of the judo club were welcoming and it was not daunting in the slightest coming in to training as a beginner. Rebecca, the only girl at the training urged more girls to get involved and I would certainly recommend it.
AB: I definitely wasn’t a natural at the sport! Although Fez was easily the smallest person in the room, she picked it up quickly, and for once was praised for being so feisty. By the end of the session even I had managed to grasp the basics. Judo was a really fun experience; it was a completely different type of exercise to what I am used to, but as a rower the skills that we were taught in how to use your body weight and core strength would come in handy. The club were very welcoming and friendly, and I would encourage others to have a go. Thanks to the club for having us two novices and going gently on us, although Fez may not have needed it!