Hey all! I just started Judo (About 4-5 months) and I am having a lot of fun with it. Being the impatient guy I am, I have a few questions on long term developement, though. I am curious as to how long it should take to advance to each rank (Don't give me all that "It's different for each person" stuff, I know it, but there is some sort of a general consensus on time. I've heard something like 5 years in order to obtain black belt.) Also, my instructor was using me as an Uki to practice his Uchi Matas, and when I asked about them he suggested that I was not ready to learn it. After having him toss me many times, I attempted one against him, by mimicking the movements he had done, and he said that I did pretty well. What I'm wondering is, what is the criteria for which throws you are "ready for?" Finally, my Judo is very much competition-oriented, and I notice that when I spar with friends (I seem to have martial artists of all different styles around me, suddenly) I tend to get a full ippon on them and then lose because they're not gonna just quit once they're ipponed. Are the rules going to haunt me throughout my Judo career, or do you advance to a point of being as efficient with rules as other artists are without? It is very good to meet you all, and a pleasure to be here. Thanks for any information you can give me, and please feel free to toss in help not related to my questions that it would do a new guy good to hear.
Don't focus on the belt for one thing, just enjoy Judo for what it is, and if a belt comes along, it comes along. The problem with focusing on belts as a long term aim is that if for whatever reason, you don't get them, your interest and reason for training can wear off. They're fine as a short term aim, but don't put your whole reason for training on belts. Concentrate on being the best Judoka you can be.
also remember that when you spar with other martial artists, judo rules regarding nage does not apply anymore. Just work hard and train to be the best belts don't mean a thing if you can't perform. I'd rather be a white belt who beats higher belts than a black belt who has rough techniques
yeah. at first, i thought that those higher ranking judokas were impossible to beat. now, i can beat them. ^_^ just believe in your self and do not focus on your belt rank.
It sounds a bit like you're going to be 'training' with these other guys (your mates) on a regular basis. I have been training with a wrestler for the past few months and he tend to stop when he figures he's scored. Not exactly the same rules as Judo (or Jiu-Jutsu) Ippon scoring. I think you have a few choices open to you; i) Keep training Judo and when practising with friends just 'go with the flow' and not stop unless you have pinned and held them until they tap, ii) Look at training elsewhere, or iii) Discuss what's been happening with your instructor to see what he suggests. Regarding your time issue - yes, it does vary with every person and to disregard that answer is wrong on your part. If I were to say 10 years, would you quit? It's typical in our system to take about 10 years to get to BB. Having said that, the last two guys I got to BB took 6 years each. The one I'm concentrating on at the moment may even get there by 5 if he continues the way he has been. I have another guy who'll take the 10. Good to see another Judoka on board. Hope you'll let us know how you go.
As you've only been practiing Judo for about 6 mths, you seem to be doing quite well. But doing quite well doesn't mean you got it down, time WILL give you experience & knowledge.3-5yrs to get to BB is no time at all when it comes to martial arts. I've been practicing 6yrs & i still consider myself a novice in martial arts, not so much a novice in my own art, perhaps more intermediate there but definately a novice in martial arts. I think you could more or less learn any throw in any order when it comes down to it. But there has to be an order of learning within a dojo, so an instructor knows what to teach, when & to whom, otherwise valuable info' may be lost to some. I hope you stick around, you can learn a lot of theory on the forum & eventually learn a lot about other martial arts & artists & how they approach martial arts. You can gain a lot of good friends here too...Hopefully one day we'll all get to meet.
