Judo is a sport that requires explosive weight movements and not just raw power. So, you need to train for explosive power with lighter weights by using explosive movements. Judo does not involve punches or kicks but instead the participants, called judoka, use throws, chokes and joint locks to overcome their opponents. Judo practice takes place in a training hall called a dojo and much of a judoka’s training involves body weight conditioning exercises.
Windshield Wipers
- Lie on your back with your legs straight and your feet held directly over your hips.
Place your hands flat on the floor at shoulder height. Using your arms for balance, turn your lower body and try to touch one of your outstretched hands with your feet. - Do not leg your legs fall to the floor but, rather, maintain tension in your abdominal muscles.
- Bring your legs back up to the center and then perform another repetition to the opposite side.
- Continue alternating sides for the duration of your set.
Judo Belt Pullups
- Take your judo belt and fold it in half. Loop the middle of the folded belt over a pullup bar or similarly high, sturdy beam.
- Hold an end in each hand and hang with your arms extended and feet off the floor.
- Squeeze the belt hard, bend your arms and pull yourself up until your hands are level with your shoulders.
- Slowly lower yourself back into the starting position and repeat.
Bridge
- Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet close to your butt.
- Bend your arms and place your hands palms-down on either side of your head.
- Push down with your hands and feet to lift your body off the floor.
- Arch your neck backward so that the top of your head can rest on the floor
- Keep your hips pushed up and your back strongly arched.
- Keep your hands in place to reduce the load on your neck. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strive to hold the bridge for progressively longer durations as you become more accustomed to the exercise.
- Note: Do not perform bridging if you have a history of neck or spinal injuries.
Burpees
- Stand with your hands by your sides and your feet together.
- Squat down and place your hands on the floor. Jump your feet back and adopt the pushup position.
- Perform a single pushup.
- Jump your feet back in between your hands and then leap up into the air. Land on slightly bent knees to minimize impact and then immediately descend into another repetition.
- Make burpees more challenging by performing two or three pushups instead of just one.
- Perform burpees for timed intervals such as 60 seconds or for a set number of repetitions such as 30.
Rope Climbs
- This exercise is great for building strength and power in your fingers, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, abdomen and muscles in the lower body, including your legs.
- Rope climbs are perfect for developing the strength you need for intense kumi-kata (judo gripping) and improving your ground-work grappling and okuri-eri-jime (sliding lapel strangles) too.
Grab the rope at eye height. - Challenges the elbow flexors in the mid-range position. To minimize body swing, contract the glutes, extend the legs, and point the toes downward, almost like a hanging plank.
Can’t climb yet? Improve your pull-up numbers and relative body strength. - Vary your methods and keep your eyes on the rope at all times.
- If you a want a set of arms that are as strong as they look or if your biceps haven’t budged an inch in years, rope climbing just might be what you’ve been missing.
Other exercises you can do include close-grip chin-ups, Farmer’s carries (for grip strength and total-body stability), and leg raises.
