Hello all. 40 year old beginner looking for somewhere to train in Hertfordshire, England.

Hi, I'm new to the forum and looking to start Judo. I wondered if anyone in the UK could recommend a club suitable for a forty something beginner ? I have found a few local clubs but there doesn't seem to be any older Judoka training and I thought it might be good to train with people of a similar age group. Someone did recommend Welwyn Judo Club, which looks really good, but they also said it's geared more towards higher grades. Any thoughts or suggestions ?
p.s I'm reasonably fit and have some martial arts experience.
Thanks.

nothing wrong working with higher grades - you'll learn loads and you won't get injured anywhere near as easily as if you just work out with lower grades, you'll learn good technique from the get go, and nobody's there to kill you (generally, you can't get a higher rank if you still think people actually win at ronduri). I know it's not typical of a ton of other martial arts, but really, if you have the chance to work with a higher grade, take it at any opportunity.

If you're reasonably fit, then you know what your body can and cannot do and won't push it past where it should go. Judo, like everything else, is something you have to adapt to, and the older you are, the more time it may take to adapt. Get those NSAIDs out and ready, but otherwise, have fun.

Can't help you with UK clubs, but as an over 40 judoka, it's great fun.

Thanks Stacey, good advice. From what I've heard, the guys training there have competed to a fairly high level and some continue to do so. I wasn't sure if they would be too pleased with a beginner turning up and getting in the way. Only one way to find out !

always go and check out a class, and participate in one before you decide. Get a feeling for the club and see if it's a good fit for you. Most good clubs like new judoka - you can't get better as a judoka without a wide variety of training partners, plus new judoka mean teaching, using great technique, and changing things up a bit. It gets people out of a rut. Elite level judoka will have their own practices in preparation for a big shiai, but that doesn't mean they don't show up and look forward to having new people join the club and get hooked on judo.

Go, have fun, and see if it feels like a good fit as a club. Nobody will criticize you for trying out more than one club and going with the one that fits your needs best, and where you feel right.

If you are looking around Welwyn there are other clubs close by per the attached http://www.britishjudo.org.uk/find-a-club?postcode=welwyn&radius=10close

I've never been to a single club that didn't welcome new members. As to training with highly competitive judoka wholeheartedly recommend it, remember judo is about training so you develop yourself, so that you can compete (if you want to) which is generally against similar grades and ages. Accordingly there is much more benefit in actually teaching someone than there is in showing how good you are. That way you see people develop and can encourage them to compete.

Take the plunge, the hardest step is the first one through the door.

Thanks for the replies and the encouragement. I am going to visit a couple of my local clubs this week and see how I get on.

Simon Mazzullo has a couple of clubs in herts you will be taught correct fundamentals from the start.

oldkx wrote:Hi, I'm new to the forum and looking to start Judo. I wondered if anyone in the UK could recommend a club suitable for a forty something beginner ? I have found a few local clubs but there doesn't seem to be any older Judoka training and I thought it might be good to train with people of a similar age group. Someone did recommend Welwyn Judo Club, which looks really good, but they also said it's geared more towards higher grades. Any thoughts or suggestions ?
p.s I'm reasonably fit and have some martial arts experience.
Thanks.

As an over 40 myself, who came to Judo fairly late in life I just wanted to wish you well and hope you stick with it.
something that might be of interest to you is my blog, seeing as its written by someone in a similar postion to you. http://stuartjudo.blogspot.co.uk/

JudoStu wrote:

oldkx wrote:Hi, I'm new to the forum and looking to start Judo. I wondered if anyone in the UK could recommend a club suitable for a forty something beginner ? I have found a few local clubs but there doesn't seem to be any older Judoka training and I thought it might be good to train with people of a similar age group. Someone did recommend Welwyn Judo Club, which looks really good, but they also said it's geared more towards higher grades. Any thoughts or suggestions ?
p.s I'm reasonably fit and have some martial arts experience.
Thanks.

As an over 40 myself, who came to Judo fairly late in life I just wanted to wish you well and hope you stick with it.
something that might be of interest to you is my blog, seeing as its written by someone in a similar postion to you. http://stuartjudo.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks Stu. I had already found your blog, whilst searching for clubs etc and have enjoyed reading it. I've spoken to a local club and hope to be going to my first session soon.

oldkx wrote:

JudoStu wrote:

oldkx wrote:Hi, I'm new to the forum and looking to start Judo. I wondered if anyone in the UK could recommend a club suitable for a forty something beginner ? I have found a few local clubs but there doesn't seem to be any older Judoka training and I thought it might be good to train with people of a similar age group. Someone did recommend Welwyn Judo Club, which looks really good, but they also said it's geared more towards higher grades. Any thoughts or suggestions ?
p.s I'm reasonably fit and have some martial arts experience.
Thanks.

As an over 40 myself, who came to Judo fairly late in life I just wanted to wish you well and hope you stick with it.
something that might be of interest to you is my blog, seeing as its written by someone in a similar postion to you. http://stuartjudo.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks Stu. I had already found your blog, whilst searching for clubs etc and have enjoyed reading it. I've spoken to a local club and hope to be going to my first session soon.

Excellent. Be sure to let us know how you got on