Injuries in judo

Hi everyone, I have been thinking of starting judo so a few days ago I decided to try out a judo club near my house. However while I was looking on the internet for information about some of the injuries I'll have to expect from this sport/martial art I came across a martial arts forum where many users claim that is very common to get injured during judo practice and that mouthguards and groin guards are often necessary in order to practice safely. My question is, is judo really that dangerous? Do you wear mouthguards or groin guards during your training? How many dental or groin injuries have you seen in your years as a judoka? I'm sorry for my poor english if I haven't been clear, and I wait for your reply, thanks for your time!!

It sounds like the forum you are reading is populated with people who are largely unfamiliar with judo classes. Of course it depends what kind of judo class you find, but most are run by knowledgeable instructors who commit to safety first. It is quite unusual to see mouth or groin protection in judo classes. Mouth guards can help people with braces practice more comfortably, and you might see a few at a large tournament. Most people don't use them because dental and groin injuries are so rare in judo.

Judo, like most strenuous sports, can be hard on knees, shoulders, ribs, feet and other parts of your body but it all depends on how hard you train. This applies mostly to competitors who are training to succeed in tournaments. For anyone starting as an adult you should be able to practice judo sensibly without much risk.

Judo was designed to make full contact fighting practice not only possible but enjoyable, because most risky moves are not permitted and great care is taken to protect your training partners. I hope the class you have found is a good one. If it doesn't feel safe, then you should question whether it is right for you.

Shinoh wrote:Do you wear mouthguards or groin guards during your training?

I did not wear these guards. I dont know any judoka with mouthguards or suspensor / jockstrap .

Shinoh wrote:How many dental or groin injuries have you seen in your years as a judoka?

I did not see any dental injuries per 25 years. Sometimes during training practice someone get the leg punch to crotch (bad uchimata from opponent). But no any problem, next 3 min is out and next continue in the training. This is onetime per month.

Shinoh wrote:My question is, is judo really that dangerous?

It depends on people and instructor in the dojo but. I think that is not dangerous more than other sports. Someone could have the problems with knees (me to), shoulders, fingers. But I think, that these arise from lot of competition years. I know more judokas and they have not any problems, some judokas have problems.

Training for non competition judo is safety and it is good for building strong body, heart and mind. This is my idea.

Having just had another temporary crown put in today, I'll speak about dental injuries. If you practice judo for decades AND you have crap teeth with large fillings, you might wind up like me - getting a few crowns after spitting out chunks of tooth. But, as you can see, it's rare. A simple mouthguard will protect you - not the fancy boxing versions, just a very simple version, which beats the hell out of getting a crown replaced because you sheer off a section. But then, I have crap teeth.

As for groin stuff - I've never used any. I can't speak for the vast majority of my male colleagues as I don't spend time in their changing rooms. Cups and the like are not permitted.

Generally, people who say, "mouth guard and groin support" are usually referencing kick/punch martial arts, and have no real clue what judo involves. Expect some bumps and bruises here and there. Expect to be ridiculously sore after your first few classes (first few weeks of classes if you're over 40). Otherwise, don't worry about it.

Thank you very much for your quick answers, you have definitely convinced me to try that judo club!

Different judo clubs have different levels of training. A recreational club like mine usually avoids serious injuries. Clubs that train elite judoka for high-level competition will see more frequent injuries of a greater severity. Find a club that trains at a risk level that is acceptable to you, based on your goals and aspirations in judo.