Ball State Judo

Judo was established with the goal of “perfection of the human character” as its ultimate goal. With this in mind, Judo revolves around two main philosophies:

“Mutual Benefit and Welfare.” Help others and they in tern will help you when you need it.
“Maximum efficiency utilizing minimum effort” Do things correctly and with the least amount of effort to accomplish your goals.
Judo follows some old Japanese traditions; we bow to each other before and after practice, and before and after a sparring match, to indicate our gratitude and mutual respect. It is considered polite for students who are not yet black belts to bow to students who are black belts when they first enter the “dojo” (practice hall). For safety reasons, judo students should not leave the room unless they notify the instructor. This is not saying you need an instructor’s permission, but rather just letting someone know that you are leaving.

Since judo is a contact sport, judo students are expected to wash their judo outfit regularly, keep their nails trimmed, and come to workouts with clean hands and feet (it helps keep the mat clean if everyone wears shoes from the locker room to the workout room). Occasionally people scrape their hands or feet during practice – the rule is that a student must stop playing long enough to cover (with a Band-Aids or tape) any scrape or cut that is bleeding (the head instructor has these materials for club use).

During Practice a few simple rules need to be followed to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

ALWAYS follow the instructions of the head instructor.
NEVER have gum, candy, or other items in your mouth during practice.
NEVER wear jewelry or hard objects onto the mat.
NEVER wear your shoes onto the mat.
ALWAYS be courteous to others.
Wash your judogi at least once a week.
Females wear a t-shirt under your gi. Men can wear a t-shirt or no shirt under their gi. Bow onto and off of the mat.
Judo can be a beautiful art form as well as a powerful self-defense tool, NEVER USE YOUR JUDO SKILLS TO SHOW OFF OR IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS, SAVE IT FOR THE MAT, OR IN SELF-DEFENSE!