Are you seeking extra ways to improve their judo outside of the dojo? If so, judo instructionals are one of the best ways to learn judo at home when you have extra time.
After all, with access to online judo instructionals, you get to learn from the best Judokas and Senseis in the world. This is something that was not available to me when I started grappling.
Hopefully, this guide can help you understand how to use judo instructionals, how to pick the right one for you, and whether or not they are truly worth the investment.
What Are Judo Instructionals
Judo instructionals are online digital courses that teach different judo techniques and are available to anyone with a computer. They are typically taught by world-renowned competitors and Senseis.
Some judo instructionals are geared towards teaching people who are new to judo how to get started and master the basics. Others are geared toward the advanced judoka looking to even further perfect their craft and get an edge on the competition.
My favorite thing about judo instructionals is that you can learn from the best in the world and focus on whatever specific part of your game you need to improve. You are no longer limited to learning only from people in your local area.
That said, one thing that judo instructionals are not is a replacement for putting in the hours in your local dojo. Instead, they should be looked at as something to help you improve faster.
How To Choose The Best Judo Instructional For You
The best way to pick the right judo instructional to learn from is to understand where you are in your journey. If you are new to judo then you will want to pick an instructional that is geared towards beginners.
This might be understanding some of the most basic concepts such as grips and mastering the most basic throws. However, if you are more advanced or need to work on something specific then pick a program geared towards that goal.
The best way to be disappointed by a judo instructional is by purchasing any old random program. So really do your research and have a goal of what you want to improve before you start looking.
Are Judo Instructionals Worth The Investment
If you have yet to purchase a judo instructional online you might be surprised by the price. I do believe that many judo instructionals are worth the investment, they are by no means cheap.
Some instructionals cost hundreds of dollars and some are under $50. So whether or not they are worth the money depends on if you are willing to spend that kind of money on an online program.
There are various online programs to learn judo from and many of them are good. However, some are very bad. One of the first places you might want to look at is Judofanatics.com.
Judo fanatics offer a ton of judo instructionals from a long list of world-class instructors.
How To Get A Discounted Judo Instructional
If you are worried about the price or simply want to get a good discount on your judo instructionals the best thing you can do is look at the daily deal page on Judofantics.com.
Every day Judo Fanatics post their best deals of the day. Oftentimes, you can find judo instructionals for over half off of the regular price.
Of course, the programs change day by day so if you don’t see something you like today then there might be something better to choose from tomorrow.
Best Judo Instructionals For Beginners
If you are a new white belt or a beginner in judo the last thing you want to do is purchase a judo instructional way above your competence level.
Instead, focus on judo instructionals that are geared towards the beginner and focus on the fundamentals. After all, getting a strong foundation and mastering the basics is what is going to make you the best judoka you can be.
So don’t get ahead of yourself and let’s talk about some judo instructionals that are geared toward learning the fundamentals.
Judo Building Blocks By Israel Hernandez
Isreal Hernandez is an Olympic Judo medalist and one of the greatest competitors of his time. His judo building blocks program is great for judokas at all levels.
Since this instructional is geared towards mastering the fundamentals it is a good option to choose if you are a white belt.
That said, fundamentals are really the building blocks of your game, so you are never too advanced to learn something from the great Isreal Hernandez.
He is known for his powerful explosive style and even goes over exercises to increase your explosive attacks. So if you are interested in learning his explosive style it might be a good fit for you.
Fundamental Judo Mastery By Yarden Gerbi
Fundamental Judo by Yarden Gerbi is an excellent judo instructional to start out with if you are new to judo. Yarden is a judo world champion and an Olympic medalist.
That said, this judo instructional is not just for those wanting to be a world champion or even an active competitor. Instead, it will help you master some of the fundamental basics of judo.
She covers some of her favorite throws such as the koshi garuma, the uchi mata, and much more. In addition, you will learn her gripping system as sequences as well as some of her favorite submissions.
Beginning Fundamentals by Steven Cohen
Steven Cohen has been doing judo for over 60 years! On top of that, he has coached some of the greatest US judo athletes of all time. So honestly, who could be better to learn the fundamentals from? After all he has been doing it longer than most of us have been alive?
This instructional is focused on the fundamentals and mostly goes over some of Steven Cohen’s drills to help you develop a basic understanding of judo. You will learn footwork drills, foot sweep drills, and basic judo movement drills.
Best Judo Instructionals On Grip Fighting
Another fundamental skill you need to master as a judoka is grip fighting. After all, the judoka who controls the grips controls the match. You cannot have a good judo game without understanding grips.
So if you have not mastered this skill yet then forget everything else and learn how to out grip your opponents. There are a ton of great judo instructionals to help you master this skill.
Grip Like A World Champion 2.0 By Jimmy Pedro
Learn from Jimmy Pedro’s legendary gripping system to get an edge on your opponents. If you don’t have your grip game ironed out then you are going to be left behind.
After all, whoever has the dominant grips is in control. So do yourself a favor and learn the gripping system from one of the best to ever do it!
Best Judo Instructionals On Throws
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Judo are of course throws. After all, a good throw alone can win you a match. Not to mention they look awesome and are fun to learn.
So understandably finding a good judo instructional on throws is likely a top priority. So let’s take a look at some of the best instructionals on judo throws.
Judo Throw Encyclopedia By Matt D’Aquino
This is a super cool judo instructional for anyone to have in their arsenal. After all, it covers all 40 of the original judo throws. It is quite literally an encyclopedia of judo throws.
So one thing to understand is that Matt D’Aquino does a brief but concise overview of all of all the original judo throws. So don’t expect a whole instructional worth of content on one throw.
Instead, look to this as a reference guide to understanding all the throws. Then what I would suggest is picking a handful of throws to master and practice. You might even want to purchase specific instructionals on those specific throws.
So the game plan would be to get a basic understanding of all throws. Then pick a few at a time to master and practice.
Mastering Uchi Mata By Travis Stevens
The judo encyclopedia shows you all 40 original throws but does not go as deep as it could. Mastering Uchi mata on the other hand only focuses on the uchi mata but goes into great detail. No matter which judo throws you want to start mastering, the uchi mata is a staple throw you need to learn.
It is a throw that I would certainly suggest being one of the first to master. So why not learn to master the uchi mata from one of the best to ever do it? That is Travis Stevens. After all, he is an Olympic silver medalist and one of the best teachers in the world.
Other Judo Instructionals On Throws
To me starting with the judo encyclopedia and mastering the uchi mata is where I would start. That said, there is a whole category page on Judo Fanatics for judo throws. There are a ton of great judo instructionals to choose from.
So if you want to master a different throw or learn from another instructor here is plenty there to choose from!
Best Judo Instructionals On Judo Submissions
Another topic that you will need to master is judo submissions. After all, submissions are another way to quickly beat your opponents. So mastering a handful of chokes and joint locks is essential for anyone looking to improve their judo game.
The two judo instructionals I would suggest starting with would be the Arm Lock Series (Juji-Gatame) By Jimmy Pedro & Travis Stevens and Judo Strangles by Andy Hung. After all, arm locks and chokes are the most essential judo submissions.
Other Judo Instructionals
These are what I think are the best judo instructionals to start with. That said, there are so many more to choose from. So I would also suggest simply checking out all that Judofanatics.com has to offer. They are after all probably the best source for judo instructionals online!