[Hayden Stewart]

(07-15-2015 07:39 PM)Mikan Wrote:  

I did about 6 years of Judo as a teenager/young adult. It kept me in shape and made me tough.

Judo is not a martial art, its a set of rules and governing body (Kodokan) for competing in Ju Jitsu as a sport. Judo revolves around competition. The colored belt system used in other martial arts originates in Judo where it was (and still is) used to categorize competitors in tournaments by skill level. If you never compete you will never progress past white belt. Serious Judoka have similar training cycles to boxers or other combat sport competitors, including watching videos of upcoming opponents, traveling to train with top instructors around the country and cutting weight like wrestlers. Almost all top Judo competitors cross train some BJJ now. When I did it (late 90s) there was already a great deal of interest in BJJ as a competitive edge, but unless your were in LA, NYC or Hawaii there were no schools.

If you like grappling sports Judo is fun, although it takes a toll on your joints after a while. If you are more concerned about pure fighting skill you will need to combine it with a live striking art. Western boxing, kick boxing and Thai boxing all combine with Judo very well. One of the toughest people I've ever known in my life was a Judo blackbelt and former golden glove fighter.

I think a lot of people play sports in order to keep fit. But if you seriously want to achieve success in some kind of sport, then you need to put a lot of effort. Judo and other sports require maximum concentration from you and work. As you said your joints may suffer. I know what I am talking about because for many years at school I was engaged in American football and these are very large loads on your body. I often had to look for options to solve the problems associated with my back. It was the back that bothered me the most. But having tried many different types of help, I found a backsupportbelt that helped me solve my problem. The pain disappeared and I began not only walking normally but also playing American football. Such injuries may prevent us from doing what we love, but in contrast to such injuries, there should be such sports belts. One has only to feel the full force of this belt, as it will immediately become easier for you.