Summer is the time of year when people tend to start faltering on their New Year’s Resolutions. A few weeks in, and most people already find themselves breaking their resolution to exercise more, eat and drink less and get in shape. If you’re looking to get back in shape, lose some summer weight and meet new people, look no further than EMU’s Judo Club.
You don’t have to be a black belt to join. You don’t even have to compete in tournaments. People of all skill levels are welcome to stop by and see what Judo, Jujitsu and Sambo are all about.
“We have people who are on the team who go and compete in tournaments, and we have people who are in the club who basically just come because they want to learn, hang out and it’s just a good social environment,” explained the group’s treasurer, Christian Gerwitz.
“We have everyone from EMU wrestlers, who sometimes come in if they are done competing for EMU wrestling or if they wish to cross-train, they’ll come in and practice with us. And we’ll also get people in there who have never played a sport in their life.”
The club holds practices four times a week in Warner Gymnasium, Gym C: Tuesday from 6p.m. to 8p.m., Thursday from 6p.m. to 10p.m., Saturday from 10a.m. to 12p.m. and Sunday from 1p.m. to 3p.m. Anyone interested in joining can stop by to watch the group practice and get more information.
Another great way to begin is by signing up for the Judo I course, a one-credit Judo class that satisfies the general education physical fitness requirement. Members of the club often help out with the course, and those who want to get more involved and learn more are free to join both.
While learning Judo is a great way to met new people and get in shape, it’s also a valuable skill to have for safety and self defense.
“The first thing that we do is falls, and the entire first class is basically how not to get hurt in a fight or if someone’s attacking you or if you’re in a judo match. It’s basically how not to get hurt, which is really important,” Gerwitz said.
Later this year, the club will be sponsoring women’s self defense workshops in collaboration with some sororities, the residence halls and an officer from R.A.D., a group that sponsors classes in rape aggression defense. Dates have not been set.
