Your path to Olympic Gold
Bakersfield Kodokan Judo Club is a proud member and judo training facility under USA Judo. USA Judo is the National Governing Body (NGB) and member of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. USA Judo enables all United States athletes a pathway to achieve sustained competitive excellence in domestic and international judo competition, and the promotion and growth of the sport of Judo in the United States. multiple national and international champions, and USA Judo continues to build their legacy of excellence every day.
Why Judo?
1. Practical Safety (The "Injury Insurance")
Judo teaches you how to fall. For adults, this is the most practical skill you can learn. You’ll train your brain and body to react instinctively to slips and trips, turning a potential hospital visit into a simple roll.
2. Dominant Stand-Up Skills
If you do BJJ or MMA, your game is incomplete without Judo. You will learn how to stay on your feet while forcing your opponent to the ground. Stop pulling guard and start taking control of the fight from the first second.
3. Explosive Full-Body Power
Judo is high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with a purpose. It builds incredible "functional strength"—specifically in your grip, core, and hips—that you simply cannot get from lifting weights alone.
4. The "Leverage" Advantage
Judo is designed for a smaller person to defeat a larger one. You’ll learn how to use an opponent’s weight and momentum to your advantage, making it the perfect martial art for those who want to win using technique rather than raw size.
5. Mental Toughness & Stress Relief
A 15-minute Judo session is more mentally engaging than an hour on a treadmill. It forces you to solve problems under pressure, clearing your head of work stress and building a "calm-under-fire" mindset.
6. Superior Balance and Coordination
Judo makes you an "unshakeable" athlete. By learning to manage your center of gravity while someone is actively trying to throw you, you develop balance and agility that carries over into every other sport.
7. Efficiency in Combat
Judo is fast. While other arts might take minutes to find a submission, a Judo throw can end a confrontation in seconds. It is the most efficient way to neutralize a threat and maintain a dominant position.
Martial, Sport, or Cross Training
Master the art of the throw with Judo—the Olympic sport that combines explosive fitness with elite stand-up grappling. Whether you're cross-training to sharpen your ground game or looking for a high-intensity workout, Judo builds the functional strength and balance to dominate any match.
Our Instructors & Your Wellbeing
The safety of all our students is the most important priority at our club, All Bakersfield Kodokan Judo Club instructors are fully vetted with a criminal background check, undergoes the U.S. Center of Safe Sports initiatives, policies, and programs, primarily aimed at preventing and addressing misconduct like emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, bullying, and hazing within the sports community, especially in the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement, to ensure athletes of all ages have a safe, respectful environment. It involves education, reporting mechanisms, and enforcing accountability for all participants, from athletes and coaches to parents and organizations. All coaches also undergo the U.S. CDC "Heads Up" training program, a comprehensive initiative providing education, training, and resources for coaches, to recognize, prevent, and manage concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
