The beginner class is focused on a few key things:
The first few classes are very busy with movement, throwing, and breakfalls, but taught in a unique way. Students are immersed in activities that involve easy throwing and stepping patterns and rolling falls. In this way, there is no boring and repetitious beating of the arms into the mats. Instead, students learn to control their bodies and take easy, safe falls without fear or worry. The focus is on the movements and learning the throwing skills. Explanations are kept short and to the point, minimizing details. Eventually, the details are added and more traditional breakfalls are taught. New throws and grappling skills are added - almost always involving their use and setups from the beginning. In matwork, sequences are used extensively to teach new skills and help students remember them. Free practice in matwork and throwing is begun as soon as students have learned enough skills and have enough body and safety awareness. By the end of the first semester, students have learned six or seven throws, many holds and chokes, and an armlock or two - all in about 24 hours of mat time. The last night of class, a tournament is held to let students experience a low-stress competitive environment with referees and score-keeping. In addition to judo skills, students learn to count in Japanese, learn the names of the techniques in Japanese, learn the rules of Judo competition, and learn some of the philosophy and off-the-mat application of Judo.
The advanced class and Judo Club meet together on Monday and Wednesday nights. The focus here is on honing the skills learned in the beginner class, adding more depth of knowledge to those skills, and adding more breadth. More advanced throws are added, chokes and armlocks are practiced, and there is more time allotted to randori (free practice).