Destination@BritishJudo Update: Gateshead Hub

Launched in 2013, Destination@BritishJudo is one of British Judo’s flagship development programmes aimed at encouraging young people to participate in judo.

Since launching the Destination programme has increased to 10 Hubs across England.

Over the next 12 months we’ll be checking in with these hubs to find out how they are doing and to get an insight into the work they are doing within their local communities.

For our first monthly update we’re catching up with the team at our Gateshead Hub.

It’s been a busy start to year for the team at the Gateshead Hub. In January of this year they have worked with six clubs with on average 320 children attending 20 club classes each week. These classes have been for students aged 5 – 15.

There have also been a number of taster sessions at nine different schools in Gateshead with approximately 1600 students (aged 5 – 11) taking part.

The work at the Gateshead Hub has been supported by Adam Palamountain, one of two Apprentice Coaches on the Destination programme.

Adam’s role has including supporting taster sessions as well as running his own club sessions and dealing with enquiries from parents and other partners.

Throughout the month students have been taken through a number of different activities including: obstacle courses, extensive break fall practice, grading theory, judo based games and activities and slow and controlled throws.

You can see a description of a newaza drill John and Adam have been working on with young judoka at the Gateshead Hub.

Looking back on the last month John said:

“The last month has been a fantastic month for Destination@BritishJudo Gateshead. Everyone has come back energised from this Christmas break and have started preparing for their gradings.

“The fundamental groundwork covered in the last month will also massively benefit them going forward, this covered key movements they will use again and again in their Judo career.

“A big thanks to Gateshead SSP for arranging for us to go into the schools and deliver taster sessions to all of the children. This has already lead to lots of new recruits over the last month, long may it continue.”

This routine I have put together teaches basic groundwork movements, including hold downs, escapes, action and reaction and turn overs.

• Starting off with jumping over the persons legs and then crawling back under the body.
• Pass the furthers arm through which is pulled leading into a breakfall.
• Keeping hold of the sleeve and moving into Kesa-Gatame
• From their person escapes to Kuzure Kesa Gatame by hooking their arm under their leg, grabbing the collar and powering up.
• This is then escaped by turning towards the person, placing the hand on the mat using it as leverage and pulling the trapped arm free, the person then moves into a ball to protect themselves.
• From here both arms are pulled away and the person is rolled onto their back into Mune Gatame.
• This is then escaped by clasping the hands together around the opponent, turning towards them creating a reaction and then pulling them in the opposite direction, finishing by putting them into Yoko Shiho Gatame.

• From here this is escaped by pushing the head down towards the legs and then putting the leg over the head before finally sitting up in Kuzure Kami Shio Gatame