Through the course of being a Sensei, Judo Coach or Teacher, you may have thought to yourself or heard the following questions?

1. The competitive season is going to be starting soon. Am I ready? Are my athletes ready? How long will it take for them to get into shape.
   • It normally takes about 3 - 4 weeks, 3x per week, applying the proper stresses in a systematic manner for the body to adapt to the training.
2. We do a long warmup in our dojo about 30-40 minutes of exercise prior to basic judo training, but my athletes still look out of shape at the tournament. And, some look ok. What am I doing correct?
   • Judo is an anaerobic sport which requires quick burst of energy with meaningful rest periods. If you incorporate this into your 30 - 40 minutes of warmup exercise you will see a significant difference.
3. Why in the last 30 seconds does my athlete lose the match? Maybe they are NOT training hard enough. We workout at least 2 hours per workout session. They LOOK tired after practice, I know they are training!
   • Muscular contraction brings about the development of Lactic acid within the muscle. The build up of the lactic acid will INHIBIT the muscle from contracting, thus at the end of the match, the athlete cannot contract the muscles in a synergistic manner. You need to incorporate anaerobic threshold training so the athlete can tolerate a higher level of lactic acid.
4. My athlete can run 3 miles at a 7.5 min mile pace. But, how come they don’t attack consistently.
   • Running at 7.5 min pace for 3 miles is good for being in shape. Meaning, your athlete can go many rounds. But judo, is an anaerobic sport with short burst of energy. We call this specificity of training.
5. What information do I gain if I make my athlete run a mile as fast as they can?
   • Your athlete can run a mile fast.
6. I hear about MAX VO2, aerobic base training, anaerobic threshold and the development of lactic acid. What do they have to do with my athlete?
   • Your competitive athlete needs to have a sound cardiorespiratory foundation. We measure this fitness level as the maximum volume of oxygen the body can use per kilogram of body weight or MAXVO2. Olympic level Judo athletes have a MaxVO2 between 65-75. It takes many years of proper training to attain this high level of development. The normal state or national competitor would have a MAX VO2 of 45 -50 (based on USOTC testing of the top 5 Judo athletes in every division, 1989 - 1996)
   • Lance Armstrong is reported to had a MAXVO2 of 65 when he was 16 yrs.
7. Should I train my 10 -12 yrs old the same as I would my teenagers or my adult weekend warriors?
   • No. 10 -12 yrs adapt to training faster if given the proper stresses and rest periods. The chance of injuring the child is great at such a young age since growth plates, physiological development and self esteem issues are not fully developed.
8. How does the knowledge of heart rate during uchikomi, nage komi and randori help in my athletes training?
   • Knowing the heart rate of your athletes during these drills can help the coach devise intensity, rest periods and drill variations to accomplish training regimens for the anaerobic threshold and the tolerance to lactic acid.
   • The clinic will give the sensei/coach/teacher practical experience in the design and implementation of proper training with their own athletes.
9. When should I taper my training so my athlete can peak at a major competition?
   • We call this periodization. If you plan out your training program and quantify the workload, unloading of the workload, will have the athlete over compensate or recovery from the training regime.
10. How can attending this clinic be different from the others?
    • The seminar/clinic is designed to inform the coach of the proper training stresses and how to apply them in a systematic manner.
    • In the afternoon session with the athletes, the sensei/coach/teacher will have the opportunity to apply the drills they have devised and assess the results.

I will cover these questions and go more in depth of how exercise physiology can help in training your athlete.

The seminar/clinic will also fulfill the USJF Coach Re-certification, unfortunately NOT the regular USJF National Coach Certification.

Mitchell