Judo asks a lot of the body in short, violent bursts, then asks it again when you are tired. Gripping, pulling, driving through the hips and taking falls are all heavy demands, and over the years they add up. Strength and conditioning for Judo should help you meet those demands and recover from them.
It should not make you too tired to do Judo. The gym supports the mat, not the other way round.
What Judo asks of your body
- Grip and pulling strength. Everything starts with a grip, and fights are often won or lost in the hands and forearms.
- Hips and legs. Entering a throw means driving through the hips, often on one leg, with someone resisting.
- Shoulders. Pulling, defending and landing from throws load the shoulder through large ranges, sometimes in awkward positions.
- Back and trunk. You rotate, brace and lift against a moving opponent.
- Taking falls. Breakfalls spread the impact, but repeated falls still add stress to the whole body.
- Explosive power and conditioning. Short, hard entries repeated across a whole randori round.
What to train
- Pulling. Rows, pull-ups and loaded carries, with towel or thick-handle work for grip.
- Hinging and single-leg strength. Deadlift variations and split squats, because many throws are done on one leg.
- Pushing. Enough pressing to keep the shoulders in balance with all the pulling.
- Trunk strength. Carries and anti-rotation work that teach the body to stay braced while it is being turned.
- Explosive work. A small number of fast, low-volume efforts, such as jumps and medicine ball throws, done fresh.
- Shoulder strength through range. Controlled work that builds strength where the shoulder actually has to cope, not only in the middle of its range.
How often
If you train Judo three or four times a week, two gym sessions is usually enough. Keep them away from hard randori, and keep one shorter if your week gets busy. Read our guide on how often martial artists should lift weights for the wider picture.
Conditioning for Judo
Randori and uchi komi already supply plenty of intensity. Extra conditioning is most useful at the easy end, where steady work builds the base that helps you recover between rounds. Add hard intervals sparingly, and count them as part of your weekly load.
Competition and busy periods
Before a competition, the gym's job is to maintain, not to chase personal bests. Hold on to the strength and explosiveness you have, keep sessions short and protect your recovery. Build again when the event is over.
Judo over 30
Many Judo players carry injuries into their thirties and forties, and recovery takes longer. Shaan is a Judo black belt who competed, and has had ankle reconstruction and shoulder surgery himself. That is why he plans around what your body can cope with now, not what it did at twenty. If something already hurts, read our guide on training martial arts with old injuries.
Common mistakes
- Lifting heavy legs the day before hard randori.
- Neglecting shoulder strength until it becomes a problem.
- Adding gym sessions without taking anything out of the week.
- Chasing muscle size instead of the qualities Judo needs.
- Training through pain that keeps returning in the same place.
An example week
This is an illustration for a judoka training Judo three times a week, not a prescription.
- Monday: Judo, technique and drilling.
- Tuesday: strength session A (hinge, single-leg work, pulling, trunk).
- Wednesday: rest or an easy walk.
- Thursday: Judo, your hardest randori.
- Friday: a shorter strength session B (pushing, pulling, shoulders).
- Saturday: Judo, lighter or mixed.
- Sunday: rest.
Getting a plan built around your Judo
If you want a programme built around your Judo schedule, your injury history and your life, apply for coaching. You can also read about Shaan's story, see how the method works or read the guide to strength training for martial artists over 30.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health concern, speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before changing how you train.