Although Judo is a martial art, students need not fear physical injury due to enrollment at Penn State. Judo 1 covers fundemental falling, throwing, throwing and grappling techniques. More dangerous techniques, such as chocking and arm locks, are reserved until students have demonstrated satisfactory command of more fundemental skills. Judo instruction at Penn State encourages fitness by incorporating a brief session of physical conditioning into each class in an effort to augment the aerobic workout and prevent injuries. Each student is also asked to learn a few terms and some general history of the sport of Judo.
Class concludes with conditioning and cool-down exercises.
Students are graded on their class participation, improvement, effort, and demonstration of skills mastery. Here you have a class, filled with beautiful, caring, and sensitive women and a teacher that praises you for smiling, then you take all of these people, teach them a few moves, holds, and chokes, and before you know it, they become aggressive, manipulative, fighting banshees. Judo class has been a real eye opener as to what my capabilities are towards assertion and self defense. Throughout the fifteen week course we were taught and drilled basic moves that allow you to fight and defend yourself, relying on mental and aerobic capabilities rather than simply on strength. For me this was a valuable lesson because all too often we are taught to believe that strength is what allows people to fight and defend themselves, but through practice I have begun to instead learn how to use momentum and inertia, as well as balance and center of gravity, to overcome opponents that are larger and stronger than myself.