The Judo Shimpokai

🥋 Thursday Night at Judo Shimpokai! 🥋

What a great evening at the Judo Shimpokai!

The evening started with a solid warm-up led by John Mallory, followed by a variety of judo techniques and plenty of hard work on the mat.

But Thursday night had something extra special!

🥋 Special Guest Instructor – Philippe Dutremble

We were fortunate to have Philippe Dutremble from Quebec visit Shimpokai and share his knowledge of Kime-no-Kata with our members.

So, what is Kime-no-Kata?

Kime-no-Kata, often translated as the “Forms of Decision” or “Forms of Self-Defense,” is one of the traditional kata of Kodokan Judo. It teaches controlled responses to attacks using a combination of throws, strikes, locks, holds and defensive movements.

Unlike regular randori, Kime-no-Kata emphasizes precision, timing, distance, posture and controlled ex*****on. Every movement has a purpose, and each sequence helps judoka develop a deeper understanding of the principles behind judo.

A huge THANK YOU to Philippe for taking the time to visit Shimpokai and share his experience and knowledge with us. Opportunities like this help our members continue to learn, improve and deepen their understanding of judo. 🙌

🥋 AND WE HAD A BROWN BELT PROMOTION! 🥋

Congratulations to Katie Foley, who successfully completed her grading and was promoted to Brown Belt in Judo! 🟫🥋

This was an especially interesting grading to watch because Katie already holds a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It was great to see the transition between the two arts, particularly during the practical portion of the grading, where she demonstrated transitions from various judo throws into armlocks and other ground techniques.

So, what does a Brown Belt mean in Judo?

A Judo Brown Belt, or 1st Kyu, represents an advanced level of student development. It means the judoka has moved well beyond simply learning individual techniques and is beginning to demonstrate a deeper understanding of timing, combinations, transitions, strategy, movement and the principles of judo.

Brown belt is also an important step toward the black-belt ranks. At this level, judoka are expected to demonstrate not only technical ability, but also good attitude, discipline, control, knowledge and the ability to apply their skills effectively during training and grading.

Katie's background in BJJ made her grading particularly interesting, showing how skills from different grappling arts can complement each other while still respecting the unique principles and techniques of Judo.

👏 Congratulations Katie! Well deserved!

And once again, thank you to Philippe Dutremble for sharing his knowledge with the Shimpokai family.

Another great night on the mats!

🥋 Great Class at Shimpokai Judo!

Another great evening on the mats at Shimpokai Judo, with Nicholas Hasslett leading the class.

Nick brought great energy, knowledge, and plenty of hard work to the session. It’s always great to see our judoka challenging themselves, learning new techniques, and helping each other improve.

💪 Train hard. Learn together. Keep growing.

Great work everyone! 🥋🔥

👀 Challenge: See if you can spot the future Olympian standing between John and Mike in one of these photos!

Congratulations again to John and Mik e who represented Shimpokai judo with pride. Experiences like these inspire us to keep learning, training, and striving for excellence.

🔥 BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT SHIMPOKAI! 🔥

Shimpokai is growing again, and we’re excited for what’s ahead!

Keep an eye out for exciting announcements, new opportunities, and upcoming schedules connected to our expanding Judo Hockey programs. 🥋🏒

The momentum keeps building, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next with our amazing community.

Stay tuned… more details coming soon! 👊