Exactly How Much Judo Costs To Learn

If you’re brand new to martial arts, you will be pleased to know that they are generally cheaper than most other sports. Whilst there are some exceptions to this rule, learning judo is relatively inexpensive.

One of the main reasons judo is cheap to learn is the culture and attitude of the sport. When judo was standardized by Jigoro Kano he spread a philosophy that judo was for everyone. Whilst there are still commercial aspects of judo (much like any other combat sport), compared to the likes of boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, there is not a heavy emphasis on monetization. As a customer and student of judo, this is very appealing since you can save a lot of money whilst having a lot of fun.

As judo is not a huge spectator sport, most companies are not interested in sponsoring events or athletes. This is bad at the top end of judo, where athletes are certainly not rich and can struggle to get by. But it does mean that at the lower end there are many top level coaches willing to teach judo classes for a reasonable price. For comparison, imagine a private lesson from a top 5 boxer in the world compared to the cost from a top 5 judoka. The cost differential would be staggering.

Judo Equipment

The main cost when starting judo is buying a judo gi and a belt. Other than this, you won’t really need anything else other than some finger tape every now and then.

Judo gis are very heavy duty and made very well. This is because they are going to get pulled a lot and need to be able to withstand rips and tears. Even still, this does not mean a judo gi is expensive. Budget judo kimonos can be picked up for around $40-50 from Amazon and are made to a decent standard.

More established brands such as Ronin and Fuji will charge around $60-80 for their judo gis – which is not expensive at all. Many of these deals come with white belts for beginners, but even if they don’t, a belt only costs around $10.

If you compare these costs to sports such as football, ice hockey or baseball, you will see that judo is significantly cheaper to equip yourself.

Judo Lessons

Judo lessons are also relatively inexpensive and largely depend on where you are training. Not only this, but it also depends on the clientele of the local dojo. Obviously a gym in the middle of Beverley Hills is going to attract a different type of person than it is in rural Ohio.

Even still, you can expect to pay anywhere from $40-$150 for monthly classes in judo. $150 is at the very top end and most dojos will not cost anywhere near this much. For the most part you would expect to pay well under $100 per month. At this price, you can train as much as you like, with most schools putting on anywhere between 3-6 classes per week.

Due to the nature of the sport, it is possible to find charitable judo schools that charge nothing (or very little) for classes. These kinds of classes are beginner friendly and are generally hosted in a church hall or school sports hall with very basic setups and equipment. The vast majority of judo clubs are non-profit, therefore they are considerably cheaper than the likes of wrestling or BJJ.

Once again, comparing judo with other sports, this is very cheap. If you were to train any other kind of sport 3-6 times per week, your costs would likely double. Not to mention you would need more equipment.

Private Lessons In Judo

Private judo lessons are not all too common but are easily available for anyone willing to pay. As professional judoka do not earn much money from sponsorship deals or competitions, private judo lessons are incredibly cheap. The going rate is around $40 per hour, which is not too much money at all, given that the instructor you’re paying has likely trained very hard for over 10 years.

World class judoka will likely charge more than $40, but even still this is not expensive when compared with other sports. Most Olympic level judoka would still charge less than $100 per hour, which isn’t bad at all given their level of knowledge and dedication. It is not even worth thinking about what an Olympic level basketball player would charge for a 1 hour lesson.

The Cost Of Judo Competitions

Considering the costs of hosting a judo competition, the price is more than reasonable. Most judo competitions in the US cost around $50, which is quite a lot of money compared to the cost of training, but the overheads are much higher.

Competition organizers must pay insurance, rent a building, and pay for staff such as medics and referees at the very least. These costs are not cheap at all and add up very quickly.

The main cost of a judo competition will actually be the travel expenses and accommodation costs (if required). The tournament fee is not particularly expensive at all.

Summary

Overall, you couldn’t really ask for more. Judo is one of the least expensive sports you can learn. The setup costs are minimal, and once paid for, the ongoing costs are not too bad either.

Due to the culture and organization of judo, it is not a commercial or heavily marketed martial art. Many people are teaching judo simply because they have a passion for the sport. At the higher levels of the sport this is not ideal since top level judoka do not earn a lot of money at all when compared to other sportsmen. However, as a casual beginner this does not matter and you should make the most of this cheap but effective martial art.

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