How to be a successful Judo instructor

One of the most rewarding things about being a martial artist is the ability to teach others your skills. In fact, most martial artists eventually make the transition from practitioner to teacher as they get older. This is because teaching can make you feel good about making a positive impact in the world, as you see your skills being performed by others who start to grow physically and mentally as a result.

In this article, we shall be discussing the nuances of becoming a good Judo teacher. Remember, just because you’re a good competitor, it doesn’t mean you’ll naturally be good at teaching either. In short, the main difference boils down to the ability of communication. Anyway, if you want to learn how to be a good Judo instructor then read on.

What do you call a Judo instructor?

The correct term for a Judo teacher is sensei. This is because sensei literally means teacher in Japanese. Like Karate (which is also Japanese), Judo’s origin country is Japan. So, it makes literal sense that you’d call a Judo teacher sensei.

Remember, Judo is still quite a formal, traditional martial art so it still has old titles such as sensei. Having said that, if your Judo teacher is very casual and informal then they may allow you to call them by their name or even coach. Ultimately, this is down to the discretion of the teacher. Still, in most dojos, the term sensei is most commonly used.

When you can start teaching Judo

Technically, you can begin teaching Judo as a white belt. In terms of legalities, there’s nothing stopping you. However, in terms of ethics this is obviously not a very good idea. For the most part, you shouldn’t begin thinking about teaching about Judo until you’re a black belt. This is because most people reach the rank of black belt after around five years of training.

In other words, if you’ve trained Judo for five years then it means you’ll know quite a lot of stuff in terms of techniques and moves. In some cases where there are no black belts around, a highly reputable, experienced brown belt could also teach beginners. This is because the knowledge gap would be big enough for newbies to still learn a lot from a brown belt.

Even though they may not be a black belt, the point is that you don’t always have to be the best competitor in the room to become a good teacher. As mentioned earlier, the art of teaching is vastly different compared to training yourself as a martial artist. For instance, an old soccer coach may be a lot worse than a player in their prime. It still doesn’t mean they can’t teach them and improve their techniques. The same applies to Judo.

Looking at what makes a good Judo coach

When looking at teaching as any martial art, there are a few key areas to focus on. The first and most important is the ability to communicate. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best Judoka on the planet, if you can’t put your ideas into words and actions, then it’s pointless.

Talking of communication, this doesn’t just mean in a verbal sense either. You should also be able to physically communicate what you’re trying to say. This means showing moves from certain angles and using metaphors to really stress important moves.

Secondly, a good Judo coach should also be patient. This is especially the case when it comes to kids who can naturally be boisterous and misbehaving. The same goes for teaching white belts too. As they’re new, they may do seemingly easy moves poorly. It’s important not to get stressed or angry at this. Instead, try to teach them through a different way which may get the desired result of easier learning.

As well, it goes without saying that you should be able to actually know and perform the techniques yourself. In other words, you should be able to practice what you preach. For instance, if you teach an Uchi Mata, then it helps to know the smaller details which make it more effective. This is particularly helpful when teaching advanced Judoka who will already know the broad details of many moves, to begin with.

Lastly, a good Judo coach should also be committed. This is perhaps one of the most under-rated parts of being a skilled teacher but it goes a long way. For example, you could be a great teacher in theory but if you don’t care enough then it will translate to your students. If this happens, you’ll find yourself not passing down as much knowledge, or failing to pick up on problems during drilling. Arguably, a less knowledgeable yet committed teacher is more effective than a genius teacher who simply doesn’t care.

How much can Judo coaches earn?

If you got into Judo to become wealthy then you made a big mistake. Generally, being a Judo teacher won’t earn you much at all. Compared to other martial arts such as BJJ and Taekwondo, there’s less money in Judo. The reason for this is mostly cultural but the point is, it’s not easy to earn a living teaching Judo.

If you own your own Judo school then you could make a living from this but mostly, this is done as a labor of love and is more of a side hustle. If you don’t own a dojo and teach for someone else then you may get paid as little as $10 per hour. This is because there’s an abundance of Judo teachers and not much money to go around.

Conclusion

If you really want to be a good Judo instructor then it’s best to get a few years of training under your belt. Watch as much footage as possible, compete when available and look and learn when watching your own teacher for inspiration.

After this period, if you’re still hungry to teach then you can ask to teach at your dojo or make your own school. As said, this isn’t a particularly easy gig and isn’t for everyone. Nonetheless, if you’re passionate about teaching then you should be able to do this as a black belt. Remember, not everyone is suited for teaching. Still, if you’re really into it then teaching can be one of the most rewarding parts of being a martial artist.

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