How to Grow Your Judo Gym - The Shintaro Higashi Show

Shintaro and Peter have extensively discussed the economics of Judo in the United States. Now that we understand the current status quo, what can we do about it? More specifically, how can we grow our gyms to in turn help Judo expand at the grassroots level?
00:00 Intro
01:30 Helping Judo in the USA
05:30 How Gym Owners can Gain Business Knowledge
08:30 New Ideas to Grow The Sport
10:00 Value Reflected in Price
13:15 Who can teach Judo successfully?
17:00 Becoming a Judo Teacher
19:00 Randori and Bringing People Up
22:30 Who comes to start Judo - knowing your audience
24:30 Where to go to TEACH Judo
27:30 Add More Classes to get more Students
30:00 Losing the Scarcity Mindset
33:00 What is the main competition to Judo?
36:30 Head Sensei using the gym for social needs
41:00 Dedicated Beginner Classes
Find More Episodes on Spotify!
open.spotify.com/show/343IXJD...
Join our Discord server and start chatting with us and other grapplers by supporting us on Patreon: / shintaro_higashi_show . Any amount helps!

[@StuntTriple]

More judokas teaching at Jiu Jitsu schools for sure. People who love grappling will attend. I started cross training judo because I fell in love with grappling from Jiu Jitsu.

[@genso3065]

The owner of the dojo trains in bjj and teach it where I take my son to. He has another guy trains judo which I just started for a month now before I injured my ankle. Haha. I'm still debating if I wana get into bjj.

[@simonw156]

Judo and BJJ schools have terrible retention for exactly the reasons you mentioned. I actually had to develop my own system for acclimatizing students to randori, because none of the several schools I've attended have any kind of system for doing this. It's easy to complain about the "watering down" of the sport, but the fact is people who wash out on day 1 because your school just isnt welcoming or fun are never going to get good at judo.

[@ClaytonLivsey]

There's never been more things competing for attention. You aren't just competing against ice skating, you're competing against scrolling social media & everything that could be on it. IMO, that's the backdrop that you should be trying to set yourself apart from when you try to sell a Judo contract. Yes, Judo can help you get in shape & build real life skills, but the best thing about Judo IMO is that life gets real goddamn simple. You come to class, you leave your problems at the door, you train, you leave, you're thankful for it.

[@stpetenickstpetenick9428]

I have been trying to interest the local YMCA (brand new facility) in starting a Judo class. So far, I have a USA Judo certified instructor interested and a few contacts at the new YMCA. Not sure how to procced. Currently I'm just working out to get into some shape, going to start some Judo-centric work with resistants bands. They have some mats, good enough to do break falls and judo rolls. Probably get a "JudoFanatics" T-shirt to wear while at the YMCA. Anything to see if people are interested. Any suggestions on what to do next?

[@legitprowrestling6653]

Wonderful advice. Thank you very much!

[@DenshaOtoko2]

Classes in Marketing, Finance, Accounting and Sales helped a lot.

[@johnmanyjars6894]

I did judo for 10 years and the school school closed so I started bjj (close to home). I’ve been thinking it might be good to teach a hybrid class. Personality-wise it’s the same group of people (folks that like to be physical and ok with being close).

[@InvisibleHotdog]

They improve by learning from you and you improve by learning how to teach

[@tommcguire7191]

Great podcast! I hope judo grows. Judo schools definitely need a beginner or intro program. Bjj can be the beginner program. Hire a few purple belts to teach. That can be used to fill up a school. Love this topic. Keep it going. I'd love for you to interview successful school owners.. judo or bjj and have them share tips to improve our schools.

[@youmang]

I like listening to you guys. You have provided a lot of insight for me. We are a very small dojo and part of a small judo community in the area so you guys provide much needed guidance. I don’t think you know exactly how much you help.

[@Bmoon8907]

I’m not part of a judo school, I train in Kobudo/kobujutsu, but there’s A LOT of great things to take away from this video! I shared it with the rest of the black belts in our community/school.

[@ryanbaker5931]

I run a small MMA program and this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@kusotare9559]

At 25:57, Peter points out something significant: USA Judo may have screwed the pooch by pulling out of the American Judo Alliance. USJF and USJA have been grassroots judo in the US for decades, developing kids and feeding the most promising judoka into the USA Judo pipeline. By leaving the alliance, USA Judo may benefit in the short term but may also have cut their own throats by depriving American judo of the feeder systems that were JF's and JA's bread and butter.

[@coreyrovito3793]

This podcast is great

[@1GonzalezAR1]

Love the vibe of this video… very wolf of Wall Street

[@Max-rp2ft]

A couple of issues I’ve noticed is that 1. The judo gyms by me have less time slots than the BJJ gyms so it’s easier to go to BJJ because i can fit it into my schedule easier 2. BJJ seems to be a lot more “Americanized” than judo. BJJ offers no gi options and Judo feels way more old school.

[@kingbyrd.1512]

The time slot thing is crazy. Where I'm from the it's really bad. No morning or afternoon classes (that i know if at least) and you can only come a few times a week. How the hell do you run a gym/dojo like this? The BJJ gyms in my area dont do this which makes them more accessible (but i actually want to do stand up lol)

[@InvisibleHotdog]

No gi judo would be wrestling

[@chrisdonovan8795]

Good points, but I think it's important to address how the principles of Judo can set it at odds with being a good business. Kano had lofty goals for Judo. I think that many Judo dojos are conflicted about these goals and running a successful business.

[@jonbeck6889]

I'm a middle-school wrestling coach and a Nikkyu. I'm trying to get permission to start a Judo program at my school during wrestling off-season. I think this will benefit not just Judo but also wrestling because HSL has "dead periods" when we're not allowed to do Folkstyle. If the school district doesn't allow it, then I intend to set up a 501c and try to get space at a community center or the Y. I think Judo's perfect target market would be middle-schoolers because of their resilience and resistance to injury and if we do "no-gi" Judo especially focusing on techniques that will augment their Folkstyle, I'm hoping I can draw enough to get things going.

[@Yuzelino]

👏🏿Very good!✊🏿🥋

[@andregonzalezbattistini7475]

Yea

[@menschapterhouse]

Would love to train judo but no judo around me so I do jujitsu cross train when I can :)

[@JamesGraydon]

I have found BJJ gyms to be more relaxed and laid back in culture compared to Judo gyms where everyone is either an old fat judoka or they believe themselves olympic bound. It is also alot harder to find in shape quality Judo instructors in America. You can count the quality judo instructor's and schools on both hands.

[@ShakenBake444]

I wish the U.S. invested into Judo athletes like other nations. It’s a beautiful sport.

[@estogaza5827]

I feel like with all the grapplers coming over who are doing throws and trips some grapplers are starting to realize Judo works in the UFC. This will lead to more people seeking it out. But ya, Judo is hard to find. Finding a judo club within a half hour drive is rare. Nobody seems to have interest in teaching it.

[@Bigramt]

You must be in the States Bro? I'm in Ireland and Judo is still here. Yes some gyms are more aimed at kids, but there are many adult gyms also, with plenty of options

[@ADAM_COLLECTS]

and all he confused never-was types will say “bUt ChAeL sOnEn SaId JuDo SuCkS!”

[@estogaza5827]

@@Bigramt yes. Nobody teaches judo in America. Even in large cities like Chicago. It’s really only a few coastal areas.

[@m5a1stuart83]

@@Bigramt Nah man... in my shithole cuntry, there are only 2 clubs of Judo in the city.

[@skyless7304]

I love judo and would love to commit and do it for the rest of my life, but I am not 20 anymore and all those rolling makes me for days... Three randoris in session one and people constantly throwing me on the back... I knew judo was not the same as playing chess, but I just wish my local dojo watches your show!

[@arantxaurrutia0]

I must state the obvious, but as judoka who has started late (33, now I'm 41) and who occasionally trains bjj since 2022, the main differences are: 1)the time you spend in randori vs rolling, which favours bjj, because is more fun and active. 2) the technical complexity of judo, is a big problem for most people, in my opinion. I've practised different sports, and the amount of thing you have to learn and practise for a single, maybe slighly decent throw is overwhelmimg. Of course bjj is super hard, but you can learn by rolling much faster. If you get caught, you tap and restart. In randori, if you are clueless or distracted, or your opponent is, you can injure yourself badly and bye bye practitioners.

[@tomiskalmar]

I wonder about the number of BJJ gyms that can charge $200 a month and still maintain a student base of 300. To someone living in a UK town with a population of 20,000, these figures seem quite abstract.

[@WhitegirlslayerX]

Not only should Judokas teach at BJJ schools, BJJ tournaments should have Judo divisions. Its becoming harder to find Judo tournaments and the Judo tournaments that do happen are too high level for the average Judoka. We need novice, intermediate and advanced levels for Judo tournaments. The future of Judo is definitely in BJJ.

[@rockymarcianobrasil317]

Here in Brasil it's the same. Not easy to find a dojo as it used to be. I practice both. As a owner i "unite" both. The Jiu Jitsu place in here is "Academia" . It's not important. Teach us bjj 3 days a week and judô 2 days. Don't call it Ne Waza Day. Just teach. Bjj practitioners will love throwing people insted of pulling guard. Just an idea.

[@Thejudonomad]

Imagine , I’m traveling all the 197 countries to teach judo for free 😅

[@carlosinfante5706]

But you have a KZbin channel and other sources to fund being able to do what you want.

[@Thejudonomad]

@@carlosinfante5706 definitely otherwise it’s not possible . As the guy said below in the comment , there is just no direct cost :)

[@kennethokeefebrake8415]

Hey Sensei, I just subscribed as a follower.

[@Thejudonomad]

@@kennethokeefebrake8415 thanks 🙏 still a student tho , not a Sensei yet 😇 just sharing few things I know

[@InvisibleHotdog]

How are you gonna traverse the ocean without flying? Those are long boat trips.

[@axvlife]

I understand that it cant be free, but are you really charging $250 a month with a contract? Might be a huge cost of living difference, but that would make you the most expensive membership to anything in our area with exception to the actual private country clubs.

[@danielschulz7391]

I like most of the talk but totally disagree with the randori part. For me it worked best to just limit randori in the beginning. First they start just with given positions, like 30sec rounds, one has to escape Sidecontrol the other has to hold it. Next step just fighting from the knees, without submissions. Next just throws and holding. So beginners are not overwhelmed and can fight each other without hurting and without getting crushed by intermediates.

[@Paul-Knight-Wolf]

Honestly there should be an agreement where every Judo club should be right beside a Jiu Jitsu club. Giving 30 day free trials and having a good website (No Facebook marketplace bullshit.)

[@kennethokeefebrake8415]

Instructors selling BJJ are making money. They are not going to be share that with some judo sensei

[@Paul-Knight-Wolf]

I mean BJJ is heavily marketed in North America. Judo needs a marketing strategy, like a legit one that only Shintaro can do. For example: having actual Judo commercials! It would of been sick if there were Judo commercials during the movie theatre release of John Wick Chapter 4.

[@Frenchieeeee]

I'm in the San Francisco bay area and there's literally only 1 Judo place within a half an hour drive, with the other one having burnt down recently. The one that isn't burnt down only teaches 2 days a week. Near me there's literally 3 BJJ gyms within walking distance. There are a good amount of Judo places in the entirety of the bay but i would have to drive 45-50 minutes. I wonder why Judo is so much more popular in Europe like France than the USA. I guess the Gracies focused on spreading BJJ in the USA so Judo never got to shine.

[@kennethokeefebrake8415]

BJJ is the new tsunami just as taekwondo was back in the '80s and '90s, then MMA.... it comes in cycles.

[@fennec812]

Judo gets a lot of institutional support (I.e. government support) in places like France and Japan. It seems like the U.S. is starting to get a bit of that based on Shintaro’s recent interview with Jimmy Pedro, but still a long shot until we get to a similar level relative to the size of the country. But also because BJJ is a fad. Don’t necessarily mean that it’s bad or shallow, just that “the” popular martial art comes and goes here. I think a lot of people are attracted to it because it’s heavily Americanized culturally, as well. (Which is kind of a double edged sword, imo)

[@510Judo]

I love your show but this episode the audio quality is really terrible. Is there any chance of a re upload with better quality?

[@user-uv2ep3rx8o]

Have someone build your website for you and make sure they get the backend in place. If not your website won't be worth anything....

[@yourleftisttesticle]

So instead of reaching out to local schools and parks, you believe we can increase numbers by raising barriers to entry? That won't make judo more popular. People aren't responding to high prices when they choose a hobby. Judo needs to increase marketing more than anything else. BJJ was marketed by the early success in the UFC. It's marketed by the sport of MMA to this day. If Judo cannot find space here, it will continue to be unpopular in the USA. The main reason it's popular in Europe is the Olympics. However, Americans don't value the Olympics as a sign of combat effectiveness. We have cultural preferences. If you don't tap into the culture, you're gonna fail. Especially if you're not in a major metro area like Shintaro. You won't get these kids in the South or their parents to sign up by increasing prices. The parents will never respond to that. Another problem Judo has is we lock out who can coach. If you got injured before making it to shodan, that's the END of your Judo journey. You cannot coach in the USA. In BJJ, you just need a blue belt. There's more opportunity to coach and spread the sport/martial art without that barrier to entry.

[@1GonzalezAR1]

1/10?!? That sounds high

[@blackbeltpanda8522]

“Free” means it has no value.

[@PicaPauDiablo1]

No it means there's no direct cost. I'm sure your dad didn't pay directly for your mom, and you didn't pay her directly for cooking you dinner.

[@blackbeltpanda8522]

@@PicaPauDiablo1 autism has joined the chat. 😂 I’m sure you understand the point I’m making.

[@kennethokeefebrake8415]

I teach without charging admission but students must pay something or return in some way. I need a term for that... barter system or pay it forward or reciprocate

[@blackbeltpanda8522]

@@kennethokeefebrake8415 Or you could just charge a reasonable price for the service you provide. It’s not wrong for you to be compensated for the service you provide. How are people to supposed to make a living off Judo professionally if people won’t even pay their monthly fees? It’s not fair to your other students and it’s not fair to you as the business owner.

[@uncircumcisedcircus]

Judo needs to market itself through MMA, Judo wasted a golden opportunity with Ronda and even with Kayla. Think of it like this, Khabib promoted Judo better than any Olympian has or ever will do. You can still have your A level athletes for the Olympics but put your B level athletes in MMA.