The UCL Judo Club is the oldest martial arts society at UCL. We are a very friendly and welcoming society, open to people of all abilities and levels. Each year we have a substantial intake of people who have never trained before so don’t be shy, come along and try it, you won’t be alone! At the beginning of each year we run a two-week trial period where people can come along to training and decide whether the sport is for them before making any financial commitments.
Judo is particularly good for overall body fitness, as the motions required to complete the throws and ground work positions require multiple groups of muscles simultaneously, improving coordination and control. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate improvements, patience is key. Judo is very useful as a form of self defence as well.
Don’t be afraid of joining us! We are a very diverse team in terms of grade and age, with many former UCL students coming back to train with us. For those who wish to compete, there is the possibility of entering several major competitions a year, depending on demand. As a team we have achieved great success in the past; we were 8th in the country and 2nd among the 13 London Universities in 2014. During the 2019 BJC Open National, we pulled 5 gold and 1 silver medals.
Don’t forget to join us for our Sunday After, our weekly after-training gathering. As a club we consider social interactions one of our fundamental values, along with sportsmanship, moral integrity and inclusiveness. With us you will have the opportunity to know new people and make new friends with shared interests as you.
For anyone who has not trained before and doesn't have a gi, wearing a long sleeved top and any free moving long trousers/leggings for the first session will be fine!
We train 2 times a week. Our training times are:
- Thursday 20.30-22.00 (Mandela studio - Bloomsbury Fitness)
- Sunday 16.00-18.00 (Mandela studio - Bloomsbury Fitness)
Membership to UCL Judo for the year is £10.
If you have any questions please email us at [email protected]
The freshers/newcomer Whatsapp group chat is:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/IBOCJhC7qou0Nv0KjJhTap
If you would like to join our Main WhatsApp group, please contact a member of the committee or DM us on Instagram: @ucl.judo