Free Trial Session!
We offer one free trial Judo session to any student interested in giving the Club a try. If you are not a student, just pop along anyway and you can come train with us.
University of London Judo Club
ULU is an established and welcoming club, catering to all from beginners to black belts (male and female). We're lucky enough to have both a spacious and easy to reach gym, and a former Olympic squad member as our coach. For the uninitiated: Judo involves throws, hold downs, and locks, rather than strikes. It's an effective and fun form of exercise with opportunity for competition, graded progression, and of course after session drinks!
What We Do
A typical session begins with a solid warm up followed by some ne-waza (ground work). We then do some standing uchi komi (technique repetition and throw practice) and then work through specific techniques, followed by 15/20 minutes of randori (free practice).
If you are a beginner, our coach will look out for you and ease you into the sessions, at times dividing the class in two to cover different levels, so our Club is the perfect place to start if you have never done Judo!
If attending your first session don't worry about having a Judo-Gi (the white suits): standard long-sleeved gym clothes are fine, and make sure to trim nails, remove jewellery and tie back any hair. Don’t forget your water bottle and a pair of flip-flops to get from the changing rooms to the mats!
When and Where We Meet
Sessions (training continues throughout the Summer Break):
Beginners and advanced players welcome!
- Friday 7-8.30 pm
- Sunday 1:30-3 pm
Location: YMCA, 112 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3NQ
We usually gather 15 minutes earlier by the main reception, and head down to the badminton courts before practice to start putting out the mats.
Nearest stations: Goodge Street/Tottenham Court Road.
1 minute walk from Tottenham Court Road station or 5 mins walk from Birkbeck University.
Who are the coaches?
Joe Doherty - Former GB Olympic Squad member, World Master Gold and Silver medalist, Joe has been coaching our club for over 15 years. A certified Level 2 BJA Instructor and 5th-Dan black belt besides, Joe is an excellent and supportive instructor, always on hand to coach at competitions as well as our regular sessions.
Besides Joe there are a plethora of top judoka who are kind enough to demonstrate their favourite techniques or fill in when necessary, including (but not limited to): Se'un Rotimi, a former GB World Master's Squad member and Level 2 Instructor; Niccolò Salvatori, 3rd-Dan and UKCC Level 2 Coach; or Justin Goh, 1st-Dan and UKCC Level 2 Coach.
Committee 2021/2022
- Captain: Joshua D Trulson
- Treasurer: Amin Rirash
- Secretary: Sihana Erisa Uka
Achievements 2019/2020
Kyu Grade Cup (October)
- Andreas Panagiotou - Gold
Help for Heros (November)
University Championships (November)
- Andreas Panagiotou - Silver
- Oriol Pavón - Bronze
- Megan Bowie - Bronze
Izegem Open (January)
British Universities & Colleges Sport – BUCS (February)
- Maria Artamonova - Gold
- Florian Hansen - Bronze
- Andreas anagiotou - Bronze
Opportunities
We always attend the London Universities Open in November, as well as heading up to Sheffield for BUCS in February. The highlight of the year however is probably the Sheffield University run team competition in March, involving a sociable mix of sleeping on the matt, pizza and club night.
Besides these there may be various other tournaments or joint training sessions with fellow University clubs. For instance in 2015/16 we visited Cambridge JC, Oxford JC, attended the Southend International and the West London Student Beginners competition among others. In the summer of 2017 we attended a week long Judo training event in Italy with opportunities to take part in other activities such as white water rafting.
If interest is enough we even head abroad (often pairing with other London clubs), having attended tournaments in Paris, Lille, Venice and others in past years, and even been part of a select group invited to visit Japan for both training/competition and cultural exchange.
In addition to competition, regular Kyu Gradings are organised throughout the year during our usual sessions to ensure everyone has a chance at progression. Plus there is always a good Christmas social to look forward to in early December.
Costs and Memberships (2021/2022)
How to become a member
If you struggle at any step please feel free to contact us at ulujc@yahoo.co.uk.
- If you do not already have an account create an online account on the Clubs-Societies Website
- Log in at the Judo Webpage and purchase a Judo Club Membership (see prices below) or a Free Trial pass (if you are a student and want to try our Club for the first time).
Summary of Prices (see below for detailed information)
| |
Student |
Associate (student) |
Guest |
| Membership* |
£60 |
£80 |
n/a |
| Mat fees (annual) |
£380 |
£450 |
£450 |
| Mat fees (term) |
£100 |
£125 |
£125 |
| Mat fees (month) |
£38 |
£45 |
£45 |
| Mat fees single session |
£5 |
£6 |
£7 |
| Guest participation fee |
n/a |
n/a |
£100 |
*NB: All memberships expire on August 31st and must be renewed in September 1st. If you join after January or during the summer, please contact us by email before purchasing your membership.
Judo Club Membership and Session Fees
We hold sessions two times a week throughout the 4 terms of the year (Term 1: Oct-Dec, Term 2: Jan-Mar, Term 3: Apr-Jun, Summer Term: Jul-Sep). Club Membership and Session Fees can be purchased online (see products on the right) and allow our members to attend all training sessions, plus competition entries if you are a student. If you don’t qualify for a Student or Associate membership you can still participate in club training sessions as a Guest (see below and also here for eligibility). NB: Please note that Session Fees cover our Coach's salary and must be paid by the end of November (if paid annually) or by the end of the first month of each term. If you are here for a reduced period of time or you can only attend some sessions, please contact the Club's Committee to discuss alternative arrangements. All memberships expire on August 31st.
- Student Costs (equivalent to ~£1.5/session).
- Student Membership Costs - £60 (annual).
- Student Session Fees - £380 (annual) or £110/term.
- Associate Costs (equivalent to ~£2/session).
- Associate Membership Costs - £80 (annual).
- Associate Session Fees - £450 (annual) or £125/term.
- Guest Participation & Session Fees Costs
- Membership Costs - £100 (annual).
- Guest Session Fees - £450 (annual), £125 (one term), £45 (one month).
- If you are a Guest but can only come sporadically, please get in touch so we can advise you and find the most suitable alternative to your availability.
To join the Club, add the right combination of products (Membership + Session Fees) to the basket and proceed to payment. If you have any questions about this, get in touch with us at ulujc@yahoo.co.uk.
Judo start-up Costs (Gi and BJA Licence)
Our Judo Club is a member of the British Judo Association, and as such you can benefit from insurance, the chance to grade up, and the ability to enter competitions when you purchase your BJA licence. If you are a student, the BJA has a Student Voucher Scheme for the heavily discounted price of £30 which provides you with the BJA licence (otherwise £29), your first grading fee (£12), and a Judogi (worth £35).
Donate to the Club
If you would like to support the UL Judo Club by sponsoring a student to start or keep doing Judo, who wouldn't be able to do so otherwise, or to help cover their competition expenses, you can now contribute with a donation. You can donate by registering as a Guest (if you don't already have an account) and purchasing the Judo Donation products on the right. A donation of £100 would cover a student's training costs for a year, whereas a donation of £25 would allow a student to enter and attend a competition in the London area. If you wish to donate a different amount, please choose a combination of the available products or get in touch at ulujc@yahoo.co.uk. Your donations will ensure that everyone that wishes to practice Judo can do so, will support those that wish to represent the Club in competitions, and will help the Club train new coaches to ensure we continue to have the best possible environment to learn and improve as a group. Thank you!
