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Article / Wednesday, August 31, 2022 / source: alljudo
The Covid-19 has unfortunately demonstrated it: it can be very useful to have a space conducive to the practice of sport at home. Even in an apartment it is possible to set up a small dojo. Here are our 5 tips.
With a judoka partner, with a child, or even alone, judo training can be practiced in a small space, thanks in particular to the work of Tandoku Renshù, also called shadow judo, in reference to shadow boxing.
The first criterion for the implementation of a judo room at home is the choice of space. This must be large enough to allow optimal practice. If you plan to rent a property and convert it into a judo hall, it will therefore be necessary to choose a spacious accommodation. To do this, you will have to consult the various advertisements on rental search sites. The rental site Relax specifies in its announcements the different characteristics of the property. Among these, the potential tenant can consult the total area of the accommodation and the layout of the interior spaces. He can thus easily determine if the rental can be used as a judo room.
Tip n°1: the choice of space
At first, it is advisable to choose a space large enough to place a tatami of judo. A room with an area of 10 m2 will allow to place 4 tatamis of 2m by 1m. You can also opt for puzzle tatamis, the cost of which is lower, and which, due to their dimensions of 1m x 1m, offer more flexibility for the layout.
Tip #2: Provide storage space
If the room does not contain a wall cupboard, do not make the mistake of storing your equipment directly on the tatami, because you will lose useful surface. Provide a space for storing equipment: kimono, mannequin, small physical preparation equipment. You can also provide a mini-fridge to store water.
Tip #3: Adapt!
As the good judoka that you are, be ready to adapt to the circumstances. For example, you may not have the necessary budget to acquire all the judo equipment. In this case, a small dose of improvisation will allow you to overcome this. If you do not have the means to acquire a judo tatami, a carpet or a thick interior carpet can allow you to start while waiting for the purchase of better equipment.
Tip #4: Choose your equipment wisely
It is obvious that in a small space you will not be able to use or store too much material. Forget about unusable undulating ropes in a small space or overly bulky weight training equipment. We recommend the use of an uchi-komi rope which will require an attachment point (a carabiner fixed to the wall for example), which you can complete with kettlebells, dumbbells, a jump rope and a rhythm ladder . If you still have the space, and the budget, you can also add suspension straps, a pull-up bar, and a swiss ball.
Tip n°5: think about ventilation
Home training is a great alternative when it’s hard to get to the gym. Be careful, however, not to set up your personal dojo in a closed and poorly ventilated space which could quickly become saturated with CO2. So remember to renew the air in the room by opening the windows, putting it in a draft and/or using a fan.!
With a budget of 500 euros you can easily create a space in your apartment, or your house, dedicated to sport. A small investment that will benefit you, as well as the people who live with you, and which will allow you to train 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… and without a subscription!
