Judo equals back problems?

[Since1990]

I have been planning on getting back into Judo, at 37 years of age. I used to do Judo as a child.

However, I have read a comment on the net that most people who do Judo over a long period of time experience back pain/ back injuries.

I have never experience back pain so far in my life and I want to avoid serious back injuries wherever possible.

If I were to do Judo for the next 10 to 15 years, would it be inevitible that I would damage my back???

[KansaiBen]

I have been planning on getting back into Judo, at 37 years of age. I used to do Judo as a child.

However, I have read a comment on the net that most people who do Judo over a long period of time experience back pain/ back injuries.

I have never experience back pain so far in my life and I want to avoid serious back injuries wherever possible.

If I were to do Judo for the next 10 to 15 years, would it be inevitible that I would damage my back???

If you are damaging your back it probably means you are doing it wrong.

I am doing karate for the first time and im 45.

You will get back problems if you use your back as a lever and not your legs. Lift with your knees and not your back to throw an opponent. Use his superior weight against him. Judo is not about brute force but using the opponents high equilibrium as a weapon.

Maintaining good fitness is also a good idea- do weight training for body conditioning and to build stamina. Dive into rough stuff straight away and you will hurt yourself. Everything in moderation.

[Since1990]

If you are damaging your back it probably means you are doing it wrong.

I am doing karate for the first time and im 45.

You will get back problems if you use your back as a lever and not your legs. Lift with your knees and not your back to throw an opponent. Use his superior weight against him. Judo is not about brute force but using the opponents high equilibrium as a weapon.

Maintaining good fitness is also a good idea- do weight training for body conditioning and to build stamina. Dive into rough stuff straight away and you will hurt yourself. Everything in moderation.

Thank you for your input.

Yes, I understand Judo is definitely not about brute force, and to be honest I'm not that interested in 'winning' a fight, but rather doing it right. So if I'm doing it right, then I could even acquire a stronger back?

At the moment I'm doing weights and also trying to get out and jog to get my fitness up.

[KansaiBen]

At the moment I'm doing weights and also trying to get out and jog to get my fitness up.

PS I knew a foreign guy here that was in his 50's and did judo actively and I think he was even a referee on occasion.

Its not impossible for an old fogey to do judo but you just have to remember you are not 20 anymore (self-evident obviously)

[thefg]

I have been planning on getting back into Judo, at 37 years of age. I used to do Judo as a child.

However, I have read a comment on the net that most people who do Judo over a long period of time experience back pain/ back injuries.

I have never experience back pain so far in my life and I want to avoid serious back injuries wherever possible.

If I were to do Judo for the next 10 to 15 years, would it be inevitible that I would damage my back???

I started Judo over 35 years ago and my back didnt go until about 10 years ago. Yes it went during a fight so you could blame the Judo but truth be told most men develop back problems around that age anyway. It could just as easily go playing golf or getting out of bed.

Many Judo techniques (especially if not done properly) are perfect back killers. Any motion that puts weight on a twisted spine (think of moving in for ipon sionage (sp) for example - perfect back killer if their weight falls on you half way into the turn (thats how mine went)

But heres the thing; back problems (im talking about prolapsed discs) are in any case other than trauma from impact a result of gradual and increasing damage to the disc brought on from years of sitting posture, over straining or other forms of back abuse. Judo itself can help 'bring out' a bad back, just as golf or vigorous shagging can - but in itself isnt a cause of bad back - just as vigorous shagging or golf isnt.

The good news is as we age the disc becomes more leathery for want if a better word, and your less likley to develop a problem as you get older (past the peak time)

I had the mother of all slipped disc. I lost the nucleaus, the pressure on the spine caused parallasis and i was unable to walk for 3 months and in constant - give me a gun and ill kill myself - pain. Now 10 years or so latter I can do judo again - only I am aware that once a disc has prolapsed its weaker - so Im careful.


Bottom line if you dont have a bad back now - judo (done correctly) wont hurt anymore than a vigorous shag.

My father is now 67. He still practices judo once a week and Jujitsu once a week. Hes a coach for both and hes ____ hot. He has never had a back problem but has ____ed knees from judo

[Since1990]

I started Judo over 35 years ago and my back didnt go until about 10 years ago. Yes it went during a fight so you could blame the Judo but truth be told most men develop back problems around that age anyway. It could just as easily go playing golf or getting out of bed.

Many Judo techniques (especially if not done properly) are perfect back killers. Any motion that puts weight on a twisted spine (think of moving in for ipon sionage (sp) for example - perfect back killer if their weight falls on you half way into the turn (thats how mine went)

This was my concern!

But heres the thing; back problems (im talking about prolapsed discs) are in any case other than trauma from impact a result of gradual and increasing damage to the disc brought on from years of sitting posture, over straining or other forms of back abuse. Judo itself can help 'bring out' a bad back, just as golf or vigorous shagging can - but in itself isnt a cause of bad back - just as vigorous shagging or golf isnt.

The good news is as we age the disc becomes more leathery for want if a better word, and your less likley to develop a problem as you get older (past the peak time)

I have never even experienced back pain, let alone back problems. I am 37, as mentioned above. So maybe I have a good chance of being free from back problems when I'm older too.

I had the mother of all slipped disc. I lost the nucleaus, the pressure on the spine caused parallasis and i was unable to walk for 3 months and in constant - give me a gun and ill kill myself - pain. Now 10 years or so latter I can do judo again - only I am aware that once a disc has prolapsed its weaker - so Im careful.


Bottom line if you dont have a bad back now - judo (done correctly) wont hurt anymore than a vigorous shag.

My father is now 67. He still practices judo once a week and Jujitsu once a week. Hes a coach for both and hes ____ hot. He has never had a back problem but has ____ed knees from judo

Thank you for your helpful and well imformed comments!

Perhaps I need to start a thread about knees now!

[jj-peasuke]

This was my concern!

I have never even experienced back pain, let alone back problems. I am 37, as mentioned above. So maybe I have a good chance of being free from back problems when I'm older too.

Thank you for your helpful and well imformed comments!

Perhaps I need to start a thread about knees now!

I did TKD in my youth, then went to college, stop, and resumed in mid/late 20s... I did hurt my back a couple of times, mainly
because I thought I was still young and beautiful (as I used to be, as I am now... hohoh)...

As it has been said above, it is just a matter of taking care and not pretending to be rambo meet chuck norris straight away.
However, personally, I wouldn:t go for judo or aikido or anything like this... because part of the game is actually threawing
away people, falling, etc... and hence, you multiply the chances to screw something on your back... furthermore, I have noticed
japanese martial art aficionados tend to train in a die hard way... a lot of ganbatte and i am gonna do it no matter bad... so, looking for a
comprehensive teacher that won:t force you to do things potentially dangerous is also something to consider...

What about karate, maybe kendo, aijido seems to be trendy now... wing chugn - if you find a place... or something less demanding?...


Ps. my dad used to to judo till his late 30s.. so... again... age it is not a problem if one is self-concious about it...

[jj-peasuke]

I did TKD in my youth, then went to college, stop, and resumed in mid/late 20s... I did hurt my back a couple of times, mainly
because I thought I was still young and beautiful (as I used to be, as I am now... hohoh)...

As it has been said above, it is just a matter of taking care and not pretending to be rambo meet chuck norris straight away.
However, personally, I wouldn:t go for judo or aikido or anything like this... because part of the game is actually threawing
away people, falling, etc... and hence, you multiply the chances to screw something on your back... furthermore, I have noticed
japanese martial art aficionados tend to train in a die hard way... a lot of ganbatte and i am gonna do it no matter bad... so, looking for a
comprehensive teacher that won:t force you to do things potentially dangerous is also something to consider...

What about karate, maybe kendo, aijido seems to be trendy now... wing chugn - if you find a place... or something less demanding?...


Ps. my dad used to to judo till his late 30s.. so... again... age it is not a problem if one is self-concious about it...

let me add due to a misplaced disk i was taking pain killers and muscle relaxers for a while... nothing beats a good legal drug...