Marcella Campos helps one of the Almaguin Judo Club’s youngest members with his technique. The club’s members range in age and some whole families come out to learn the art of judo with the Campos’.
SOUTH RIVER — On Mondays and Wednesdays, a gym at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School (AHSS) is transformed into a dojo.
That’s the term for a school or a place where the way of judo is learned.
And that’s exactly what this varied group is doing. With ages ranging from three to well into adulthood, the Almaguin Judo Club has become a place for all to participate in the martial art form.
They’re taught by the Sundridge-based Campos family. Parents Marcial and Lilliam and their three children, Lym, 25, Marcella, 16, and Priscilla, 13, are all accomplished practitioners of judo.
Judo, translated as “the gentle way,” consists of a variety of rolls, falls, throws, hold-downs, chokes, joint locking and ground work.
There are various levels in judo, the highest being black.
Marcial, Lilliam and Lym are all black belts. Marcella will try for her black belt in May.
Judo club members range in experience.
Every level has seven or eight techniques to learn, Lilliam explained, but the club is set up in such a way that young or old can learn and advance.
In judo, she said, the first thing you have to learn is how to fall correctly. After that, you can learn techniques.
A class will have all learning techniques under the instruction of the Campos family. Later, Lilliam explained, the class may be divided in order to let different levels work separately.
But, she added, there’s value in mixing age and expertise levels, because more advanced students can help less advanced ones.
In their class, there are several families that come out. The little ones learn from the bigger ones, and get a kick out of sparring with parents.
Sparring is one part of practicing judo. In the competitive element of judo, participants try to either throw their opponent to the ground, or immobilize or subdue their opponent.
This is where judo can become a competitive sport. The Camposes are involved in competitive judo. They’ve just returned from the Kingston Military Community Open Championship this weekend, where Lym placed fourth, Priscilla placed third and Marcella placed first.
Not everyone in the Almaguin Judo Club practises judo to compete.
There are many benefits to practicing judo, even for recreation, Lilliam said.
It can calm the energetic and bring the shy out of their shells, she said.
Judo builds confidence, and helps ready the mind to make quick decisions — like those necessary in sparring on the mats, she said.
There are two maxims, or philosophies, on the practice of judo, she explained. One is “mutual welfare and benefit” and the other is “maximum efficiency with minimal effort,” using one’s opponent’s strengths to one’s advantage and adapting well to changing situations.
Judo founder Kano Jigoro taught that these principles could be translated into other parts of life.
Lilliam explained that there are two types of judo — small judo, which is only concerned with techniques and physical building of the body, and large judo, which takes into account the pursuit of the purpose of life and using both the body and soul for a good result.
“There are so many places you can go with judo,” she said.
The Almaguin Judo Club meets Monday and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at AHSS in the Dundee gym.
Lilliam said they encourage those curious in joining to just show up and give it a try.
If someone wants to join after an initial visit, they can then get their gi, the traditional judo uniform, and must join Judo Ontario.
There is a one-time cost to join Judo Ontario, but the Almaguin Judo Club is free.
Why do the Camposes spend their time offering classes at no cost?
“Because we love judo,” Lilliam said. “It’s part of our lives.”
Editorial
