What to Expect at Your First Judo Class in Burnaby
Starting judo for the first time, whether it’s you or your child stepping onto the mat, comes with a lot of unknowns. What do you wear? What do you bring? Will it feel intimidating? At Ishikawa Judo Club, new families walk through these same questions every season, so here’s a clear, practical guide to your first class.
What to wear
You don’t need a judo gi (uniform) for your very first class. Comfortable athletic clothing, a t-shirt and shorts or sweatpants, is fine for a trial. If you decide to continue with judo in Burnaby, Ishikawa Judo Club can point you toward where to order a proper gi. No jewelry, no watches, and fingernails and toenails should be trimmed short. Judo is a contact sport built around throws and grips, so bare feet are standard on the mat, just like most traditional dojos.
What to bring
A water bottle, a small towel, and a change of clothes if you’re coming straight from school or work. Sandals or slip-on shoes make it easy to step on and off the mat area, since shoes never touch the mat itself.
How classes are structured
Every class opens with a bow. Judo in Vancouver and across Canada follows a traditional structure: warm-up and ukemi (breakfalling) drills first, since learning to fall safely is one of the most valuable skills judo teaches, especially for kids. From there, classes move into technique work, first practiced slowly and cooperatively, then live randori (sparring) for more experienced students. Every class closes with a bow too.
Instructors adjust pacing and intensity by age and program. Younger kids in FUNdamentals Judo focus on coordination, listening skills, and simple introductions to falling and movement. Teens and adults in Junior and Technical Judo build toward full technique and live practice.
The values behind the techniques
Judo means “the gentle way.” The sport was built around using an opponent’s energy and balance against them rather than relying on brute strength, which is part of why judo appeals to such a wide range of body types and ages. Beyond the physical side, judo teaches self-control, patience, and respect for training partners. Kids bow to their instructor and to whoever they’re training with. That habit tends to carry over off the mat too, in how kids handle frustration or disagreement.
What makes Ishikawa Judo Club different
Ishikawa Judo Club trains out of the Nikkei Centre in Burnaby, a community centre with strong ties to the local Japanese-Canadian community. The space itself shapes how classes feel: a traditional dojo atmosphere connected to judo’s roots in Japan. That’s part of why the club draws interest from Japanese students studying in Canada who want to keep training in a familiar style, along with local Burnaby and Vancouver families looking for an authentic introduction to the sport.
The club has trained out of the Nikkei Centre since 1997, so new students are joining a program with real history behind it.
Ready to try a class?
If you’re considering judo in Burnaby for yourself or your child, the best way to understand it is to see it firsthand. Ishikawa Judo Club welcomes new families to come watch or try a class. Reach out through the contact page to ask about current program availability and find the right fit, whether that’s FUNdamentals Judo for younger kids, Junior Judo for older kids and teens, or Technical Judo for teens and adults.
