The behavioral science of teaching the art of Judo to children

[u/amsterdamjudo]

Kano Jigoro’s teachings always contained reminders of the importance of personal improvement in all areas of one’s life.

With 40 years of experience teaching judo to children and a Master’s in Community Psychology, I felt it was time to publish before retirement.

The Poster represents our work in our dojo over the past three years. We are an after school program teaching kids ages 6-13.

Using the Kodokan Kodomo no Kata as the core curriculum, we have shown results consistent with the developers of the kata.

Additionally, we evaluated both the process and the results against the research based Risk and Protective Framework.

Please feel free to comment on this instructional model for kids that has demonstrated a decrease in injuries and an increase in student retention as well.

[u/Otautahi]

Thanks for posting. It has been great having your perspective on coaching and pointing to the Kodomo-no-kata as a resource.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/Otautahi]

Thank you

[u/TCamilo19]

Could you expand a little on the mechanism that links some of these factors.

How does teaching kuzushi specifically lead to the building of cooperation and trust. I'd offer that all aspects and areas of training do this, what made you settle on kuzushi in your model?

You mention behavioural science, I'm always interested in reading some literature if you'd like to suggest some, or the stuff that informed this infographic at least.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/TCamilo19]

Thank you for your comments.

1.Practicing kuzushi is the first beginner activity that requires cooperation between two children. This is also an example of mutual welfare and benefit.

2.This is one of many research documents on the subject of Risk and Protective Factors. This one is published by the World Health Organization in Switzerland

At the end of the day, the child that has more protective factors in their life has a greater likelihood of becoming resilient and being successful.

2.https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/181008/9789241509251_eng.pdf?sequence

[u/madamebubbly]

The arrows are inconsistent in colour (and also very tiny), which made me very confused as to why risk factors included rebeliousness or isolation.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/madamebubbly]

Thank you. I agree. This is a draft, not the final version.All feedback is appreciated

[u/Plane_Argument → u/amsterdamjudo]

The purple after blue is also a bit weird to me considering they follow standard convention but break it after blue by not using brown

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/Plane_Argument]

Unit colors in Kodokan Video

[u/scientifick]

This is really cool, really emphasises the 'do' part of judo and why it's a 'do' and not a 'jutsu'.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/scientifick]

Thank you.

[u/Leviter_Sollicitus]

Can you share your evaluation criteria and results against the Risk and Protective Framework? That sounds really interesting and useful!

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/Leviter_Sollicitus]

Thank you for your comment. The evaluation criteria and results will be part of the final published study in 2026.

Until then please study the Kodokan Kodomo no Kata followed by a study of the Risk and Protective Factors Framework for Youth.

[u/Leviter_Sollicitus → u/amsterdamjudo]

Sounds good. Looking forward to reading the study when it becomes available!

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/[deleted]]

Thank you

[u/msolorio79]

I did my supervision hours with a BCBA that teaches judo to kids on the spectrum. This is awesome! Are you by chance in Southern California?

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/msolorio79]

I am not. However, Riverside PAL Judo is the gold standard in America for working with those special needs kids. Sensei Brian Money with a large , well trained staff. Reach out to him.

[u/OsotoViking]

Why does any of this need to be a kata? Just looks like a basic beginners class.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/OsotoViking]

Thank you for your comment.

Please view the Kodokan version of the Kodomo no Kata on YouTube for greater clarity. Children thrive when consistency is present.

[u/OsotoViking → u/amsterdamjudo]

I've seen it, several times. What I don't see is why it needs to be formalised as a kata.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/OsotoViking]

The Kodokan and French Judo Federation identified the need for a pedagogical kata for children because: • Traditional kata were too advanced. • Teachers lacked a unified, safe framework. • There was risk of losing the educational and cultural transmission of kata in children’s judo.

Kodomo no Kata was created as a worldwide solution: safe, standardized, educational, and officially recognized by the Kodokan, ensuring that children worldwide can learn judo fundamentals and values in a consistent way.

I hope I have answered your question.🥋

[u/amsterdamjudo]

Thanks

[u/boisheep]

In the dojo I am going there are children there, some rather small, and often you get one as training partner for a bit; specially during randori.

I usually play 100% defense, and at 20% power; a purely defensive game is quite bad of course and not realistic but I am too big for those kids; so I just wait until they get me since I am doing a bad all defense strat, but it only works when they do the correct move just from my weight; usually I do it so the only technique that works is the one the trainer was teaching us that day.

The smaller kids seem very happy when they inevitably win, I don't mind; I mean they should, even for the older ones that is obvious, I tell them, I go 100% defense, you have to win at all costs, focus on your tecnique and moving my weight since I will only defend and try to be a sitting rock.

Then I look around and I see kids flying from the others that get a kid; makes me wonder if I am teaching the wrong lol; gobdamn, those kids are flying, guess they learn ukemis.

I am a begginer after all.

Sometimes I feel like I learn with the kids better, some of them be doing years and seeing them trying to figure out how to move me and wow, they did it; they moved my 80kg ass, impressive, and wow small boys are so mcuh stronger than even the teenage girls. Meanwhile there was one guy that was really into competing and I don't like him as sparring partner, knows every technique; guy just couldn't move me when I was there second day, he was a bit on the light side tbf, bit skinny; I was all the time telling him to calm down, he wouldn't stop, his gi came off; geez, give me a kid.

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/boisheep]

Thanks for sharing

[u/judofandotcom]

Thank you for this. Publishing this is very valuable. I am looking forward to reading the journal. Please let us know where we can access it, once it is published.

[u/Rafa_50]

40 years and no time to make a non ai poster?

[u/LAMARR__44 → u/Rafa_50]

Does it really matter?

[u/amsterdamjudo → u/Rafa_50]

Thank you. This is a work in progress, not the final. All comments are welcome.