Samurai Judo and Jujitsu

Chief Instructor: Ronald Allan Charles, 8th Dan

Instructor
Ronald Allan Charles, Ph.D., began judo in 1961 and studied under the late Kotani Sensei at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Japan, earning his Black Belt in 1969.  Kotani Sensei, 10th dan (degree) black belt, had studied under the founder of judo, Dr. Jigoro Kano.  That makes Charles Sensei the "grand-student" of Dr. Kano.  Charles Sensei's students are Dr. Kano's "great-grand-students"!

About Us
Why learn judo and jujitsu?  Training positives are:

Physical – You can train to respond to any threat while getting a good aerobic workout.  You tone up muscles and learn to defend yourself, while improving speed, flexibility, power, agility, balance, and reflexes.

Mental – Learn how to control yourself in any situation.  Judo will give you self-confidence in all areas.  Judo encourages competitive spirit and a feeling of confidence.  For those not interested in competing, judo is a great recreational or defense activity.

Safety – Judo training includes how to fall without injury, a skill unique to judo and useful in everyday life.  Our club is committed to taking every precaution to keeping students as safe as possible.  Our experienced instructors use warm-up regimens to help eliminate pulls and strains.  

Judo is many things to different people:  an art, a sport, discipline, recreational or social activity, keep-fit program, means of self-defense, and way of life.  It is to some extent all these, but to most participants it’s a sport. 

Introduced into the Olympics in 1964, judo is played by millions throughout the world.  People play to excel in competition, stay in shape, and develop self-confidence.  Most of all people play judo for the fun of it. 

As in all sports judo has a strict set of rules governing competitive play and ensuring safety.  Judo offers those desiring to test their skills the opportunity to compete at levels ranging from club to Olympic competition.  Weight and gender divisions are used in competition, and age groupings for juniors and masters.

Judo emphasizes throws as well as pins but is best known for its spectacular throwing techniques.  Judoists wear special clothes to help with the application of throws and other skills, enhancing control for safety in practice and competition.  Judo is played on special mats for comfort and safety.

Unlike other martial arts, there’s no kicking or punching.  You don’t need protective gear or boxing gloves to play judo.  Judo emphasizes sport, fun, safety, and full physical activity for top conditioning.  We teach and practice appropriate exercises and falling techniques before each workout.  Judo's safety record is enviable when compared to other vigorous sports.  Instructors with nationally registered ranks and background checks teach classes.

If you like sports involving physical activity, you’ll probably love judo, an inexpensive, year-round activity that appeals to people from all walks of life.  Judo provides the means for learning and improving oneself physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually.

Regular judo training can improve an individual's aerobic capacity, speed, power, strength, agility, and flexibility.  As a sport that has evolved from a fighting art, it develops complete body control, fine balance, and fast reflexive action.  Above all, it develops a sharp-reacting mind well coordinated with the same kind of body.  Judo utilizes virtually every muscle of the body and is an excellent overall conditioner.

Judo developed from fighting systems of feudal Japan, principally jujitsu, the art of self-defense.  Judo training gives a person an effective self-defense system if the need arises, providing a decisive advantage over the untrained individual.  Instruction stresses both sportive and defensive aspects of judo. 

Uniforms and Materials:  Participants require a judogi, which consists of jacket, trousers, and belt, for safe practice because the sleeve is used to control the partner's fall during a throw.  Just as you wouldn't want to play full-contact football without a helmet and protective gear, you wouldn't want to practice judo without a judogi.  Judogi are loose fitting and will last for many years.  Do not wash the judogi in hot water or use a drier the first few times, though, as it will shrink too much to fit properly.  Never wash the belt.  A new judogi costs about $40.

The USJA Senior Handbook ($25 + shipping) is required.  It is extremely difficult for anyone to pass judo examinations without studying the Handbook.  The Junior Handbook is available for those below age 16.  Each judoka is responsible for keeping record of tournament and clinic activity.  Students should purchase the USJA Jujitsu Manual ($36 + shipping) and the USJA judogi patch($5).

Books, videotapes, and other merchandise are available from the USJA by toll-free phone at 1-877-411-3409 or via http://www.usja-judo.org on the Internet.

Joining the Judo and Jujitsu Club makes it possible for you to earn promotions and participate in clinics (special classes conducted by high ranking black belts) and tournaments.  Our chartered United States Judo Association club is part of the Samurai Judo Association with over 350 registered USJA members at several locations and is one of the largest judo clubs in America.

Membership in the United States Judo Association is required of all participants BEFORE getting on the mat!  You must have accident insurance coverage specific to judo in order to participate in tournaments and clinics, thereby earning promotion points.  This insurance is included FREE with Association membership.

USJA members are allowed to wear the USJA patch on their judo uniform.  Rank and certification patches are worn below it, with Life Member and Jujitsu patches above. 

Insurance, required in order to play in tournaments or participate in clinics and camps, is included free for the first year with your Life Membership and is renewable each year for $25.  It is considered secondary insurance with a $2,500 deductible.

Annual Membership costs $45 and includes:

·       One year of martial arts insurance

·       Free promotion examinations

·       National registration of ranks

·       Membership card

·       Eligibility to compete in USJA sanctioned local, regional, and national tournaments and judo and clinics and camps

Life Membership costs $400 and includes:

·       Martial arts insurance coverage for one full year

·       Judo book:  Judo Groundplay to Win by Barnett

·       Jujitsu book:  Dynamic Self-Defense by Allred

·       Free promotion examinations

·       National registration of ranks

·       Membership card

·       Life Member patch

·       Life Member Certificate

·       Eligibility to compete in USJA sanctioned local, regional, and national    tournaments and clinics and camps

If you’re serious about judo and/or jujitsu, Life Membership is your best value.  If you pay the Annual Member fee and become a Life Member by the end of the first year, you will have spent $445.  In time the annual fee will increase, costing more in the long run.

Observe a few classes and then decide if you'd like to learn this exciting Olympic sport.  If yes, join the USJA right away so you can get on the mat and begin working toward your first promotion and competing in a tournament.  Because judo is an individual activity, everyone makes the team; nobody warms the bench.

Promotions:  Testing is free with membership.  There’s a nominal fee for each promotion:  $12 for each Junior rank, $15 for Senior ranks below brown belt and $25 for brown belt ranks; with black belt promotions higher.  Promotions are registered with the National Office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and recognized and accepted throughout the country and internationally.  A certificate of rank, rank patch for the uniform, and card indicating rank are issued with each promotion. 

Progress and promotions are linked directly to attendance.  Those who attend regularly learn more, attain promotions faster, and generally perform better in competition than those who miss class.  When you have met time-in-grade and point requirements and appear ready in terms of skill, you will be examined.   Three months in judo and/or jujitsu are necessary before the first promotion.  This time countdown starts on the date you begin USJA membership. 

See how to tabulate points for promotion at this link:  http://www.tomodachijudo.org/PromPts.htm

Take the online test to prepare:  http://www.judo-caja.com/belttest.html

Also visit these links for review on how to perform some techniques: 

    http://www.judoinfo.com/tech2.htm

    http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_1844_judo-throws-moves.html

Promotions are a fun time for everyone.  I give promoted students a yellow, orange, green, or brown belt in exchange for the old belt, to recycle.  This saves students money.  It is our Samurai tradition to congratulate newly promoted judoka with a throw.  Well-attended classes make this a memorable experience for judoka receiving promotions! 

Tournaments, Camps, and Seminars:  Membership with current insurance in a national judo organization is required for all tournaments, clinics, and camps.

United States Judo Association:  The USJA is a national judo organization that offers summer camps, clinics, and seminars.  Clinics may be general or specific in nature, e.g., to certify instructors or review technical skills.

Instructors:  

Leonard Carter, 6^th dan in judo, brings a half-century of judo experience to our club.  His specialty is competition.  He is a former World Games bronze medalist. 

Terry Q. Aumock, 4th dan in judo and 3^rd dan in jujitsu, is a National Masters champion and Outstanding State Competitor in both kata and tournament play.  He also is a Coach, Referee, National Kata Instructor, and Judge.

Bruce Spears, 4th dan in jujitsu, has an extensive background in law enforcement with significant military and law enforcement instructor experience.  He is a Coach and leader of our jujitsu program.

Alex Campo, 2nd dan in judo, is a Coach and experienced competitor.

Michael Ocampo, 1st degree black belt in jujitsu

Nick Dreiling, 1st degree black belt in jujitsu

For further information, contact Charles Sensei at (843) 553-6702 or at e-mail address:  CharlesR@Citadel.edu. 

We have a club website at web.me.com/ronaldallancharles/samuraijudoassociation  

Books, patches, uniforms, and videos are available from the USJA website.  Events are publicized there.  http://www.usja-judo.org

Schedule: 
7 – 8:30 pm on Monday and Wednesday nights we offer judo. 
On each Saturday from 9:00 am – noon and
First and Third Friday of each month we teach jujitsu, 7 - 8:30 pm

Eligibility:  Participants must be military personnel or Department of Defense-connected or their adult dependents.  Instruction is FREE to active duty participants.  Other adults may be sponsored by one of these card-carrying members, provided they show up together.  There is a nominal fee of $2/class for dependents, DOD personnel, and those sponsored.    

Fees:  Current judo insurance, provided free with USJA Annual Membership and the first year with Life Membership (renewable annually for $25 for Life Members), is required to participate in our judo and jujitsu classes.  Those not on active duty needing to pay the nominal fee must do this at Sam’s Club, the fitness and gym building across the sidewalk from the MWR Fitness Center, opposite the Library.

Directions: Coming from Charleston on I-26, exit at Goose Creek.  Road becomes Hwy 52.  Head towards Moncks Corner/Goose Creek.  At the first traffic light in Goose Creek (after City Limits sign), you will see Wendy’s and 84 Lumber to your right.  Turn right.  (It is Red Bank Road, but there is no street sign.)  You will cross railroad tracks.  Continue on Red Bank for about 1½ miles, crossing a second set of railroad tracks.  Soon you will see the South Carolina Federal Credit Union on left.  Park across the street.  The MWR Athletics facility is across the street, by the library.  It is not the basketball gym, but behind the gym. 

If coming via North Rhett Extension, go right at the Burger King, cross tracks, and look for our MWR Athletics center in the complex of buildings across the street from the Credit Union.  

Bring your $45 United States Judo Association annual fee to the first class, so you can begin classes immediately.  Also bring $40 to order your judogi, if you don’t have one.

TRAINING LOCATION
 
Samurai Judo and Jujitsu
MWR Athletics, Bldg. 725, Joint Base Charleston,
Goose Creek, SC  29445

Telephone: 843-553-6702 

Email:

Homepage: http://groups.msn.com/SamuraiJudoAssociation

also Ronald Charles personal sites for:

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