Kortrijk’s message: playful training, sharper judo

Judo can feel unforgiving once the contests start, but the build-up doesn’t have to be all grind. That idea came alive on the opening day of the Triglav Insurance Get Together Tour in Kortrijk, where sessions leaned into games as a serious tool for development. The point wasn’t to entertain for entertainment’s sake, but to create conditions where learning happens with less tension and more engagement.

Relaxed athletes often learn faster than stressed ones.

Alongside the divisioning process, several training sessions were delivered, including one built around developing fundamentals through a range of games. The first block targeted ne-waza, with tasks focused on creating space and also taking it away. By moving both uke and tori through maximum and minimum space scenarios, participants sharpened awareness, timing, and control in groundwork exchanges.

The session then shifted toward kuzushi. Using hula hoop circles as visual and physical references, athletes worked on balance breaking and positioning in a way that made the underlying mechanics easier to feel. Instead of repeating a fixed pattern, they experienced the principles and adjusted in real time.

From there, the group progressed into methodics for ashi-waza and kumi-kata. Carefully structured games pushed athletes to understand “why” movements work, not just “how” to copy them, supporting deeper comprehension and adaptability. The final phase brought team-based games, reinforcing communication, cooperation, and shared responsibility—small moments that build a stronger training culture.

Kortrijk offered a clear reminder: play-based methods can be a direct bridge from learning to performance. They invite creativity, lower pressure, and help skills develop naturally inside a supportive environment.

Source: EJU_News