The mat is waiting.
Authentic judo. Worn tatami. The grip that comes before the throw.
Twelve-year-olds, office workers, and black belts — all bow in.
Fog at the door.
Fire on the mat.
January through March is grading season. The dojo heats up with purpose — every fall, every grip, every repetition building toward a moment when you bow in front of the panel and earn the next belt. We train seriously. We also make time for tea.
Gradings Passed
Classes / Week
The only way out is through the fall.
Structured Progression
White belt to shodan — every step mapped, timed, and coached.
Winter Schedule
Adult Beginners
White–Yellow
18:30
Mon & Wed
Adult Intermediate
Blue–Brown
19:30
Tue & Thu
Open Mat (All Grades)
All Belts
10:00
Sat
Black Belt Randori
Shodan+
13:00
Sat
Reserve Your Trial Class
One class, no commitment. Come in whites if you have them — borrowed gi available. Tell us a little about yourself and we'll place you in the right session.
Adjusting belts.
Chasing medals.
Spring belongs to the juniors. From April, the under-12s and under-16s step onto competition mats for the first time — or the fifteenth. We prepare every competitor with sport-specific randori, shiai simulation, and the mental framework to bow in and mean it.
U12
& U16
Competition Preparation
Shiai simulation every Thursday evening from March. Video review, weight categories, rules briefing.
Safeguarding First
All junior coaches hold current DBS and British Judo safeguarding certificates. Parents welcome on the balcony.
Player Pathway
From first kyu to national squad — we've had four players selected for regional development programmes.
Spring Tournament Roster
Regional U14 Championships
Bristol
Junior Open — London
Crystal Palace NSC
National Schools Judo
Sheffield
Outdoor mats.
No excuses.
Countryside Camp
Peak District — July & August 2026
Five days in the countryside. Morning runs, two sessions daily, evenings around a table eating too much pasta. Outdoor mats when the weather holds, the dojo floor when it doesn't. Randori with people you've never met. Sleep you actually earn.
Days
Sessions
Judoka Max
Register for Summer Camp
£295 per week · All meals included · Beginners welcome
Fluorescent light.
Serious randori.
Open Mat
Every Saturday 13:00 · All grades · No agenda
For judoka who compete.
The competition squad trains Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 19:30–21:30. Entry requires blue belt minimum. Sessions focus on contest-specific newaza, grip fighting, and physical preparation. We enter 15–20 competitions per season, including British nationals for eligible members.
Squad members
National medals 2025
Weekly sessions
Belt requirement
Join the Competition Squad
Blue belt minimum · Commitment to 2 sessions/week · Trial period of 4 weeks
Coaches who still train.
Head Coach
Kenji Watanabe
3× National Champion
Former British U90kg champion. Has coached at two Olympic cycles. Trained under Yasuhiro Yamashita in Tokai. Believes the best teaching happens in the first ten seconds of a grip fight.
Junior Development Coach
Orla Fitzpatrick
Irish U63kg International
Irish U63kg international. DBS certified, British Judo Level 3 coaching award. Runs every junior session with the firm belief that twelve-year-olds can handle hard training if you explain the why.
Strength & Competition Coach
Marcus Webb
European Open Finalist
Competed at European level through his late twenties. Now coaches the competition squad and handles physical preparation. If he's not on the mat, he's reviewing contest footage from the night before.