If you are a beginner in Judo, you may find Judo randori challenging. Judo randori is a form of training where you will practice applying your techniques against a fully resisting opponent. It is an essential component of Judo training. However, you should be aware of some common mistakes that beginners tend to make in Judo randori.

Being too tense: 

If you are a beginner in Judo, you may experience tension, which can result in stiffness and poor execution of techniques. You may feel nervous, fearful of being thrown, or lack confidence in your abilities. To overcome this, you can focus on your breathing and relax your muscles while moving with your partner. This will help you to release tension and perform your techniques more effectively.

Not being assertive enough:

As a beginner in Judo, you may feel hesitant to initiate techniques and may wait for your partner to attack. However, this approach can limit your growth and make it challenging to learn and improve your skills. To progress, you should aim to be proactive and initiate techniques that you have learned. Remember that attacking should be your top priority, while countering comes later in your Judo journey.

Using too much strength:

If you are a beginner in Judo, you may tend to use excessive strength and muscle to execute techniques, instead of relying on proper form and timing. This approach can result in exhaustion and a lack of endurance during randori. To avoid this, you should concentrate on using proper technique and timing to make your movements more efficient. By doing so, you can conserve your energy and improve your overall endurance during randori.

Forgetting to breathe:

Breathing helps practitioners to relax, stay focused, and maintain endurance during randori. Beginners should focus on breathing deeply and regularly while moving with their partner to maintain a relaxed state of mind and body.

Stiff-arming

By far the MOST common mistakes beginners make is Stiffarming their opponent. I think this is a natural response for most people who don't want to get thrown.

Stiffarming is a defensive technique used in Judo that involves extending the arm straight out to push away or block an opponent. While it can be effective in certain situations, it can also be a common mistake that beginners make in Judo randori. Here's why:

Vulnerability to counters: When a practitioner stiffarms, they extend their arm straight out, leaving it vulnerable to being grabbed or countered by their opponent. Once their arm is trapped or pushed aside, the practitioner may be left in a vulnerable position and susceptible to being thrown or controlled.

Loss of balance: Stiffarming can cause a practitioner to lose their balance, especially if their opponent is able to manipulate their arm or use their own body weight to shift the practitioner's center of gravity. Once off balance, the practitioner may be more easily thrown or countered.

Limitations on techniques: Stiffarming can limit the range of techniques available to a practitioner. By extending their arm straight out, they create a gap between themselves and their opponent, making it difficult to execute throws, takedowns, or other techniques that require close proximity to the opponent.

To avoid stiffarming, beginners should focus on maintaining a strong, balanced stance and using their body to defend against their opponent's attacks. This includes keeping their elbows in and their arms close to their body, rather than extending them straight out. They should also practice using their legs and hips to move and defend, rather than relying solely on their arms. By staying relaxed, maintaining good posture, and using proper technique, beginners can defend against their opponent's attacks more effectively and avoid the pitfalls of stiffarming.

Too far away

The second most common mistake beginners make when they first start Judo is being to far away from their opponent when they initiate a throw. 

The ideal distance between two practitioners during randori varies depending on the techniques they are trying to perform. However, being too far away can cause several issues, such as:

Limited range of techniques:

 Many Judo techniques require practitioners to be in close proximity to their opponent, such as throws, sweeps, and takedowns. Being too far away can limit the range of techniques available to a practitioner and prevent them from executing their techniques effectively.

Vulnerability to attacks:

Being too far away can leave a practitioner vulnerable to their opponent's attacks. It is easier for the opponent to initiate an attack if there is a considerable distance between them. For example, if a practitioner is too far away, their opponent can launch an attack, such as a forward throw, without much resistance.

Poor timing:

Distance affects the timing of a technique. If a practitioner is too far away from their opponent, they may have to rush their technique to get into the proper range. This can lead to poor timing and execution, which can reduce the effectiveness of the technique.

Focusing too much on winning: 

In randori, the objective is to practice and improve techniques, not to win. Beginners should focus on performing their techniques correctly, maintaining good posture, balance, and movement. They should not get too attached to the outcome and celebrate small improvements.

If you can have an attitude of playfulness during Randori, you will learn at 200% the rate of everyone else. Playfulness leads to experimentation which then eventual leads to Throwing people by feel and not through sight.

As a beginner in Judo, you may find Judo randori challenging, but it is an essential component of your training. To overcome common mistakes, you should focus on proper breathing, relaxation, technique, and timing while staying assertive, proactive, and focused during randori. With consistent practice and patience, you can improve your skills and become proficient in randori. Remember that it takes time and effort to master Judo, but with dedication, you can achieve your goals.