Judo is a traditional Japanese martial art that involves a variety of grappling techniques, including wrist locks, takedowns and throws. Considered a full-contact sport, judo requires high levels of physical fitness, flexibility and mental clarity to perform well against an opponent. For best results, create a training time line that allows for three days of rest or light training immediately prior to a judo fight.
Time Line
Judo Information recommends tapering your workout sessions to include quick-burst exercises followed by longer rest periods. This allows your body to prepare for the round structure of judo fights. Instead of using your workouts to perform two hours of randori, or another endurance-building judo kata, focus on short, intense sessions of two to five minutes followed by brief rest periods. Begin this training regimen two to four weeks from your judo competition to gradually taper your exercises and prepare your body for the fight.
Rest
Give your body three days of rest before your judo competition. Stretch out your muscles once or twice a day while minimizing the amount of physical exercise you perform. If your body is still sore two days before the fight, take a bath of Epsom salts or talk to your doctor about remedies such as arnica, which may help your body rest and heal for the fight.
Diet
Maintain a healthy diet of at least 2,000 calories on your resting days to ensure your body is nourishing your muscles and storing fuel for the fight. Try to clear your mind of worry or expectations about the fight to help your body fully relax during rest days. If you feel restless and are inclined to train, keep your workouts to light exercises such as easy sutekeiko sparring sessions.
Alternative Approaches
Just like any sport, judo practitioners vary on their theories about effective rest patterns. Although it is common practice to taper your workout before a rest period of two to three days, some fighters prefer to train all the way up to the day of competition. This is generally not recommended, since your body will not have had enough time to sufficiently recover from an intense practice session.
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