How does judo shape a young woman for life?

It would be a little presumptuous of me to claim to know how judo shapes me “for life”. I’m only 21 years old. But the last 14 years of my life have been shaped by judo and I am convinced that these experiences have made me a stronger woman. More able to accept difficulty, embrace challenges, and demonstrate resilience.

I started judo at the age of 7. What attracted me to this sport was mainly its aesthetic dimension. I liked the fact that it was a combat sport, but that was secondary. I was captivated by the beauty of bodies in motion. I saw it as a spectacle. Master Katanishi was training at the club at the time and I am convinced that it was his technical mastery of judo that made me want to start.

When I was little, I didn’t know how to put it into words, I was just impressed. But today, yes, it is the mastery of the gesture, the coordination, the repetition, the timing that fascinates me. It’s a bit like watching a very good dancer or a musician: you don’t know exactly why, but you let yourself be absorbed.

Today, one of the things I love most about my daily practice is being able to develop my own techniques and style. Judo can truly be a unique means of expression, where everyone can appropriate a movement according to their body. It also allows you to get to know yourself. I find that this is one of the aspects that makes this sport so beautiful.

The very determined young girl that I was absolutely wanted to do judo. So I convinced my mom to sign me up for classes and let me quit swimming. At first, she wasn’t very convinced, but eventually she agreed. At school, some of my classmates told me that judo was not for girls, and I admit that that sometimes made me doubt. But deep down, I knew what I wanted to do. So I listened to myself and, obviously, I have no regrets today.

From the start, I showed a certain will and desire to make my own choices. Even today, I like to maintain a certain independence, both in my sporting project and in my personal life.

When I started, I discovered a new universe: the dojo and its codes.

The first weeks, you don’t really learn how to bring down your opponent. We first learn to fasten our belts, then to salute, then to fall. A real lesson in humility.

I think it’s relatively easy as a child to adopt this beginner’s mindset, but much harder to do so as an adult. So I have a lot of admiration for people who start judo later, because progression is generally quite slow and requires a lot of practice.

At first glance, I don’t find the image of the fall as learning very relevant for someone who competes like me. Because in competition, the goal is to win.

But if you think about it a little, this image makes perfect sense. Certainly, when I compete, the goal is to win and perform well. But that shouldn’t always be the case in training.

For example, if I want to work on a new technique, it may not work the first time and I may be countered by my opponent. It’s sometimes frustrating, but there is an opportunity: to understand what happened and readjust your movement.

I see judo training as an exercise in resilience. An exercise that requires a certain vulnerability and a certain commitment: you have to dare to try in a climate of uncertainty. I can learn from my mistakes if I have the will to learn and ask myself the right questions.

This is why I’m not a fan of the phrase “You either win or you learn.” I find that it lacks nuance. In my opinion, you can definitely learn from your victories and learn nothing from your defeats.

In any case, after each fall, we get up again. The randori (training fight) is resuming and new opportunities are available to us. I think this can also be the case in life.

Of course, the life of a high-level athlete is demanding and requires sacrifices and discipline, but it is also continuous learning.

Judo teaches me humility, resilience and the desire to always improve. So many values ​​that I want to continue to embody on and off the tatami mats. Because ultimately, learning to fall is also learning to get up.