Judo, meaning "gentle way," is a modern Japanese martial art and combat sport that originated in 1882. In 1964 judo also became an Olympic sport. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element. The object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground or use a grappling maneuver to immobilize or pin one's opponent. One can also force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or applying a choke. Judo is about controlling the situation, not injuring your opponent. (Kids will only learn throws and pins.)

Kids Judo is very safe and does not teach punching or kicking. We offer classes to children as young as 5 years old. Our classes recognize the importance of physical activity for kids. The classes aid children's physical, social, and mental development. Each class will not only help develop your child's muscles, particularly his or her core strength, but cardio, agility, coordination, balance, and flexibility. The American College of Sports Medicine has named judo the safest contact sport for kids younger than 13. Evaluations of sport injuries in children and adolescents show that many other sports such as gymnastics, tennis, and other fighting sports have a higher rate of injury than judo. Basketball records twice as many injuries and soccer records three times as many injuries as judo.

If your child plays other sports, he or she can participate in judo during the off seasons. The way classes are structured, your child does not need to attend year round. Judo's development of agility, coordination and core strength coupled with learning takedowns and hold-downs makes it a natural compliment to wrestling. What is learned in judo also enhances your child's performance in football, soccer, dance, and gymnastics.

Gi grappling is similar to jiu-jitsu because the focus is on mat work. The gi is the martial arts uniform worn during this class. The goal of grappling is to make one's opponent submit by applying a chokehold or joint lock. In tournaments, one can also win by earning points for securing dominant positions on the mat.

Submission grappling also focuses on mat work but is practiced without a gi (martial arts uniform). The goal is to make one's opponent submit by applying a chokehold or joint lock. In tournaments, one can also win by earning points for securing dominant positions on the mat.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques. A mixture of traditional martial arts and non-traditional techniques can be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground. The MMA at Snyder Dojo has a stronger focus on striking, but is greatly complemented by the submission grappling class.