By James Bovington
Balazs Csepes and Anna Janovics have been welcoming local people to judo classes in Horsforth since 2019 and in 2024 opened the sport’s first dojo, or place of training, in north-west Leeds.
“Our club is called Hajime, which is the Japanese for begin,” said Balazs. “It’s the word used when you start a competitive match. Sessions have proved popular and we now have about 70 judokas, or pupils, attending classes weekly.
“We also run sessions in Middleton and further afield in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby. We hire community or church halls and put mats down, but Horsforth is our own permanent base.”
Seven-year-old Beauden is enjoying his weekly class. “I’d done judo at a high level and I’m a former Yorkshire champion,” said Mother Sarina. “Beauden was keen to give it a try. He loves the activity and making new friends. The coaches are welcoming and Beauden is always delighted with the weekly incentives the children get.”
Adults too are keen to commend what Andy Sim calls “the top-notch instruction in a family oriented club which encourages camaraderie”.
The training incorporates an effective balance between development and competition.
Andy’s son Alexander, nine, explained that he likes “judo matches where I show what I’ve learnt but know neither person will get hurt,” with his friend Botond, 11, enjoying “learning the different tactics and throws to get a submission.”
Balazs, 44, comes from Budapest and began training in his native Hungary as a teenager.
“In the nineties there was an explosion of interest in martial arts. I became heavily involved in Hungarian Judo. That’s where I developed the technical skills which I now impart to students.
“We’re affiliated to British Judo who offer a multi-layered skills development programme with students following a syllabus that lets them earn red, yellow, orange, green, blue and brown belts as the content gets progressively more difficult.
“At green level for example you’re mastering arm locks and chokes. Within each colour belt a student earns three stripes before progressing to the next colour, so trainees enjoy making easily measurable progress.
“Every three months we have in-house competitions involving judokas from our five sites. We also offer intense, supplementary training for those wishing to compete with British Judo, the national sanctioning body offering structured amateur and professional opportunities to compete both in this country and abroad.
“However, Hajime is first and foremost a community-based, recreational club where the focus is on participation, learning and building confidence while having fun. What matters is students showing up consistently and feeling secure in a supportive environment as they realise their own objectives.
“We’ve recently also begun Saturday ladies-only classes and we’ve already about a dozen turning up regularly,” said Anna.
“We’ve room for more. They’re as keen to master the techniques as any men and they enjoy learning while making new friends. Judo means ‘the gentle way’ and develops a positive approach to life. It stresses the values of courtesy, courage, sincerity, honour, modesty, self-control and friendship. No-one has anything to lose in trying it out.”
Hajime Horsforth is at Low Hall Road Business Park LS18 4EF. Visit here for times of classes for different age and gender groups. Visit www.britishjudo.org.uk for details of other clubs in and around Leeds.
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