Where to start?

Hi to all. Need some help to find a ma dojo in North West Iowa. I am originally from South Africa and have some TKD background but would like to get into a Judo(take-down, grappling) kind of style. All posts and advice seriously appreciated.

Ps. I am 6'4 230 if that helps

[This message has been edited by dwj (edited 10-16-2004).]

Look on this website it list some schools. Sometime the number are no good so you might have to use 411. Sorry I couldn't be more of help, ubt I live California
http://www.usadojo.com/schoollist.htm

Thanks Gray, was starting to thing by breath must stink,(no replies). App. your help.

No problem man. Go on Google and do a search for MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOLS and you get some results. You'll have to hunt but you find something. That's how I found mine anyways. Best of fortune to you.

P.S. In my experise Judo is mainly take downs and tossing people around. 80% takedowns, 20% grappling. If you like arms locks and tossing people stick with Judo. If you like to wrestle and grapple, I recommend Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It's 5% take downs and 95% grappling. I grew up wrestling my dad and did a little wrestling in high school. I love it man. Heck I joined 2 schools because my original only taught it once a week. Now I get to do it 3 times a week. But that's me and that's what I like. I'm asking what it is your looking for.

I agree with the above post for the most part, but also would like to recommend that you check out the club. While most judo clubs do practice throws more than matwork, mine is about 50/50. If I never checked my school, and thought all judo was split that way, I also would have done BJJ. My school is pretty much a perfect 50/50 split and I love both. My advice is to definitely check the schools first. With that said, however, I agree that 99.99% of BJJ schools will focus on more matwork than 99.99% of Judo clubs.

Yes, all of this seems logical, but my problem is I am in swall towm Iowa and there seems to be no schools around at all. Closest one is more than an hour away.(witch is not too bad I guess)