Judo in Armonia experiments with music for their autistic judoka!

 

We’re very glad to show you all our latest great collaboration, which involves our special judokas and music. Huge thanks to Francesca Lorenzini, who’s graduating in Music-therapy at “E.F. Dall’Abaco” in Verona, for the commitment and passion she’d already shown while planning this new project with our volunteers.

We had our first judo&music session the first week of October; in this video, you can see Francesca playing the ukulele and using music as reinforcement during our adapted judo training session. She was accompanying our judokas during some games and exercises, playing different rhythm and tunes, in the strong belief that music can help our athletes to improve.

Pre-existing studies show that music is proven to be a valuable tool for ASD people, as they seem to show a greater understanding of music than verbal language. Furthermore, according to studies related to the specific use of the rhythmic element of music, music allows lowering the level of perceived fatigue, improving the quality of the movement, containing altered emotional states and increasing attention spans.

Enjoy here in this video our first steps in this very exciting journey!
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The progress report of Judo in Armonia (Verona, IT)

Here in Verona too, we’re ready to start our judo lessons again after the summer holidays!
In these past months, our volunteers and coaches spent a lot of time gathering information related to rules and procedures to be applied. They’ve also contacted local authorities in order to have the places at the sports centre confirmed.

Our judo program will start next Monday, October the 5th .
Some things will be different: only judokas and teachers can be present, no parents or supervisors are allowed to be in the room; our judo classes will be shorter, so that we’ll have the time to clean and sanitize the tatami; hands and feet have to be disinfected on
entering and leaving the tatami…
But on the other hand, some other things will be just the same as they were last years: our kids’ enthusiasm is not changed, nor our coaches’ and volunteers’ commitment will be reduced.

Last week, we held a meeting with our kids’ parents, during which we discussed rules and procedures to be followed. Our judokas, and their families too, are more than thrilled to restart some judo activities with other kids, they just can’t wait.

Judo In Armonia team