Randori (fighting time at the club)

When you are doing randori at the club the main thing to do is to KEEP CHANGING GRIPS. If you get stuck in one grip and don't change it, you will never trick your partner, and you will normally just get stuck in the position forever and learn absolutely NOTHING! Keep changing your grips, and trying all sorts of different throws. This makes you a very good, skilled, tricky fighter, the kind of fighter who wins tournaments!

The Difference Between Competitions ("Shiai") and In-club Fight Training ("Randori")

In competitions, you are supposed to try to win, using your physical and mental abilities to their limits.  While doing randori in a club, you are helping each other get better at fighting.  Even though randori is by nature a 'competitive' activity of sorts, since you are trying moves on each other, it is really more of a learning activity for both of you, where you can freely test techniques on each other.  In randori you are NOT trying your best to win, you are instead trying to challenge your partner, have fun, get exercise, and test out or even come up with new strategies in the middle of it.  Randori is the life blood of Judo.  It is what enables people of a great many ages and sizes to enjoy and profit from Judo through most of their lives.  Competition, called "Shiai" in Japanese, is definitely NOT the same thing.  Shiai is NOT randori.