What is Judo?

Judo is many things to different people. It is a fun sport, an art, a discipline, a recreational or social activity, a fitness program, a means of self-defence or combat, and a way of life. It is all of these and more.

Kodokan Judo comes to us from the fighting system of feudal Japan. Founded in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano, Judo is a refinement of the ancient martial art of Jujutsu. Dr. Kano, President of the University of Education, Tokyo, studied these ancient forms and integrated what he considered to be the best of their techniques into what is now the modern sport of Judo.

Judo was introduced into the Olympic Games in 1964 and is practiced by millions of people throughout the world today. People practice Judo to excel in competition, to stay in shape, to develop self-confidence, and for many other reasons. But most of all, people do Judo just for the fun of it.

Judo is Fun!

As in all sports, Judo has a strict set of rules that governs competition and ensures safety. For those who want to test their skills, Judo offers the opportunity for competition at all skill levels, from club to national tournaments, to the Olympic Games. There are separate weight divisions for men and women, and boys and girls.

Judo is best known for its spectacular throwing techniques but also involves considerable grappling on the ground utilizing specialized pins control holds, arm locks, and Judo choking techniques. Judo emphasizes safety, and full physical activity for top conditioning. Judo is learned on special mats for comfort and safety.

Judo is unique in that all age groups, both sexes, and most disabled persons can participate together in learning and practicing the sport. Judo is an inexpensive, year-round activity, that appeals to people from all walks of life. Many people over sixty years of age enjoy the sport, as well as very young boys and girls.

Judo develops self-discipline and respect for oneself and others. Judo provides the means for learning self-confidence, concentration, and leadership skills, as well as physical coordination, power, and flexibility. As a sport that has evolved from a fighting art, it develops complete body control, fine balance, and fast reflexive action. Above all, it develops a sharp reacting mind well-coordinated with the same kind of body. Judo training gives a person an effective self-defence system if the need arises.

The Judo Rank System

Judo created the system of ranks, now used in most other martial arts, that recognize a person's degree of knowledge, ability, and leadership. There are separate ranks for Mon (under 10yrs), Yonen (under13yrs) Shonen (under 16yrs) and Seinen over 16yrs however there is a Junior Men's and Junior Women's division for competitions under 20yrs this may change at the discretion of the tournament organisers. Judo ranks are identified by coloured belts, and ten degrees of advanced grades for black belts. Regular advancement encourages students to achieve more.

Principles and Goals of Judo

Judo, which is translated as the "gentle way", teaches the principle of flexibility in the application of technique. This is the flexible or efficient use of balance, leverage, and movement in the performance of Judo throws and other skills. Skill, technique and timing, rather than the use of brute strength, are the essential ingredients for success in Judo. For example, in Judo classes you may learn how to give way, rather than use force, to overcome a stronger opponent.

The principles of Judo, such as "Maximum Efficiency" and "Mutual Welfare and Benefit", can also be used in our dealings with others in life. The ultimate goal in Judo is to develop oneself to the maximum extent possible, always striving for perfection, so that you can contribute something of value to the world.

Following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Jigoro Kano, entitled 'The Contribution of Judo to Education'
The object of this lecture is to explain to you in a general way what judo is. In our feudal times, there were many military exercises such as fencing, archery, the use of spears, etc. Among them was the one called Jujitsu which was a composite exercise, consisting principally of the ways of fighting without weapons; using, however, occasionally daggers, swords and other weapons.
The kinds of attack were chiefly throwing, hitting, choking, holding down and bending or twisting the opponents arms or legs in such a way to cause pain or fracture. The use of swords and daggers was also taught. We also had multitudinous ways of defending ourselves against such attacks. Such exercise, in its primitive form, existed even in our mythological age. But systematic instruction, as an art, dates only from about three hundred and fifty years ago.
In my younger days I studied the art with three eminent masters of the time. The great benefit I derived from the study led me to make up my mind to go on with the subject more seriously, and in 1882 I started a school of my own and called it Kodokan. Kodokan literally means, a school for studying the way, the meaning of the way being the concept of life itself. I named the subject I teach Judo instead of jujitsu. In the first place I will explain to you the meaning of these words. Ju means gentle or to give way, Jutsu, an art or practice, and Do, way or principle, so that Jujitsu means an art or practice of gentleness or of giving way in order to ultimately gain victory; while Judo means the way or principle of the same.
Besides the acquisition of useful knowledge, we must endeavour to improve our intellectual powers, such as memory, attention, observation, judgement, reasoning, imagination etc. But this we should not do in a haphazard manner, but in accordance with psychological laws, so that relation of those powers one with the other shall be well harmonised. It is only by faithfully following the principle of maximum efficiency - that is Judo - that we can achieve the object of rationally increasing knowledge and intellectual power.
Can this principle be applied to other fields of human activity? Yes, the same principle can be applied to the improvement of the human body, making it strong, healthy and useful, and so constitutes physical education. It can also be applied to the improvement of intellectual and moral power, and in this way constitutes mental and moral education. It can at the same time be applied to the improvement of diet, clothing, housing, social intercourse, and methods of business, thus constituting the study and training of living. I gave this all -pervading principle the name of "Judo". So Judo, in its fuller sense, is a study and method in training of mind and body as in the regulation of life and affairs.
'Prof. Jigoro Kano'