This part of our guide focuses on judo, a Japanese martial art and Olympic sport in which practitioners use quick movements and leverage to throw or pin opponents.
Judo, which means "gentle way," is a relatively modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan by Jigoro Kano. Kano, a scholar and martial artist, sought to develop a system emphasizing physical and mental discipline. He combined techniques from traditional Japanese jujutsu schools, particularly the Kito-ryu and Tenjin Shinyo-ryu styles, to form judo. His objective was to create a martial art that could be practiced safely and serve as a means of physical education.
Judo is deeply rooted in the principles of maximum efficiency and mutual welfare and benefit. The concept of Seiryoku Zenyo (maximum efficiency) emphasizes using the least amount of energy to achieve the greatest effect. Jita Kyoei (mutual welfare and benefit) underscores the importance of cooperation and respect among practitioners. These principles guide jukoka (judo practitioners) in their training and interactions both on and off the mat.
Judo techniques are categorized into three main groups: Nage-waza (throwing techniques), which are further divided into Tachi-waza (standing techniques) and Sutemi-waza (sacrifice techniques); Katame-waza (grappling techniques), which include Osaekomi-waza (pinning techniques), Shime-waza (strangulation techniques), and Kansetsu-waza (joint locking techniques); and Atemi-waza (striking techniques), although these are not commonly used in competitive judo.
Judo ranks are divided into two main categories: kyu (student grades) and dan (black belt grades). Beginners start at 6th kyu and progress to 1st kyu. After achieving 1st kyu, judoka can be promoted to 1st dan (shodan) and continue to higher dan ranks. Promotions are based on technical proficiency, competition results, and contributions to the judo community.
Judo has influenced several other martial arts and combat sports, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, and Kosen Judo.
Practitioners of judo are known as judoka, while the traditional uniform worn in judo, consisting of a heavy cotton jacket, pants, and a belt indicating the practitioner's rank, is known as judogi.
Competitive judo is governed by the International Judo Federation (IJF). Judo competitions (shiai) involve matches where judoka strive to score points through throws, pins, and submissions. The highest score (ippon) is awarded for a perfect throw or a successful pin or submission, ending the match immediately. Judo is also an Olympic sport, having been included in the Olympic Games since 1964 for men and 1992 for women.
Online resources for judo are appropriate for this category, except for retail shopping sites, which should be submitted to the corresponding Shopping & eCommerce category.
Recommended Resources
The BJA is the national governing body for the Olympic sport of judo in Great Britain. Established in 1948, the BJA oversees promoting and supervising judo activities across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The BJA is a member of several international and national organizations, including the International Judo Federation and the British Olympic Association. Membership packages, benefits, and clubs are featured, including information on starting a judo club.
https://www.britishjudo.org.uk/
The Fort Worth Judo Club offers a range of judo classes for people of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners. The Club focuses on judo's physical and mental aspects, promoting character-building, self-confidence, and physical fitness. Membership levels, fees, and online sign-ups are available, along with coaches' bios, contacts, dojo rules, class levels, IJF rules, tournament schedules, telephone numbers, email addresses, and a map showing its location.
https://www.fortworthjudo.org/
Founded in 1951, the IJF is the international governing body for judo. With two hundred National Federations on all continents, the IJF is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. Since 2009, the IJF has organized the annual World Championships and the World Judo Tour, consisting of the Grand Prix, four Grand Slams, a master tournament, and a Continental Open tournament. Members, a calendar of events, results, world rankings, documents, and a photo gallery are featured.
https://www.ijf.org/
Online since 1995, the website is designed to educate the general public and judo students about the various benefits of judo, which can be more than an Olympic sport or a martial art. Some pages of the site are the original, often copied, informational pages, while other sections of the site are updated daily, with major updates and new material posted in the "What's New" page around the first of each month. Included are judo techniques, competitions, training, and other resources.
https://judoinfo.com/
Created in 2002, Judo Inside offers the latest judo results, news, photographs, videos, and statistics, covering major judo events, such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games. A judoka search, judoka birthdays, stats generator, and judo legends are highlighted, along with the latest judo results, upcoming competitions, and new events may be submitted for inclusion. Judo content by country may be found, and a video gallery, an online contact form, and a shopping area are included.
https://www.judoinside.com/
United States Judo Association
The governance of US Judo began in 1952. At that time, there was no national authority to guide local judo communities and ensure the logical and orderly development of judo as a sport. The organization's history, board of directors, code of ethics, promotion system, forms and documents, and archives are set forth, along with member clubs, a calendar of events, committees, and an online store offering branded patches, coins, certificates, books, posters, and other materials.
https://www.usja.net/
