Judo
From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source
Judo is a tremendous and dynamic combat sport that demands both physical prowess and great mental discipline. From a standing position, it involves techniques that allow you to lift and throw your opponent onto his/her back. On the ground, it includes techniques that allow you to pin your opponent to the ground, control him/her, and apply various chokeholds or joint locks until submission.
Judo originated in Japan as a derivative of the various martial arts developed and used by the samurai and feudal warrior class over hundreds of years. Although many of the techniques of judo originated from arts that were designed to hurt, maim, or kill opponents in actual field battle, the techniques of judo were modified so that judo students can practice and apply these techniques safely and without hurting opponents. Unlike karate, judo doe not involve kicking, punching, or striking techniques of any kind. Unlike aikido, judo does not involve the application of pressure against the joints to throw an opponent. Unlike kendo, judo involves no equipment or weapons of any sort. Instead, judo simply involves two individuals who, by gripping the judo uniform or judogi, use the forces of balance, power, and movement to attempt to subdue each other. Thus, it is simple and basic. In its simplicity, however, lies its complexity, and mastery of even the most basic of judo techniques often takes considerable time, effort, and energy, involving rigorous physical and mental training.
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Etymology
The word judo consists of two Japanese characters, ju, which means "gentle", and do, which means "the way". Judo, therefore, literally means the way of gentleness. Because the techniques of judo are based on giving in rather than fighting back, this principle of gentleness, or yawara (which is the same character as the ju in judo), on which all judo techniques are based.
History
Judo as a Martial Art
The history of judo is the history of the shift from a martial art to a modern sport. It tells first how a man, Jigoro Kano, devoted himself to the education of the youth of his country, blending traditions and modernity, using individual prowess for collective benefits.
The beginnings of judo are closely related to the specificity of Kano's life and personality. Kano was born in the year of the monkey, on October 28th, 1860, in what was then the little village of Mikage, currently the East Nada district of the city of Kobe. Kano's birthplace was well known for sake brewing, and members of the Kano family were wealthy sake brewers. Today the brand name of the company Kiku Masamune, is still widely known. Very early in Kano's rigorous education western influences were added to Eastern traditions and teachings. One of his grandfathers was a well-known poet and a scholar of Chinese. During the 1860s Kano's father, a high-ranking official, worked for the shogunate government. A born organizer, with a strong sense of social responsibility, he contributed to the modernization of Japan, along western lines, opening Hyogo harbour to foreign trade, suggesting western-style ships. Young Kano in whom the same qualities were to be found later in life was obviously influenced by his father's spirit of enterprise.
In 1870, soon after the death of his mother, his father decided to move to Tokyo. It was then a time of great cultural and social ferment in Japan, from which Kano obviously benefited. In Tokyo, already brought up on Confucian classics, he was put into another Confucian school. At the same time he was sent for English lessons to Mitsukuri Shuhei, a renowned scholar who was to belong to a group of influential thinkers, dedicated to educational reforms. In his early teens, Kano developed a strong taste for math and showed a particular affinity for languages. Throughout his life his language abilities were exceptional. During his study of jujutsu his notes were written in English, probably to secure the confidentiality of his research at a time of intense rivalry among jujutsu schools. In his old age, he kept also his diaries in English.
As a boy Kano was frail but quick-tempered. Being extremely gifted, he studied with boys who were older and bigger and he soon understood the need to find a way to defend himself. At the age of 14 (15 according to Japanese tradition), he entered the Foreign Languages School, which was part of the Kaisei Gakko. There Kano was one of the first Japanese to play baseball, introduced one year before by two American teachers. He loved the spirit of the sport, a new concept in Meijij Japan, and certainly found some inspiration in it later on. In 1877, he entered Toyo Teikoku (Imperial) University, currently Tokyo University. Many among the teachers and students he met there were to become leading figures in Meiji life. Because he had to deal with well-built young men coming from all over the country, he decided to learn more about the art which enabled the weak to overcome the strong. In Tokyo, it was then very hard to find anyone who knew how to teach the ancient art of jujutsu. The Kobusho, the school of martial arts, where samurai youths had been taught jujutsu in the old days, had disappeared with the Meiji Restoration movement. Besides jujutsu had been a composite of different systems, and this fragmentation had also been detrimental to the "pliant art" as it was called.
In 1877, Kano was eager to learn more about this ancient practice. After months of patient research, he finally managed to find a former Kobusho jujutsu master, Fukuda Hachinosuke. The latter became his first teacher, which was reluctantly accepted by his father who saw no future in this old tradition.
Kano took over Fukuda's school when he died, in 1877. He kept on studying with Fukuda's teacher, Iso Masamoto, but his interest for the academic subjects he studied (philosophy, political science, economics) never flagged.
In 1881, he began to study the jujutsu of the Kito school, the spiritual side of jujutsu, with another Kobusho teacher, Iikubo Tsunetoshi, who replaced Iso after his death. This time the stress was put on the spiritual side of judo. Iikubo, an expert at throws, gave less importance to kata, but the main kata originally performed with armour, koshiki no kata, was kept. It was one of Kano's favourites ; he performed it before the Emperor in 1929. The Kito school is also at the origin of the name judo. Kano deliberately chose it to underline the moral side of his system.
The year 1882 was a landmark year for Jigoro Kano. He was appointed lecturer in politics and economics at Gakushuuin (the then private school for the nobility) where he was to teach for some years and then served as a director. He also started a private school, the Kano Juku, and an English language school. This year is said to be essentially the date of the formal beginning of his judo academy, the Kodokan, in a space rented from a small Buddhist monastery in Tokyo. The number of his students swelled rapidly, coming from all over Japan. Many left old jujutsu masters to train with Kano. The Kodokan moved several times. Kano's method was adopted by the police and the navy, introduced to schools and universities and rapidly spread overseas. What came to be known as Kodokan judo was a synthesis of several schools of jujutsu to which he added ideas taken from interviews, readings, and forgotten techniques. In 1889, after his first foreign trip, during which he inspected educational facilities in Europe, eventually he got married and had eight children.
Kano's method derived from old-style jujutsu techniques but it definitely differed from the methods of the past. Getting rid of all dangerous, killing or maiming jujutsu waza, Kano forced opponents to grapple with one another. Thus, he restricted violence. So as to make them safer he improved falling techniques. Whereas it had always been understood mainly as a goal, victory now became a means of building people's characters. But this method differed mainly because it referred to science and rationalism. Turning his back on the traditional ways of teaching, Kano liked to explain judo techniques scientifically, studying attitudes, forces at play, problems of equilibrium, center of gravity moves. In 1895, in order to facilitate the learning process, throwing techniques were classified into five sets (go kyo no waza).
Judo as Sport
In 1909, Japan received an invitation to take part in the International Olympic Committee from Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern-day Olympics. Jigoro Kano was chosen as Japan's representative. Thirteen years had passed since the First Modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. However, there was still no participation from an Asian country. Jigoro Kano was the first Asian member of the IOC.
As yet, there was no general sports organization in Japan that could send athletes to the Olympics. Thus, in 1911, the Japan Amateur Athletic Association was founded and Kano was installed as the first president. At this meeting, it was decided that Japan would participate in its first Olympics at the 5th Olympic Games to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1912.
This served as the basis for the development of all varieties of sports in Japan. After that time, Jigoro Kano continued his work as an IOC member, and for that purpose he travelled relentlessly within Japan and abroad. He turned all his energies into the internationalization of sports in Japan. In 1938, in Cairo, the International Olympic Committee accepted his proposal, Tokyo was to be the site of the 12th Olympic Games. However, on May 4th,1938, Kano died of pneumonia aboard the S. S. Hikawa Maru on his way home. He was 79 years old. Because of the war the intended Games were cancelled and was not to be before 1964 that Kano's dream became a reality when judo was accepted as an olympic discipline for the 18th Olympic Games in the capital of Japan.
Judo Techniques
One of the things that makes judo such a dynamic sport is that its techniques are constantly evolving. Judo contestants at all levels of competition – from the world championships and Olympics to everyday judo training – constantly study their opponents, and analyze their own strengths and weaknesses, to discover and apply new methods of attack and defense. These new methods result in new gripping patterns, movements, positions, and ultimately "new" judo.
Kansetsu Waza
The kansetsu waza are the joint lock techniques. Although the battlefield techniques includes joint lock techniques against many joints of the body, contemporary judo only involves kansetsu waza against the elbow.
- Juji Gatame
- By far the most commonly used kansetsu waza technique in judo is known as ude hishigi juji gatame, or juji gatame for short. Literally, it means "cross hold."
- In this technique, you capture your opponent's arm between your legs as your body lies perpendicularly to theirs at their shoulder, facing in the same direction. While trapping your opponent's arm with your legs, you control their wrist area with your two hands. Bringing their wrist down to your chest and simultaneously pushing your abdomen into their elbow locks their arm in pain.
- Many great champions of judo are extremely proficient at this technique, winning many matches with it.
- Ude Garami
- In ude garami, or "arm wrap," both your hands control one of your opponent's at the wrist, generally while you lie perpendicularly on top of your opponent as they are on their back. Pulling their wrist close to their body, you rotate your arms so that you lift their elbow and apply pressure against it in a way that it is not supposed to move.
Shime Waza
Of the three types of katame waza, the shime waza (choking techniques) and kansetsu waza (joint lock techniques) are perhaps the most feared and respected. They evoke immediate emotional reactions from many newcomers to judo who are introduced to them. While these techniques undoubtedly stem from judo's predecessors as actual battlefield techniques with the purpose of maiming or killing an enemy, they have been modified in important ways to allow for their safe yet effective practice in judo and use in competition
- Okuri Eri Jime
- In okuri eri jime, the choking hand grasps the opponent's collar near the neck area, while the other hand grasps lower on the other lapel. This is generally done in one of two positions: while straddling your opponent's back, either face down or face up; or while on your opponent's side when they are face down. In either case, the choking hand rotates and squeezes, forcing your wrist into your opponent's neck, while the other hand helps to hold their body in place. Your opponent will tap in submission once he feels the effects of the choke, and realizes he cannot escape it.
- Sangaku Jime
- Sangaku jime, or "triangle choke," is one of the most powerful and deadly choking techniques.
- You apply sangaku jime with your legs, wrapping your choking leg's hamstring area across the side of your opponent's neck, and placing the foot of that leg behind the knee of your other leg, forming a triangle with your legs. In judo, one of your opponent's arms must be inside the triangle of your legs, so that you do not squeeze, torque, or rotate their head by itself. By squeezing your legs together, the choke will become immediately effective, and because your legs are much stronger than your hands, sangaku jime is one of the most powerful choking techniques in judo. It can be applied from the side, front, or back of your opponent in three different positions.
- Hadaka jime
- Literally "naked choke", hadaka jime is performed by placing a choking hand around your opponent's neck, generally from the rear. Grasping your own hand on the side of the neck, you squeeze and rotate your hand into your opponent's neck to apply the choke.
Osae Waza
Of the three types of katame waza, the pinning techniques, or osae waza, are the most basic, and are among the first techniques a judo student learns. They enable you to maintain control over your opponents while on the ground and on their backs. Most likely they developed as modifications of battlefield techniques that allowed you to maintain control over an enemy until an ally came to finish them off in mortal combat.
Although the International Judo Federation officially recognizes 9 different osae waza, there are literally hundreds of modified versions of these that you will see in competition and practice. Here, we introduce you to three of the most popular ones.
- Kesa Gatame
- Kesa gatame, or collar hold, is one of the most basic and well-used osaewaza techniques.
- In it, you sit alongside your opponent's ribs or chest area, while your opponent is on his back facing up. The hand away from your opponent grasps the sleeve of the uniform, or judogi, placing their hand under your arm and tucking it away securely. Your hand closest to them either reaches under the head, grabbing the collar, or is slid under their opposite shoulder and laid onto the ground. The key to this pin is the ability to control the shoulder area that is closest to you, immobilizing it with your arm, body position, and pressure. Kesa gatame is one of the most powerful pins in the judo katame waza.
- Kami Shiho Gatame
- In kami shiho gatame, or upper quarter hold, you attack from their shoulders, with your head facing their body. One or both of your hands slide under theirs as you reach down their body. Grabbing their belt, you pull their body firmly under yours, using your body and position to immobilize one of their shoulders and often their head as well. You spread your legs and prop yourself up on your toes, to give yourself even more pressure downward on their body.
- Yoko Shiho Gatame
- In yoko shiho gatame, or side quarter hold, you attack your opponent from the side rather than from the top, placing your body perpendicular to theirs. Your hand closest to their head reaches under their collar. Thrusting this hand deep, you control their shoulder and head movement with the pressure from your body and by locking their head between your forearm and biceps. Your other hand is free to control their legs either by grabbing one of them, placing it at their side to prevent them from rolling, or to reach under their leg furthest away from you and grabbing their belt.
- Of course, it is much easier to hold your opponent down in one of these three techniques once you get it than it is to get it in the first place. In actual judo competition or practice, your opponents will not lie there and wait for you to pin them; they will be trying to pin you as well. Battling your opponents in katame waza, in fact, can be some of the most grueling and physically demanding aspects of judo.
Atemi Waza
The third major category of judo techniques is called the atemi waza. These include all of various techniques of striking, punching, and kicking. These techniques are remnants from the various schools of military combat fighting arts in feudal Japan from which judo originated. As such, they are preserved for study and practice only through ritualized kata – the practice of stylized forms. Even so, the practice of the katas that include the atemi waza are generally reserved for only the most senior of judo practitioners – holders of high ranks, for their understanding of the history and development of judo. Because contemporary judo practice and competition includes no such techniques, judo is a rigorous and demanding, yet, entirely safe and effective method of training.
Nage Waza
The various throwing techniques of judo are themselves organized into four distinct categories. These are the hand techniques (te waza), hip techniques (koshi waza), foot techniques (ashi waza), and sacrifice techniques (sutemi waza). In actuality, you use your entire body in applying and completing any judo technique; these classifications, therefore, merely represent the obvious defining characteristics of each of the techniques.
- The Dynamics of Nage Waza
- The nage waza of judo only work because of the specific application of forces in a certain direction at a precise moment in time. Techniques begin with the breaking of your opponent's balance, or kuzushi. This is achieved by taking advantage of your opponent��s movements and strength applied against you. Once you have put your opponent off balance and they are in a weak, unstable position, you are able to position yourself in the proper place and posture to be ready to attack with your own throwing technique. This is known as tsukuri. When you attack, you hurl your body toward your opponent so as to take control of your opponent��s center of gravity; this part of the throw is known as kake. Taking total control of your opponent��s body, you now lift them off the ground and begin to drive their backs to the ground; this is known as nage. Finally, you are able to finish off your opponent by making sure they land firmly and squarely on their backs, with speed, force, and control. This is done through the use of your hands and total body movement and direction. This final phase of the judo throw is known as kime.
Each of the five phases of the dynamics of a judo throw – kuzushi, tsukuri, kake, nage, and kime – are even more dramatic when you consider that all of this occurs within less than a second in an ever-moving, constantly dynamic ebb and flow of two people engaged in combat. In judo, it is not uncommon for people to be thrown in the blink of an eye! This is one of the things that makes judo one of the most spectacular and powerful sports in the world today.
Judo Phases
Standing Phase or the Tachi Waza
The standing pahse is considered the initial phase in judo. It is when participants try to throw each to the ground and execute fast finishing moves to score a point. Although it is also legal in this stage to use standing joint-lock techniques, and choke/strangulation submission techniques. However some skilled judokas can do fast takedowns while combining submission moves while they are standing up going to the ground.
It is to be noted that in judo, striking and kicking are not allowed although in training they take this moves into consideration. This is the reason why it is advisable in judo to execute throwing techniques as much as possible to dominate the opponent and force him into submission. Another reason for doing this is to put your opponents body into a state of shock and inflict as much damage to your opponent.
If a judoka executes a powerful yet fully controlled throw, he can win a match outright due to the theory that he has displayed enough superiority. In actual fact, this kind of victory is very difficult to achieve if the opponents are equally matched. Therefore points are given for lesser throws in the standing phase of combat. In real fight situations, a throw in itself can create shock to the opponent, and the impact can potentially knock the opponent unconscious depending on how hard the ground is.
Footsweeps are used when the opponent is off balance and, if applied at the right time, can knock down the opponent immediately. The normal footsweep is a swift swipe with the sole of the foot to the ankle of the opponent called Deashi-berai.
Ground Phase or the Newaza
In the ground phase, which is considered the secondary phase of combat, the opponents try to hold, or get the opponent to submit either by using armlocks (leglocks are not allowed due to safety regulations) or by chokes and strangulations.
This is the phase where a judoka uses the kansetsu waza, shime waza and the osae waza
Judogi
The judoka is required to wear white cotton uniforms called judogi in practicing judo. Judogi is sometimes called "gi" or "uniform" in Japanese, to simplify the word. The first jodogi were originally designed in Kodokan during the days of judo formation, and because of the comfort that it offer, many martial art styles adopted the "gi". The judogi is made from white cotton and is composed of a drawstring pants and quilted cotton jacket fastened by a colored belt which indicates a judoka's rank (either kyu or dan). The jacket is designed to be thicker beacayse it is intended to withstand the strain apllied on the cloth due to frequent throwing and grappling.
Over the years of competition, international governing bodies such as the International Judo Federation began to use blue judogi for the convenience of distinguishing one participant over the other. Yet in Japan traditional forms is still observed, instead of wearing blue judogi, they use red sash to distinguish between the competitors.
Kata
Kata are prearranged forms displaying several judo techniques. They have several purposes: to illustrate the basic principles of judo; to demonstrate the correct execution of a technique; to teach the philosophical tenets on which judo is based; to illustrate techniques that are not allowed in competition; to preseve ancient techniques that are historically important but not used anymore in contemporary judo.
Knowledge of different kata is a requirement for the attainment of a higher dan.
There are seven kata that are recognized by the Kodokan today:
- Randori no Kata (Free practice forms), comprising two kata:
- Nage no Kata (Throwing forms) - Nage-no-kata is a throwing kata in judo. The kata is composed of 3 techniques from each of the five throw groups in judo: hand techniques (te waza), hip techniqes (goshi waza), foot techniques (ashi waza), rear sacrifice techniques (ma sutemi waza) and side sacrifice techniques (yoko sutemi waza). Each of these 15 techniques is performed twice in the specified order, once with kumi-kata (grip style) to the right and once to the left.The kata was developed by Jigoro Kano in 1887 in the Kodokan school.
- Katame no kata (Grappling forms) - It consists of fifteen techniques, grouped in three categories: Osae-komi-waza (holding techniques), Shime-waza (choking techniques), and Kansetsu-waza (joint-locking techniques).
- Kime no kata (Forms of decision)
- Kime no kata is a self-defense oriented series of katas in judo. Kime no kata, also known as Shinken Shobu no Kata (approximate translation is Fight Until Death Combat Forms), was developed at the Kodokan around 1888. The series is composed of 8 techniques from a kneeling posture (idori waza), and 12 techniques from a standing position (tachi waza). Both sets of techniques contain defenses for both armed and empty-handed attacks.
- Kodokan Goshin Jutsu (Kodokan Self-defence forms)
- Kodokan Goshin Jutsu is a set of prearranged self-defence forms in Judo.
- It is the most recent kata of Judo, having been created in 1956. It was influenced by some techniques from Aikido: specifically, it incorporates the wrist locks kote hineri (wrist twist) and kote gaeshi (wrist turn). It consists of several techniques to defend oneself from: unarmed attack, attack with a dagger, with a stick, and with a gun.
- Ju no Kata (Forms of gentleness)
- It is designed to teach the fundamental principles of judo, especially the principle of ju (yielding or gentleness). It consists in three sets of techniques.
- Itsutsu no Kata (The five forms)
- It consists in five techniques, known only by their number. It was developed by Jigoro Kano and it is considered unfinished. The techniques are composed of gentle movements evocative of natural forces.
- Koshiki no Kata (Ancient forms)
- It is also known as Kito-ryu no Kata. It consists in 21 techniques originally belonging to the Kito School of jujutsu. Jigoro Kano revised the techniques and incorporated them into a kata in order to preserve the historical source of judo.
- Seiryoku Zen'yo Kokumin Taiiku no Kata (Maximum-Efficiency National Physical Education Kata)
- Seiryoku Zen'yo Kokumin Taiiku no Kata (Maximum-Efficiency National Physical Education Kata) is a set of physical exercises that are part of judo.
- Its purpose is to promote the development of strong, healthy minds and bodies in an interesting and useful way. It consists of two groups of exercises, one to be practiced alone, the other with a partner.
Gradings
Jigoro Kano invented a kyu and dan ranking system in order to recognize a judoka's wisdom and knowledge of judo. This ranking system is reflected through the belt color.
This system of ranking consists of two grade divisions, the lower grades, or kyu, and the master grades, or dan. Soon, we can see that several martial art systems adopted this kind of ranking like kendo and karate. In various countries, there are different sets of color advancement and distinctive kyu and dan grades. Still, Jigoro Kano only made 6 kyu grades, and they are: rokyu, gokyu, yonkyu, sankyu, nikyu and ikkyu. He also set up 10 dan grades or black belts, namely the: shodan, nidan, sandan, yodan, godan, rokudan, shichidan, hachidan, kudan and judan. The first five are distinguished by the plain black color of their belts, and the dan ranks rokudan to hachidan have distinctive designed belts having alternates of red and white stripes. The belt design of the kudan and the judan were originally plain red, but in later years Kano decided to use a wide version of a simple white belt which is suppose to symbolize the eternal cycle of wisdom. The highest dan degree, the judan, is decided by the president of the Kodokan. In the history of judo there are only 15 individuals who recieved the title of judan ad only recently three individuals were promoted to the grade simultaneously. These individuals were Toshiro Daigo, Ichiro Abe and Yoshimi Osawa
In modern times, a judoka must pass an exam which is normally assessed by the sensei within a dojo to elevate to a kyu. This exam is usually a form of grading competition against students with a similar grade, if it is neccessary for the rank, an exam comprising the execution of kata maybe done. In the dan ranks, a judoka must undergo an exam supervised by individual judges from an IJF accredited national judo associations. Although there are exceptions to these rules, lik Hori Akioya from Bogota, Colombia who was awarded a black belt after he died in a judo competition. Another was a young man named Joseph Pitchall from the United States who defeated a renowned Grand Master in a tournament held in Seattle, Washington in 2000.
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