Judo 柔道

Judo(柔道）is comprised by two kanji(chinese way of written words) Ju(柔) which can be translated as peaceful,gentle and Do(道) which can be translated as the way or road.
Judo is a modern martial art created by Kano Jigoro.Kano was born into a well-to-do Japanese family. His grandfather was a self-made man, a sake brewer from Shiga Prefecture in central Japan. However, Kano's father was not the eldest son and therefore did not inherit the business. Instead, he became a Shinto priest and government official, with enough influence for his son to enter the second incoming class of Tokyo imperial university.

Kano was a small, frail boy, who, even in his twenties, did not weigh more than a hundred pounds (45 kg), and was often picked on by bullies. He first started pursuing jujutsu, at that time a dying art,at the age of 17, but met with little success. This was in part due to difficulties finding a teacher who would take him on as a student. When he went to university to study literature at the age of 18, he continued his martial arts studies, eventually gaining a referral to Fukuda Hachinosuke (c.1828–c.1880), a master of the Tenjin Shinyou Ryu and grandfather of Keiko Fukuda (born 1913), who is Kano's only surviving student, and the highest-ranking female jūdōka in the world. Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have emphasized technique over formal exercise, sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis on free practice (randori) in judo.

A little more than a year after Kano joined Fukuda's school, Fukuda became ill and died. Kano then became a student in another Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū school, that of Iso Masatomo (c.1820–c.1881), who put more emphasis on the practice of pre-arranged forms (kata) than Fukuda had. Through dedication, Kano quickly earned the title of master instructor (shihan) and became assistant instructor to Iso at the age of 21. Unfortunately, Iso soon took ill, and Kano, feeling that he still had much to learn, took up another style, becoming a student of Iikubo Tsunetoshi (1835–1889) of Kitou Ryu. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much emphasis on free practice. On the other hand, Kitou Ryu emphasized throwing techniques to a much greater degree than Tenjin Shinyou Ryu.

Judo technique-wise can be broken down into the following categories:

1. Nage Waza(Throwing Techniques)
2. Ne Waza(Ground Techniques)
3. Atemi Waza (Striking techniques)
   

It's noteworthy to say that Atemi waza aren't practiced until higher degree black belt(at least Yodan-4th degree black belt)and always in the form of Kata.The reason behind this is because strikes can easily injure a partner or can be misused in a controlled and ineffective manner(stopping the strike a few inches before a persons' body).Kanos' intention was to create an art that can use effectively strength without injuring a parter.Thus you can use your full strength into a throw and if your partner knows how to do a breakfall(Ukemi)to absorb the impact from the mat(tatami)you have literally zero injury.That's why we see a lot of banners in many dojo(school that practice takes place)writing the following words in japanese calligraphy 精力善用 which can be translated as the maximum efficiency of force.This is a major principle for Judo because all the techniques are based on this foundation.That leads us to another aspect of Judo which is what elements are necessary to execute a throw with minimum force but high(maximum) efficiency:

1. Kuzushi(breaking the balance)
   
2. Tsukuri(placing your self for the technique)
   
3. Kake(Throw)

In my opinion the most important of these 3 principles is the first.Kuzushi is the off-balancing of your opponent by any means necessary(pulling,pushing,stepping,using feints etc).To break the balance of you opponent doesn't necessarily mean that you'll use all your strength into it,that would be counter productive and against the principle of maximum efficiency.That's why we learn through practice to use the action-reaction law of physics and the principle of leverage.What that means practically is that you use proper steps(aruki,tsugi ashi,yori ashi, etc)and use the leverage of the judogi(uniform we wear in judo)to break the balance of your opponent.That is the first condition you must clear if you want to execute a proper throw.
We'll discuss the rest of the principles in another episode where we will analyze a technique.

So by now you should understand that Judo is a realistic martial art,highly effective for any kind of situation.It should be,because it's the spawn of jujutsu,the empty hand combat method that soldiers(samurai)used in war.Even in this time and age law enforcement and military use the same techniques for their empty hand combat training.Not to mention the constant use of Judo techniques in MMA(Mixed Martial Arts).Where do you think all those "takedown" techniques come from anyway ;)

In the next episode I'm going to do further analysis on Judo and introduce some of the techniques that make this art so fascinating.

Until then
頑張ってください

John