Judo is a system of self defense, a physical and mental discipline, and an Olympic Sport. Judo was founded in 1882, in Japan, by Professor Jigoro Kano, who envisioned it as a way of becoming physically and mentally fit through disciplined training. It is designed so that it can be practiced by all ages, both male and female. Judo is safe and does not involve any kicking or striking techniques. It is an excellent activity to increase physical fitness, self-esteem and self-defense.
Judo is sometimes called "The Gentle Way." This means that sometimes victory can be obtained by giving way, rather than by pitting force against force. An example is sometimes given that a small flexible tree will bend and survive in a hurricane, whereas a much stronger, stiffer tree will snap in two.
In Judo, a person who can’t possibly be as strong as his opponent because of a difference in size, can still come out ahead by using quickness, cunning, and superior technique to get the opponent off balance and then immediately taking the advantage and applying a throwing technique. Of course, the smaller player must train diligently in order to be as quick, fast, strong and smart as possible for his or her size. In Judo, we learn that nobody can be perfect at everything, but through training, you can discover your weaknesses and overcome them, and also realize your limitations and devise ways of being successful, in spite of these. These kind of lessons can be applied in all aspects of life including school, work, and in personal relationships.
First and foremost, Judo is practiced with safety in mind. Students are taught methods of falling on a resilient mat without getting injured. Flexibility, stretching and strength exercises are part of every Judo practice.
There are hundreds of variations of throwing techniques. Some throws use mostly legs, some mostly arms, some a combination of arms, legs, and torso. Some throw their opponent over their own hips, shoulder, or back. They can also sweep the opponent's feet out from under him, or they can drop down and throw the opponent over their own fallen body.
To pin the opponent, they press down from a face-down or side-down position on the opponent so that the opponent's back or a shoulder is on the mat.
To obtain a submission, pressure can be applied directly on the elbow of a straight arm or the arm bent at a right angle can be twisted in either direction. To strangle, or choke, pressure is applied to the sides of the opponent’s neck by one or both forearms or by using the opponent’s own collar. Strangle holds are only allowed on players 13 years old or older. Arm locks can only be used if the player is at least 17 years old.
Although strangles and arm locks may seem dangerous, the players are trained to know when they are in danger, and will submit by tapping either the mat, or the opponent, twice, before any damage is done. The referees are extremely alert when one player attempts to apply a choke or an armlock. If the referee thinks the technique is about to cause serious injury, he can stop the match and declare a winner.
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