More than a martial art, Judo is also a way of life, one that stresses self-respect and respect for others. Despite its origin in Jujitsu, a method of hand-to-hand combat used by the samurai in ancient Japan, Judo stresses gentleness over force. It is the art using an opponent’s own movement against him, subduing him not just with strength, but also with grace and flexibility.

History of Judo

Judo is an offshoot of Jujitsu, a fighting technique used on the battlefields of ancient Japan. Unlike other techniques, Jujitsu emphasized skill over force: the goal was to know how and when to strike an opponent in order to throw him off balance. Samurai in Japan’s feudal period studied Jujitsu as part of their training, which also included swordsmanship, horsemanship, archery and etiquette. During this violent period, Jujitsu was used often on the battlefield, but during the 300 years of peace following the Japanese civil wars, heavy warfare was less frequent. Instead, Jujitsu found its greatest use in unarmed combat among common citizens, and the art was adapted for everyday life.

Judo was developed in the late 1800s by Dr. Jigoro Kano, a pacifist who started practicing Jujitsu at age 17. Kano was of slight stature, and often picked on by bullies, but he was drawn to Jujitsu more for its spiritual and intellectual components than for its self-defense aspects. He studied two of the major Jujitsu traditions, the Kito and the Tenshin-Shinyo, but wanted to expand on their principles. Kano sought an art that stressed development of body, mind and character, and he believed the techniques should be based on scientific principles. While still studying Jujitsu, Kano began developing his own techniques, with the idea of reforming the art. He borrowed from the Jujitsu traditions he had studied, incorporated his own techniques, and in 1882 founded his school, the Kodokan, at the Eishoji Temple. He called his new method Judo, or “the gentle way.”

Kano gave his technique a new name to differentiate it from traditional Jujitsu, which had fallen into disrepute. Many Jujitsu practitioners had distorted the art, using it for violence or as a way to make money. Some Jujitsu masters had organized groups that took part in public demonstrations for profit--this clashed with the humanitarian and ethical approach Kano wanted to promote. In addition to establishing a complex and highly structured set of techniques, Kano also instituted a code of ethics. He taught that serving as a model of good character was as important to the art as was becoming skilled in the physical aspects. Kano established strict guidelines: Students and instructors were not allowed to participate in hand-to-hand combat outside the dojo (exercise hall), participate in public demonstrations for profit or engage in any other behavior that could dishonor the school; anyone who did risked expulsion.

Kano used four teaching methods: randori, or free practice; kata, or formal exercise; ko, or lecturing; and mondo, or question and answer periods. He organized the Judo techniques into sets, ranked according to level of difficulty. Students progressed gradually as they became more proficient--Kano realized many of the moves could be lethal if used before a student was ready.

Kano dedicated his life to promoting his technique, traveling to America and Europe and around the world. As Judo’s followers became more organized, the techniques were refined and Judo associations were formed. The Kodokan Yudanshakai, or association of black belt holders, was founded in 1900. In 1905, Judo became the official successor to Jujitsu, when 18 Jujitsu masters joined Kano’s system. In 1909, Kano’s school, the Kodokan, became a foundation and in 1920 the throwing techniques were revised. The founding of the Kodokan Cultural Judo Society in 1922 signified the evolution of the art’s intellectual and moral components.

During the first half of the 20th century, several Judo practitioners left Japan and spread the teachings to other continents. In 1952, the first team of Judo students from the United States Air Force was trained, and this group formed the basis of the United States Judo Association. As Judo’s popularity increased throughout the world, its physical and competitive aspects began to dominate, and it became more of a sport than a way of life. In 1964 it was included in the Olympic Games, and is the only martial art that is a full Olympic medal sport. Judo continues to evolve: In 1982 the throwing techniques were revised and expanded, in 1992 the Olympic Games included a women’s division and in 1997 two more throws were added.

Fundamental Principles of Judo

Judo is an intricate set of physical, moral and intellectual principles. For some people it is a sport, for some it is a method of self-defense and for others it is an art or a way of life. Kano wanted his system to encompass all of these things, and Judo’s basic principles reflect his desire to establish an art that stressed physical and mental development.

Maximum Efficiency

To successfully merge the two Jujitsu traditions Kano had studied, he needed a unifying principle, which he found in the idea of Seiryoku Zenyo, or “maximum efficiency.” Physical strength alone was not adequate, Kano believed, and techniques that depended solely on force should be discarded. Instead, one should use the least amount of force to achieve the greatest results. It was more efficient to use an opponent’s own energy against him, an idea reflected in Judo’s emphasis on responding to an opponent’s action rather than instigating the action.

Mutual Benefit

Kano wanted his system to promote an ethical and humanitarian approach to life, so he established Judo’s second guiding principle: mutual benefit and prosperity. Kano believed that progress should not and could not be achieved at the expense of others. The key to improving human life was mutual prosperity, Kano taught, not selfish gain. Through Judo practice, Kano believed, one could realize that true human progress could only be obtained through the benefit of all.

Sen

According to Judo principles, victory requires superior mental, physical and technical skill. In Judo, the techniques that develop this skill are called sen, or initiative or lead. There are three stages of sen. The highest level, sen-sen-no-sen, or superior initiative, involves anticipating an opponent’s movement and intercepting his action. This is not easy to achieve; it requires stillness of mind, openness and flexibility. Only by clearing the mind and being receptive is it possible to tap into an opponent’s mindset, thus thwarting his actions. Though difficult, this level can be the most effective: It is easier to gain control of a situation before any action has taken place, rather than attempt to deflect it after the fact. Sen, or initiative, is more offensive, involving taking action against an opponent before he takes action against you. Ato-no-sen, initiative in defense, doesn’t require insight into an opponent’s frame of mind, as does sen-sen-no-sen. Instead, it involves watching for visual clues. By noticing changes in posture, for example, it is possible to strike before the opponent takes action and launch a counter-attack.

Kuzushi

In Judo, victory is gained through kuzushi, or breaking the balance of the opponent. This is achieved by throwing the opponent off balance, either by defensive or offensive action. There are two ways an opponent loses balance: either he loses equilibrium through his own actions, or is caught off guard and defeated when he is vulnerable. This is further broken down into two categories: tsukuri, or preparatory action, and kake, or attack.

Preparatory action comes in two forms: aite-no-tsukuri, or preparing of the opponent, and jibun-no-tsukuri, preparing of self. Preparing an opponent requires throwing the opponent off balance, making him vulnerable. Preparing oneself consists of maintaining a posture in which it is easy to apply a technique to the opponent.

Ju-no-ri

Ju-no-ri, or the principle of gentleness, is the practice of maintaining a natural, relaxed posture and a clear, focused mind. These tasks are imperative in overcoming an opponent, especially when the opponent exerts his force. Strength is not enough--flexibility and adaptability are essential, and are key in using an opponent’s energy against him. In Judo, victory is achieved not by how much energy is exerted, but in how it is exerted. Observation is important; watching an opponent’s movement and responding to his action are crucial to using one’s energy efficiently.

According to the principle of gentleness, the most effective way to disarm an opponent is to adapt to his movement. If an opponent pushes you, for example, and you step back, he will lose his bearing. You can take advantage of this weakness and overpower him. The principle is to respond the opponent’s movement--if he pushes you, you pull him. If he pulls you, you push him. You must be focused and flexible enough to redirect your opponent’s energy to your advantage.

Techniques

Judo is structured around three sets of techniques: throwing, groundwork and striking. Kano separated the purely sporting elements from the self-defense aspects, and only as students progressed could they learn the more advanced, and therefore more dangerous, techniques. Advanced students were also expected to learn resuscitation, as some of the moves could be fatal. Safety was a crucial part of a student’s training.

Throwing techniques, or nage waza, are the primary focus in Judo, and are divided into the following categories:

• Te waza: hand and arm techniques
• Koshi waza: hip techniques
• Ashi waza: foot and leg techniques
• Ma sutemi waza: rear sacrifice techniques
• Yoko sutemi waza: side sacrifice techniques

Groundwork techniques, or katame waza, include:

• Osae waza: holding and pinning techniques
• Shime waza: choking and strangling techniques
• Kansetsu waza: arm bars and joint locking techniques

Striking techniques, or atemi-waza, include punching and kicking, but are taught only to high-ranking students, and are generally prohibited in competition because of their risk.

The Dojo

Once used by Buddhist monks in reference to a place of worship, the word dojo has since taken on several meanings. It can also mean practice hall, exercise hall, place of learning, meditation hall or club. While often used as a synonym for school, in Judo the dojo is much more than that. The purpose of a Judo dojo is to continue the practice of Judo. In traditional Judo dojos, admittance is selective. Students have to be accepted by the sensei (instructor or honored teacher in Japanese), who only admits the students he feels will be a credit to the art.

In the dojo, the sensei makes the rules. He is to be treated with respect, and his word is final. Loyalty to the sensei and to the dojo are essential. In Judo, the dojo is more than a physical space; it is a means of continuing the art and is a place of reverence for the students. Inside the dojo, students are expected to uphold the standards and principles of Judo, and set an example for lower-ranked students. It is a place for serious study, and students are expected to focus on their practice while inside.

The dojo is a place for practice, not for demonstration, and in many dojos there is no space set aside for spectators. When spectators are allowed, proper etiquette, or reishiki, is required: There is no talking during a match, and parents should never give their child instructions from the sidelines. In the dojo, the sensei is the teacher, and it is his role to instruct the child.

The Judo Ranking System

When Kano developed Judo’s ranking system, there was no official system in the martial arts; student achievements were usually acknowledged by the presentation of certificates or scrolls. Today, Kano’s system has been adopted by the other martial arts, who have modified it for their needs. Originally, the Judo ranking system consisted only of white and black belt ranking, until the 1930s when Kano created a belt to acknowledge the achievements of high-ranking black belts. The red belt and brown belts were also added. The more extensive system used today was developed after Judo spread outside Japan. Judo instructor Mikonosuke Kawaishi introduced a more complex ranking system, featuring several more colored belts, when he began teaching in Paris in 1935. He felt Westerners would have more incentive to practice if they had a system in which achievement was regularly recognized. He included white, yellow, orange, green, blue and purple belts, awarded before the traditional black and brown belts.

There are two divisions: student, or kyu, and master, or dan. Within the dan, or black belt ranks, there are 10 levels. In traditional Judo practice, only those achieving the rank of godan, or 5th degree black belt, may properly be called a sensei, but in many Western dojos, this term is used for any degree black belt if he is the instructor. There is no official system for granting rank; the instructor decides when a student is ready to progress. In the West, everything up to the brown belt is awarded by the student’s dojo, and black belts are awarded after an exam judged by members of the national judo association.

Benefits of Judo

Judo is one of the few sports accessible to almost anyone, including children, adults, senior citizens, even people with disabilities. Because it emphasizes physical and mental development, its influence extends to every area of a person’s life. Physically, Judo improves flexibility, coordination, balance and reflexes. It is a means of self-defense that requires skill rather than just size or strength. Mentally, it promotes concentration, self-confidence and leadership. Because Judo requires a clear and focused mind, it encourages participants to be fully present in the moment. They become more observant and better able to channel their mental and physical energy. Judo participants benefit from practice, but just as important, they learn respect for others. With its strict moral and ethical principles, and its humanitarian approach to life, Judo fosters a sense of respect and consideration. Participants are taught to strive for physical, intellectual and moral perfection, so they can not only improve their own life, but also contribute to the greater good.