Judo (柔道)
Execution of a judo throw (ōuchi-gari). is one of the original 40 throws of Judo as developed by Jigoro Kano. The player in blue is being thrown.
Focus	Grappling
Country of origin	Japan
Creator	Kano Jigoro
Parenthood	Various jujutsu schools, principally Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū, Kito-ryū, and Fusen-ryū
Famous practitioners	Mitsuo Maeda, Kyuzo Mifune, Keiko Fukuda, Masahiko Kimura, Gene LeBell, Anton Geesink, Yasuhiro Yamashita, Neil Adams, Hidehiko Yoshida, Kosei Inoue
Olympic Sport	Since 1964[1] (men) and 1992[2][3] (women)

Judo (柔道, jūdō^?), meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. was the founder of Judo. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition and the first to become an official Olympic sport literally meaning the " art of softness " or "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling literally meaning "Divine True Willow School" can be classified as a traditional school ( Koryū) of Jujutsu. is a traditional school ( Koryū) of the Japanese martial art of Jujutsu. a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Mitsuyo Maeda,was a Japanese judōka and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions Kyuzo Mifune (三船久蔵 Mifune Kyūzō April 21, 1883 – January 27, 1965) has been categorized as one of the greatest Keiko Fukuda (born April 12, 1913) is the highest-ranking female practitioner of Judo in the world Biography At age 16 after six years of judo Kimura was promoted to 4th dan Gene LeBell (born October 9, 1932 in Los Angeles California) is a former American Judo champion instructor Stunt performer, Antonius "Anton" Johannes Geesink (born April 6, 1934) is a Dutch 10th dan Judoka. is one of the most successful Judo competitors of all time He currently works as an instructor or advisor for numerous organizations including Tōkai University, the Neil Adrian Adams, MBE (born in Rugby Warwickshire on September 27, 1958) is a British Judoka who won numerous Olympic and Judo is a Japanese gold-medalist Judoka and MMA fighter Biography Hidehiko Yoshida was born in Obu, Aichi, Japan Biography At the 2004 Athens Olympics Kosei Inoue was chosen as the captain of the Japanese team A man is a Male Human. The term man (irregular plural Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of Martial arts native to Japan. meaning "modern martial way" is a Japanese expression that is used to define the modern Japanese martial arts. A combat sport (also known as a combative sport) is a competitive Contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement typically For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. A throw (in Japanese martial arts referred to as nage-waza, 投げ技 "throwing technique" is a Martial arts term for a Grappling Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Strikes and thrusts (by hands and feet) - as well as weapons defences - are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori). A strike is an attack with an inanimate object such as a Weapon, or with a part of the human body intended to cause an effect upon an opponent or to simply cause harm to For other uses see Kata (disambiguation. is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or is a term used in Japanese martial arts to describe free-style practice or sparring sometimes with multiple attackers

Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools (koryū). is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts.

Practitioners of judo are called jūdōka.

History and philosophy

Kano Jigoro.

Early life of the founder

The early history of judo is inseparable from its founder, Japanese polymath and educator Kano Jigoro (嘉納 治五郎 Kanō Jigorō, 1860–1938). The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan A polymath ( Greek polymathēs, πολυμαθής "having learned much" is a person whose knowledge is not restricted to one subject area was the founder of Judo. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition and the first to become an official Olympic sport 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. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. The, abbreviated as, is a major Research university located in Tokyo, Japan.

Founder pursues jujutsu

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^[4] art, at the age of 17, but met with little success. literally meaning the " art of softness " or "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling 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 Shin'yō-ryū and grandfather of Keiko Fukuda (born 1913), who is Kano's only surviving student, and the highest-ranking female jūdōka in the world. literally meaning "Divine True Willow School" can be classified as a traditional school ( Koryū) of Jujutsu. Keiko Fukuda (born April 12, 1913) is the highest-ranking female practitioner of Judo in the world Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have emphasized technique over formal exercise, sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis of free practice (randori) in judo. is a term used in Japanese martial arts to describe free-style practice or sparring sometimes with multiple attackers

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. For other uses see Kata (disambiguation. is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or Through dedication, Kano quickly earned the title of master instructor (shihan) and became assistant instructor to Iso at the age of 21. is a Japanese term often used in Japanese martial arts as an Honorific title for expert or senior instructors 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 Kitō-ryū. is a traditional school ( Koryū) of the Japanese martial art of Jujutsu. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much emphasis on free practice. On the other hand, Kitō-ryū emphasized throwing techniques to a much greater degree than Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū.

Founding

By this time, Kano was devising new techniques, such as the "shoulder wheel" (kata-guruma, known as a fireman's carry to Western wrestlers who use a slightly different form of this technique) and the "floating hip" (uki goshi) throw. However, he was already thinking about doing far more than just expanding the canons of Kitō-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū. Full of new ideas, Kano had in mind a major reformation of jujutsu, with techniques based on sound scientific principles, and with focus on development of the body, mind and character of young men in addition to development of martial prowess. At the age of 22, when he was just about to finish his degree at the University, Kano took nine students from Iikubo's school to study jujutsu under him at the Eisho-ji, a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, and Iikubo came to the temple three days a week to help teach. is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo. Although two years would pass before the temple would be called by the name "Kodokan", or "place for teaching the way", and Kano had not yet been accorded the title of "master" in the Kitō-ryū, this is now regarded as the Kodokan's founding. is the headquarters of the Judo world Literally kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information" dō means "the way" and

Judo^[5] was originally known as Kano Jiu-Jitsu or Kano Jiu-Do, and later as Kodokan Jiu-Do or simply Jiu-Do or Judo. In the early days, it was also still referred to generically simply as Jiu-Jitsu. ^[6]

Meaning of "judo"

Formalism and strict conduct are typical of traditional judo.

The word "judo" shares the same root ideogram as "jujutsu": "jū" (柔, "jū"^?), which may mean "gentleness", "softness", "suppleness", and even "easy", depending on its context. An ideogram or ideograph (from Greek idea "idea" + grafo "to write" is a Graphic symbol that represents an Idea Such attempts to translate jū are deceptive, however. The use of jū in each of these words is an explicit reference to the martial arts principle of the "soft method" (柔法, jūhō^?). The soft method is characterized by the indirect application of force to defeat an opponent. More specifically, it is the principle of using one's opponent's strength against him and adapting well to changing circumstances. For example, if the attacker was to push against his opponent he would find his opponent stepping to the side and allowing his momentum (often with the aid of a foot to trip him up) to throw him forwards (the inverse being true for pulling. In Classical mechanics, momentum ( pl momenta SI unit kg · m/s, or equivalently N · s) is the product A throw (in Japanese martial arts referred to as nage-waza, 投げ技 "throwing technique" is a Martial arts term for a Grappling ) Kano saw jujutsu as a disconnected bag of tricks, and sought to unify it according to a principle, which he found in the notion of "maximum efficiency". Jujutsu techniques that relied solely on superior strength were discarded or adapted in favour of those that involved redirecting the opponent's force, off-balancing the opponent, or making use of superior leverage.

The second characters of judo and jujutsu differ. Where jujutsu (柔術, jūjutsu^?) means the "art" or "science" of softness, judo (柔道, jūdō^?) means the "way" of softness. The use of "dō" (道, "dō"^?), meaning way, road or path (and is the same character as the Chinese word "tao"), has spiritual or philosophical overtones. A (also known as Michi in Japanese, see also Chinese usage Tao) or "Way" is any one of a number of spiritual or martial disciplines A (also known as Michi in Japanese, see also Chinese usage Tao) or "Way" is any one of a number of spiritual or martial disciplines Tao ( 道, Pinyin Dào) is a metaphysical concept found in Taoism, Confucianism, and more generally in ancient Chinese philosophy This is the same distinction as is made between Budō and Bujutsu. is a Japanese term describing Martial arts. In English it is used almost exclusively in reference to Japanese martial arts. Use of this word is a deliberate departure from ancient martial arts, whose sole purpose was for killing. Kano saw judo as a means for governing and improving oneself physically, mentally, emotionally and morally. He even extended the physical principle of maximum efficiency into daily life, evolving it into "mutual prosperity". In this respect, judo is seen as a holistic approach to life extending well beyond the confines of the dojo.

Judoka (practitioner)

See also: List of judoka and List of celebrity judoka

See also: List of Olympic medalists in judo

A practitioner of judo is known as a judoka or 'judo player', though traditionally only those of 4th Dan or higher were called "judoka". The following is a list of celebrities or otherwise famous people who have trained in the martial art and sport of Judo. This is the complete list of Olympic Medalists in Judo from 1964 to 2008. The suffix -ka, when added to a noun, means a person with expertise or special knowledge on that subject. For example, Benkyo-ka means "scholar". Other practitioners below the rank of 4th dan were called kenkyu-sei or "trainees". However, today the term judoka is used worldwide to refer to any practitioner of judo without any particular level of expertise being implied.

A judo teacher is called sensei. is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers professionals such as lawyers and doctors politicians clergymen and other authority figures The word sensei comes from sen or saki (before) and sei (life) – i. e. one who has proceeded you. In Western dojos it is common to call any instructor of dan grade sensei. Traditionally, that title was reserved for instructors of 4th dan and above.

The jūdōgi is of a heavy weave in order to withstand the stresses of throwing and grappling.

Judogi (uniform)

Main article: Judogi

Judo practitioners traditionally wear white uniforms called jūdōgi, which simply means "judo uniform", for practising judo. Judogi (柔道着 or 柔道衣 is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Judo practice and competition Judogi (柔道着 or 柔道衣 is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Judo practice and competition Sometimes the word is seen shortened simply to gi (uniform). or dōgi ( is a uniform for training used in Japanese martial arts Budo. The jūdōgi was created by Kano in 1907, and similar uniforms were later adopted by many other martial arts. The modern jūdōgi consists of white or blue cotton drawstring pants and a matching white or blue quilted cotton jacket, fastened by a belt (obi). Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp A jacket is a type of sleeved hip - or Waist -length garment for the upper body Obi (帯 おび is a Japanese word referring to several different types of Sashes worn with Kimono and Keikogi by both men and women The belt is usually coloured to indicate rank. The jacket is intended to withstand the stresses of grappling, and as a result, is much thicker than that of a karate uniform (karategi). Karategi (空手着 or 空手衣 is the Japanese name for the Karate training uniform

The modern use of the blue judogi was first suggested by Anton Geesink at the 1986 Maastricht IJF DC Meeting. Antonius "Anton" Johannes Geesink (born April 6, 1934) is a Dutch 10th dan Judoka. ^[7] For competition, a blue jūdōgi is worn by one of the two competitors for ease of distinction by judges, referees, and spectators. In Japan, both judoka still use a white judogi and the traditional red sash (based on the colours of the Japanese flag) is affixed to the belt of one competitor. Outside Japan, a coloured sash may also be used for convenience in minor competitions, the blue jūdōgi only being mandatory at the regional or higher levels. Japanese practitioners and purists tend to look down on the use of blue jūdōgi. ^[7]

Techniques & practice

For images, videos, and descriptions of Judo techniques see Techniques of Judo - Judo Information Site

See also: Judo techniques and List of Kodokan Judo techniques

While judo includes a variety of rolls, falls, throws, hold downs, chokes, joint-locks, and strikes, the primary focus is on throwing (投げ技, nage-waza^?), and groundwork (ne-waza). There are a variety of techniques recognized by Kodokan (講道館 Judo (柔道 and other Budo (武道 Like many other martial arts Kodokan Judo provides lists of techniques students must learn to earn rank In Japanese martial arts the (ɯkɛ is the person who "receives" a technique Throws are divided in two groups of techniques, standing techniques (tachi-waza), and sacrifice techniques (捨身技, sutemi-waza^?). Standing techniques are further divided into hand techniques (手技, te-waza^?), hip techniques (腰技, koshi-waza^?), and foot and leg techniques (足技, ashi-waza^?). Sacrifice techniques are divided into those in which the thrower falls directly backwards (真捨身技, ma-sutemi-waza^?), and those in which he falls onto his side (橫捨身技, yoko-sutemi-waza^?).

The ground fighting techniques are divided into attacks against the joints or joint locks (関節技, kansetsu-waza^?), strangleholds or chokeholds (絞技, shime-waza^?), and holding or pinning techniques (押込技, osaekomi-waza^?). Ground fighting (in Martial arts sometimes referred to as " ground work " or " ground game " is hand-to-hand combat which takes

A kind of sparring is practised in judo, known as randori (乱取り, randori^?), meaning "free practice". In randori, two adversaries may attack each other with any judo throw or grappling technique. Striking techniques (atemi-waza) such as kicking and punching, along with knife and sword techniques are retained in the kata. This form of pedagogy is usually reserved for higher ranking practitioners (for instance, in the kime-no-kata), but are forbidden in contest, and usually prohibited in randori for reasons of safety. is a Self-defense oriented series of Katas in Judo. Kime no kata also known as, was developed at the Kodokan around 1888 Also for reasons of safety, chokeholds, joint locking, and the sacrifice techniques are subject to age or rank restrictions. For example, in the United States one must be 13 or older to use chokeholds, and 16 or older to use armlocks.

In randori and tournament (shiai) practice, when an opponent successfully executes a chokehold or joint lock, one submits, or "taps out", by tapping the mat or one's opponent at least twice in a manner that clearly indicates the submission. When this occurs the match is over, the tapping player has lost, and the chokehold or joint lock ceases.

Kata (forms)

Main article: Kata

Forms (kata) are pre-arranged patterns of attack and defence, which in judo are practised with a partner for the purpose of perfecting judo techniques. For other uses see Kata (disambiguation. is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or More specifically, their purposes include illustrating the basic principles of judo, demonstrating the correct execution of a technique, teaching the philosophical tenets upon which judo is based, allowing for the practice of techniques that are not allowed in competition, and to preserve ancient techniques that are historically important but are no longer used in contemporary judo.

Knowledge of various kata is a requirement for the attainment of a higher rank.

There are seven kata that are recognised by the Kodokan today:

• Free practice forms (Randori no Kata), comprising two kata:
  • Throwing forms (Nage no Kata)
  • Grappling forms (Katame no Kata)
• Old style self-defence forms (Kime no Kata)
• Modern self-defence forms (Kodokan Goshin Jutsu)
• Forms of "gentleness" (Ju no Kata)
• The five forms (Itsutsu no Kata)
• Ancient forms (Koshiki no Kata) [4]
• Maximum-efficiency national physical education kata (Seiryoku Zen'yō Kokumin Taiiku no Kata)

There are also other kata that are not officially recognised by the Kodokan but that continue to be practised. 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 is a Kata (a set of prearranged techniques in Judo. It consists of fifteen techniques grouped in three categoriesOsae-komi-waza (holding techniques Shime-waza (choking is a Self-defense oriented series of Katas in Judo. Kime no kata also known as, was developed at the Kodokan around 1888 Kodokan Goshin Jutsu is a set of prearranged self-defence forms in Judo. is a Kata (a set of prearranged forms in Judo. It is designed to teach the fundamental principles of judo especially the principle of ju ( yielding is a Kata (a set of prearranged techniques in Judo. It consists in five techniques known only by their number is a Kata (a set of prearranged techniques in Judo. It is also known as Kito-ryu no 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. The most prominent example of these is the Go no sen no kata, a kata that focuses on counter-attacks to attempted throws. The Go no sen no kata is a judo Kata that focuses on counter-attacks to throwing techniques

Randori (sparring)

Judo emphasizes a free-style sparring, called randori, as one of its main forms of training. Sparring is a form of Training common to many Martial arts. Although the precise form varies it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting with enough rules Part of the combat time is spent sparring standing up, called tachi-waza, and the other part on the ground, called ne-waza. Sparring, even subject to safety rules, is much more practically effective than only practicing techniques on their own, which is what jujutsuka were used to doing. Using full strength develops the muscles and cardio-vascular system on the physical side of things, and it develops strategy and reaction time on the mental side of things, and helps the practitioner learn to use techniques against a resisting opponent. Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse" is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System" A common saying among judoka is "The best training for judo is judo. "

There are several types of sparring exercises, such as ju renshu (both judoka attack in a very gentle way where no resistance is applied); and kakari geiko (only one judoka attacks while the other one relies solely on defensive and evasive techniques, but without the use of sheer strength. )

Combat phases

Tachi-waza ends and ne-waza begins once the jūdōka go to the ground.

In judo, there are two main phases of combat: the standing (tachi-waza) and the ground (ne-waza) phase. Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Each phase requires its own (mostly separate) techniques, strategies, randori, conditioning and so on. Special training is also devoted to "transitional" techniques to bridge the gap. Jūdōka may become quite skilled in one phase and be rather weak in the other, depending on where their interests most lie, although most are balanced between the two.

Judo's balance between both the standing and ground phases of combat gives judoka the ability to take down opponents who are standing up and then pin and submit them on the ground. A submission (depending on the context also referred to as a " tap out " or " tapping out " is a Combat sports term for yielding to This balanced theory of combat has made judo a popular choice of martial art or combat sport.

Standing phase

In the standing phase, which has primacy according to the contest rules, the opponents attempt to throw each other. Although standing joint-lock and choke/strangulation submission techniques are legal in the standing phase,^[8] they are quite rare due to the fact that they are much harder to apply standing than throws are. A joint lock is a Grappling technique involving manipulation of an opponent's Joints in such a way that the joints reach their maximal degree of motion A chokehold or stranglehold (in Budo referred to as shime-waza, 絞技 "constriction technique" is a Grappling hold that A chokehold or stranglehold (in Budo referred to as shime-waza, 絞技 "constriction technique" is a Grappling hold that Some jūdōka, however, are very skilled in combining takedowns with submissions, where a submission technique is begun standing and finished on the ground. A takedown is a Martial arts and Combat sports term for a technique that involves off-balancing an opponent and bringing him or her to the ground typically with the

Strikes (i. A strike is an attack with an inanimate object such as a Weapon, or with a part of the human body intended to cause an effect upon an opponent or to simply cause harm to e. punches, kicks, etc. In the context of Unarmed combat or Melee, a punch is "a thrusting blow esp In Martial arts, Combat sports or Violence, a kick is a strike using the Foot, leg, or Knee (also known as a knee . . ) are not allowed due to their certainty of injury, but an athlete is supposed to "take them into consideration" while training by, for example, not fighting in a bent-over position for long, since this position is vulnerable to knee-strikes and other striking attacks. Injury or bodily injury is Damage or Harm caused to the Structure or function of the Body caused by an outside agent or A knee strike (commonly referred to simply as a knee) is a strike with the Knee, either with the Kneecap or the surrounding area

The main purpose of the throwing techniques (nage waza) is to take an opponent who is standing on his feet, mobile and dangerous, down onto his back where he cannot move as effectively. A throw (in Japanese martial arts referred to as nage-waza, 投げ技 "throwing technique" is a Martial arts term for a Grappling Thus, the main reason for throwing the opponent is to control the opponent and to put oneself in a dominant position. In this way the practitioner has more potential to render a decisive outcome. Another reason to throw the opponent is to shock his body through smashing him forcefully onto the ground. If an opponent executes a powerful yet fully controlled throw, he can win a match outright (by ippon) on the basis that he has displayed sufficient superiority. A lower score is given for lesser throws. A score for a throw is only given when executed starting from a standing position.

In keeping with Kano's emphasis on scientific analysis and reasoning, the standard Kodokan judo pedagogy dictates that any throwing technique is theoretically a four phased event: off-balancing (kuzushi); body positioning (作り, tsukuri^?); execution (掛け, kake^?); and finally the finish or coup de grâce (極め, kime^?). is a Japanese term for unbalancing an opponent in the Martial arts. Each phase follows the previous one with great rapidity - ideally they happen almost simultaneously.

Ground phase

When practicing ne-waza, the practitioners may start from their knees.

In competition, combat may continue on the ground after a throw occurs or if the contestants otherwise legally end up on the ground; a contestant is not allowed to simply drop to the ground to commence ground fighting. ^[9]

On the ground, the contestants aim to either obtain a hold down, or to get their opponent to submit either by using a choke or strangulation or armlock (locks on joints other than the elbow are not allowed for safety reasons. In Grappling, an Armlock is a single or double Joint lock that hyperextends hyperflexes or hyperrotates the Elbow Joint And/Or Shoulder )

Hold downs

Hold downs (押さえ込み, osaekomi^?) are important since in a real fight the person who has control of his opponent can hit him with punches, knees, headbutts, and other strikes. A headbutt is a strike with the head typically involving the use of robust parts of the Cranium as areas of impact If osaekomi is maintained for twenty-five seconds, the person doing the holding down wins the match. An osaekomi involves holding an opponent principally on their back, and free of their legs.

According to the rules as they stood in 1905, it was only necessary to hold down an opponent, on his shoulders, for two seconds - said to reflect the time necessary for a samurai to reach his knife or sword and dispatch his held opponent. The newer longer requirements reflect the combat reality that a fighter must immobilize his opponent for a substantial amount of time in order to strike effectively.

The score for a hold down is determined by how long the hold down is held. A hold down may sometimes result in a submission if the opponent cannot endure the pressure from the hold down.

The 'guard' and 'body scissors'

If the person being held down has wrapped his legs around any part of his opponent's lower body or trunk, he is pinning his opponent as much as he is being pinned, because his opponent cannot get up and flee unless the person on the bottom lets go. While his legs are wrapped around his opponent, the person on the bottom can employ various attacking techniques, including strangles, armlocks and "body scissors" (do-jime), while controlling the opponent so that he cannot effectively strike from above. In this position, often referred to as the "guard" in English, the person on top does not have enough control over his adversary for the position to be considered osaekomi. The guard (in Judo sometimes referred to colloquially as do-osae, "trunk hold" in Catch Wrestling, the "front body scissor" is (Note that while the guard is commonly used, do-jime is no longer legal in competition judo. ) The person on top can try to pass his opponent's legs and in turn hold down or submit him, or he may try to break out of his opponent's guard and stand up. The person on the bottom can try to submit his opponent from his guard or roll his opponent over to get on top of him.

Juji gatame, cross armlock

Joint locks

Joint locks (kansetsu-waza) are effective combat techniques because they enable a jūdōka to control his opponent through pain-compliance, or if necessary, to cause breakage of the locked joint. In Grappling, an Armlock is a single or double Joint lock that hyperextends hyperflexes or hyperrotates the Elbow Joint And/Or Shoulder A joint lock is a Grappling technique involving manipulation of an opponent's Joints in such a way that the joints reach their maximal degree of motion Joint locks on the elbow are considered safe enough to perform at nearly full-force in competition to force submission from one's opponent. Judo has, in the past, allowed leglocks, wristlocks, spinal locks and various other techniques that have since been disallowed in competition to protect athletes' safety. A wristlock is a Joint lock primarily affecting the Wrist-joint and possibly the Radioulnar joints through rotation of the hand A spinal lock is a multiple Joint lock applied to the Spinal column, which is performed by forcing the spine beyond its normal ranges of motion It was decided that attacking those other joints would result in many injuries to the athletes and would cause a gradual deterioration of these joints. A joint is the location at which two or more Bones make contact A sportsperson ( British and American English) or athlete (principally American English is any person who participates regularly in a Sport. Even so, some jūdōka still enjoy learning and fighting each other informally using these techniques that are banned from formal competitions, and many of these techniques are still actively used in other arts such as sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and jujutsu. Sambo (самбо—also called Sombo or Cambo and sometimes written in all-caps is a modern Martial art, combat sport and Self-defense Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ( BJJ) is a Martial art and Combat sport that focuses on Grappling and especially Ground fighting with the goal literally meaning the " art of softness " or "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling

Chokes and strangulations

Chokes and strangulations (締め技, shime-waza^?) enable the one applying the choke to force the adversary into unconsciousness and even death. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Strangulation cuts off the blood supply to the brain via compression on the sides of the neck, while a choke blocks the airway from the front of the neck. Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain The airways are those parts of the Respiratory system through which air flows to get from the external environment to the Alveoli. The terms are frequently interchangeable in common usage, and a formal differentiation is not made by most jūdōka. ^[10] In competition, the jūdōka wins if the opponent submits or becomes unconscious. A strangle, once properly locked in, can render an opponent unconscious in only a few seconds, but normally causes no injury.

As a sport

All-Japan Judo Championships, 2007 men's final. is a Tournament of the Judo held in Japan. Men's tournament is held in Nippon Budokan on April 29 and women's tournament is held in Tokyo

Although a fully featured martial art, judo has also developed as a sport.

The first time judo was seen in the Olympics was at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles, where Kano and about 200 judo students gave a demonstration. ^[11] Judo became an Olympic sport for men in the 1964 Tokyo games. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. With the persistence of an American woman by the name of Rusty Kanokogi and many others, judo became an Olympic sport for women as well in 1988. It is often stated that the men's judo event in 1964 was a demonstration event, but according to the International Judo Federation (IJF) and International Olympic Committee, Judo was in fact an official sport in the 1964 games. The International Judo Federation was founded in July 1951 The IJF was originally composed of judo federations from Europe plus Argentina At that Games Dutchman Anton Geesink won the gold medal in the open division defeating Aiko Kaminaga of Japan. Antonius "Anton" Johannes Geesink (born April 6, 1934) is a Dutch 10th dan Judoka. Judo then lost the image of being "Japanese only" and went on to become one of the most widely practised sports in the world. The women's event was a demonstration event in 1988, and became an official medal event 4 years later. Men and women compete separately, although they often train together. Judo has been a Paralympic sport (for the visually impaired) since 1988. The Paralympic Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical and sensorial disabilities Judo is also one of the sports at the Special Olympics. The Special Olympics World Games are an international sporting competition for athletes with Intellectual disabilities, organized by Special Olympics.

Collegiate competition in the United States, especially between UC Berkeley and San Jose State, contributed towards refining judo into the sport seen at the Olympic Games and World Championships. College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The University of California Berkeley (also referred to as Cal, Berkeley and UC Berkeley) is a major research university located in Berkeley San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games In the 1940s Henry Stone and Yosh Uchida, the head coaches at Cal and SJSU, developed a weight class system for use in the frequent competitions between the schools. Yoshihiro "Yosh" Uchida (born 1920 is an American businessman entrepreneur and educator who is best known for his contributions to Judo. Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size In 1953, Stone and Uchida successfully petitioned the Amateur Athletic Union to accept judo as a sport, with their weight class system as an official component. Official NameAmateur Athletic Union of the United States Incorporated (AAU In 1961, Uchida represented the United States at the IJF meetings in Paris, where the IJF adopted weight classes for all future championships. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The IJF was created largely based on the earlier European Judo Union, where weight classes had also been used for many years.

Weight divisions

Main article: Judo weight divisions

There are currently seven weight divisions, subject to change by governing bodies, and may be modified based on the age of the competitors:

Rules

Main article: Judo rules

The traditional rules of judo are intended to avoid injuries to the participants and ensure proper etiquette. As described at http//wwwjudoinfocom/olympic3htm In 1964 at the first Olympic Judo event in Tokyo there were 74 participants from 27 countries This article describes the rules of Judo. The main sections of the article describe the rules that apply to any situation in which judo is practiced and those rules which apply only in Some later additions to the rules were motivated by a desire to make the sport more interesting to observers.

Penalties may be given for being inactive during the match, or for using illegal techniques. Fighting must be stopped if a participant is outside the designated area on the mat (tatami). If the referee and judges need to discuss something during groundwork, the referee will call sonomama (which means "do not move") and both fighters must stop in the position they are in. When they are done, the referee says yoshi and the match continues.

All scores and penalties are given by the referee. The judges can make a decision that changes the score or penalty given by the referee.

There are slight differences to IJF rules to accommodate blind judo. Paralympic judo is an adaptation of the Japanese martial art of Judo for Visually impaired competitors

Competition scoring

The object in a judo match is to either throw the opponent to the ground on his back; to pin him to the ground principally on his back; or to force him to submit to a choke, strangle or an armlock. Any of these score ippon (一本), immediately winning the match.

Judo has four grades of score: ippon, waza-ari, yuko, and koka. An ippon literally means "one point" and wins the match. An ippon is awarded for (a) a throw that lands the opponent largely on their back in a controlled manner with speed and force; (b) for a mat hold of sufficient duration (twenty five seconds); or (c) for opponent submission. A waza-ari is awarded for a throw that does not quite have enough power or control to be considered ippon; or for a hold of twenty seconds. A waza-ari is a half-point, and, if two are scored, they constitute the full point needed for a win.

Yuko and koka are lower grades of score, and only count as tie-breakers - they are not cumulative with one another. Scoring is lexicographic; a waza-ari beats any number of yuko, but a waza-ari and a yuko beat a waza-ari with no yuko. The pursuit of lexicography is divided into two related disciplines Practical lexicography is the art or Craft of compiling writing and editing dictionaries It is not uncommon for a match to be decided based on koka.

A fifteen-second hold down scores yuko and a ten-second hold down scores koka. If the person who secured the hold down already has a waza-ari, they only need to hold the hold down for twenty seconds to score ippon by way of two waza-ari (waza-ari-awasete-ippon). Throws further lacking the requirements of an ippon or a waza-ari might score a yuko or a koka. So-called "skillful takedowns" are also permitted (e. g. the flying arm-bar) but do not score. In Grappling, an Armlock is a single or double Joint lock that hyperextends hyperflexes or hyperrotates the Elbow Joint And/Or Shoulder

If the scores are identical at the end of the match, the contest is resolved by the Golden Score rule. Golden Score is a sudden death situation where the clock is reset to match-time, and the first contestant to achieve any score wins. If there is no score during this period, then the winner is decided by Hantei, the majority opinion of the referee and the two corner judges.

Representation of scores

Judo scoreboards show the number of waza-ari, yuko and koka scores scored by each player. Often an ippon is not represented on the scoreboard, because upon award of an ippon the match is immediately terminated. Some computerised scoreboards will briefly indicate that an ippon has been scored.

Scoreboards normally also show the number of penalties imposed on each player, and sometimes the number of medical visits for each. (Only two "medical" attentions are allowed for each competitor during a match — most often for minor bleeds. )

Electronic scoreboards also usually include timers for measuring both competition time and osekomi time.

A match with the first player scoring one waza-ari, two yukos, and two kokas, beating his opponent who scored one fewer kokas would be displayed on the scoreboard as: "122" vs. "121"; while in print such a result would often be represented as: "1W2Y2K" vs. "1W2Y1K".

As self-defence

In 1902, Barton-Wright wrote: "Judo and jujitsu were not designed as primary means of attack and defence against a boxer or a man who kicks you, but were only to be used after coming to close quarters, and in order to get to close quarters it was absolutely necessary to understand boxing and the use of the foot. Edward William Barton-Wright CE, MJS (member of the Japan Society (1860-1951 was a British Entrepreneur specialising in both "^[12]

While throws executed with proper break falls on soft mats may seem relatively light and graceful, their more practical application on a hard surface can be very dangerous (especially with greater intent to harm. )

Furthermore, ground grappling had been proven to be an effective form of self-defence. That fact was demonstrated by the success of the Fusen-ryū jujutsuka against early Kodokan judoka in a challenge match held in 1900, and again nearly 100 years later when Royce Gracie beat all-comers in the first UFC tournament (in 1993) with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. literally meaning the " art of softness " or "way of yielding" is a collective name for Japanese martial art styles consisting of grappling Royce Gracie (born December 12, 1966) is a professional Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner The Ultimate Fighting Championship (later renamed UFC 1 The Beginning) was the first mixed martial arts (MMA event held by the Ultimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ( BJJ) is a Martial art and Combat sport that focuses on Grappling and especially Ground fighting with the goal

Though the sport is in itself an effective means of self-defence, the amount of training offered that adapts it more specifically to self-defence situations varies from dojo to dojo, ranging from very little in some dojos through to a strong emphasis in others (especially with Russian Judo. )

In mixed martial arts

Using their knowledge of ne-waza/grappling and tachi-waza/standing-grappling, accomplished judo practitioners have also competed in mixed martial arts matches. Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Grappling refers to the gripping handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various Grappling holds Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and Former Russian national judo champion Fedor Emelianenko is usually ranked as mixed martial arts' best heavyweight. Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ('fʲodər jemilʲja'nʲenkə Russian: Фëдор Владимирович Емельяненко sometimes romanized as Fyodor Yemelyanenko Karo Parisyan fights in UFC's welterweight division, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Hidehiko Yoshida, an Olympic gold medalist in 1992 and World Judo Champion in 1999, were also fighters in the now defunct PRIDE FC. Karapet "Karo" Parisyan (Կարո Փարիզյան born August 28, 1982 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian American Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC is a US -based Mixed martial arts (MMA organization currently recognized as the largest MMA promotion in the world Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua (born April 18, 1984) sometimes billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian Mixed martial artist is a Japanese gold-medalist Judoka and MMA fighter Biography Hidehiko Yoshida was born in Obu, Aichi, Japan PRIDE Fighting Championships ( PRIDE or PRIDE FC for short was a Mixed martial arts organization based in Japan. Other Olympic gold medalist and world champion judokas such as Pawel Nastula, Yoon Dong-Sik and Jung Bu-Kyung also fight in MMA. Paweł Marina Nastula (born June 26, 1970 in Warszawa) is a Polish heavyweight fighter in Mixed martial arts, who last competed Yoon Dong-Sik (윤동식 (born August 24, 1972 in Seoul) is a Korean Judoka, and mixed martial artist currently competing in Jung Bu-Kyung (born May 26 1978 in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean Judoka and professional Mixed martial Undefeated WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho has credited judo and jiu-jitsu for his success. World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC is an American mixed martial arts (MMA promotion Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho (born May 24, 1978) is a Brazilian Mixed martial arts (MMA fighter as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ^[13] Fighters Sanae Kikuta and Hayato Sakurai also come from judo backgrounds. Sanae Kikuta (born September 10, 1971 in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese Mixed martial arts fighter who rose to popularity Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (桜井“マッハ”速人 ( August 24, 1975) is a Japanese Mixed martial arts fighter and PRIDE

Styles

Kano Jigoro's Kodokan Judo is the most popular and well-known style of judo, but is not the only one. The terms judo and jujutsu were quite interchangeable in the early years, so some of these forms of judo are still known as jujutsu or jiu-jitsu either for that reason, or simply to differentiate them from mainstream judo. From Kano's original style of judo, several related forms have evolved—some now widely considered to be distinct arts:

• Olympic Judo: This is the predominant form of Kodokan judo.

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Mitsuyo Maeda introduced judo to Brazil in 1914. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ( BJJ) is a Martial art and Combat sport that focuses on Grappling and especially Ground fighting with the goal a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Mitsuyo Maeda,was a Japanese judōka and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Maeda taught judo to Carlos Gracie (1902–1994) and others in Brazil. Carlos Gracie (1901-1994 is the co-founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu the Brazilian Martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ along with his younger Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu did not follow later changes in international judo rules that were added to emphasise the standing phase of the fight, nor those rules that were introduced to ban the more dangerous techniques. Although all the techniques are virtually the same, BJJ's quite different point scoring system and absence of judo's various rules that require the competitors to recommence fighting from a standing position are largely responsible for giving it its different character. BJJ is closer to the original early 1900s judo than current Olympic judo is.

• Judo-do: In Austria, Julius Fleck and others developed a system of throwing intended to extend judo that they called "judo-do". Judo-do is a system of throws intended to extend Judo, that was developed by Julius Fleck (1894-1967 and others in Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich

• Kawaishi-ryū jujutsu: Teaching in France, Mikonosuke Kawaishi developed Kawaishi-ryū jujutsu as an alternative approach to instruction that continued to teach many techniques banned in modern Olympic/Kodokan judo competition. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

• Kosen Judo (高專柔道, Kosen Judo^?): As a sub-style of Kodokan Judo that became popularised in early 20th century Japanese inter-scholastic competition, Kosen style has the same range of techniques but greater latitude is permitted for ground technique. Kosen judo (高專柔道 is the name given to the Kodokan Judo practiced at Kosen schools in Japan at the turn of the 20th century Kosen judo (高專柔道 is the name given to the Kodokan Judo practiced at Kosen schools in Japan at the turn of the 20th century Like BJJ, this style of judo is closer to the original early 1900s judo than current Olympic judo is.

• Russian Judo: This distinctive style of judo was influenced by Sambo. It is represented by well-known coaches such as Alexander Retuinskih and Igor Yakimov, and mixed martial arts fighters such as Igor Zinoviev, Fedor Emelianenko and Karo Parisyan. Russian General Alexander Retuinskih is the President of the International and All-Russian Federation of Russian Martial Art who served as Special Representative to Russian President Igor Yakimov is a world Judo champion as well a world sport sambo champion and a medallist at the Combat Sambo world championships Mixed martial arts (MMA is a full contact Combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques from a mixture of Martial arts traditions and Igor Zinoviev (born 1967) is a Russian Mixed martial arts fighter Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ('fʲodər jemilʲja'nʲenkə Russian: Фëдор Владимирович Емельяненко sometimes romanized as Fyodor Yemelyanenko Karapet "Karo" Parisyan (Կարո Փարիզյան born August 28, 1982 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian American In turn, Russian judo has influenced mainstream judo, with techniques such as the flying armbar being accepted into Kodokan judo.

• Sambo (especially Sport Sambo): Vasili Oshchepkov was the first European judo black belt under Kano. Sambo (самбо—also called Sombo or Cambo and sometimes written in all-caps is a modern Martial art, combat sport and Self-defense Oshchepkov went on to create Sambo from judo's influence, integrating other combative techniques into his new system. Oshchepkov died during the political purges of 1937 for refusing to deny his education in Japanese judo under Kano. Great Purge (Большая чистка transliterated Bolshaya chistka) was a series of campaigns of Political repression and Persecution In their History of Sambo, Brett Jacques and Scott Anderson wrote that in Russia "judo and SOMBO were considered to be the same thing" - albeit with a different uniform and some differences in the rules. ^[14]

Safety

Research shows that judo is a particularly safe sport for youths, though adult competitive judo has a relatively higher incidence of injuries compared to non-collision or non-contact ball-sports for example, but similar to other competitive contact sports. ^[15][16]

Chokes

Although chokes are potentially lethal techniques, a properly-applied chokehold, if released soon enough after submission or unconsciousness, causes no injury. ^[17][18]

There is ample data demonstrating the safety of applying chokeholds,^[19][20][21] and training includes emergency care^[22] and resuscitation (kappo. )^[17]

Organisations

Main article: List of judo organisations

The international organization for judo is the International Judo Federation (IJF).

Although it has no official standing in judo, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) defines judo as one of the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practised internationally (the other three being Greco-Roman wrestling, Freestyle wrestling and sambo). The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (FILA, is an international Wrestling is the act of physical engagement between two people in which each wrestler strives to get an advantage over or control of the opponent Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world Freestyle wrestling is a style of Amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world Sambo (самбо—also called Sombo or Cambo and sometimes written in all-caps is a modern Martial art, combat sport and Self-defense

Rank and grading

Judo rank is generally not of primary importance among jūdōka who participate in tournaments. Modern judo is primarily practised as a sport, so there tends to be more emphasis on tournament records than on rank. Since rank does not determine competitive performance, and since tournaments are not structured by rank (except at the lowest novice levels), it is not uncommon to see lower-ranked competitors defeat higher-ranked opponents. An active competitor may not pursue high ranks, preferring to focus on preparation for competition; for example, a silver medal was won by an ikkyu (brown belt) female competitor, Lorena Pierce, in the -70 kg category at the 2004 Paralympics. Judo in the 2004 Summer Paralympics was competed by blind or vision-impaired Judokas The only classification was by body weight The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. Apart from knowledge and ability, rank requirements typically include a minimum age. ^[23] Therefore, it is not uncommon to find teenage competitors at national-level competition who have been practicing judo for 10 years who can beat adult practitioners, but who are only purple or brown belts due to being too young to qualify for a dan rank. Once an individual attains the level of a dan rank, further promotions can be granted for a variety of reasons including skill level, competition performance and/or contributions to judo such as teaching and volunteering time. ^[24] Therefore, a higher dan rank does not necessarily mean that the holder is a better fighter (although often it does. )

Jūdōka are ranked according to skill and knowledge of judo, and their rank is reflected by their belt colour. There are two divisions of rank: below-black-belt-level "grades" (kyū), and black-belt-level "degrees" (dan). The term Black belt has become widely known as way to describe an expert in Martial arts where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt is a Japanese term used in Martial arts, chadō, Ikebana, go, Shogi and in other similar This ranking system was introduced into the martial arts by Kano and has since been widely adopted by modern martial arts. As initially designed, there were six student grades ranked in descending numerical order, with 1st kyū being the last before promotion to first degree black belt (shodan). literally meaning "first degree" is the lowest black belt rank in Japanese martial arts. There are ordinarily 10 dan ranks, which are ranked in ascending numerical order, though in principle there is no limit to the number of dan ranks.

The tenth degree black belt (jūdan) and those above it have no formal requirements. The president of the Kodokan, currently Kano Jigoro's grandson Yukimitsu Kano (Kano Yukimitsu), decides on individuals for promotion. Only fifteen individuals have been promoted to this rank by the Kodokan. On January 6, 2006, three individuals were promoted to 10th dan simultaneously: Toshiro Daigo, Ichiro Abe, and Yoshimi Osawa. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. This is the most ever at the same time, and the first in 22 years. No one has ever been promoted to a rank higher than 10th dan, but:

Theoretically the Judo rank system is not limited to 10 degrees of black belt. The original English language copy (1955) of Illustrated Kodokan Judo, by Jigoro Kano, says: "There is no limit. . . on the grade one can receive. Therefore if one does reach a stage above 10th dan. . . there is no reason why he should not be promoted to 11th dan. " However, since there has never been any promotion to a rank above 10th dan, the Kodokan Judo promotion system effectively has only 10 dans. There have only been 15 10th dans awarded by the Kodokan in the history of Judo. ^[25]

Although dan ranks tend to be consistent between national organisations there is more variation in the kyū grades, with some countries having more kyū grades. Although initially kyū grade belt colours were uniformly white, today a variety of colours are used.

Belt colours

Judo belt colours in Brazil

White
Blue
Yellow
Orange
Green
Purple
Brown
Black

Judo belt colours in Australia, Europe, Canada (Seniors only)

White
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Brown
Black

In Japan, the use of belt colours is related to the age of the student. Some clubs will only have black and white, others will include a brown belt for advanced kyū grades and at the elementary school level it is common to see a green belt for intermediate levels.

For dan ranks, the first five are coloured black, 6th, 7th, and 8th dan have alternating red and white panels, and for 9th and 10th dan the belts are solid red. However, holders of grades above godan (5th dan) will often wear a plain black belt in regular training.

Some countries also use colored tips on belts, to indicate junior age groups. Historically, women's belts had a white stripe along the centre.

Examination requirements vary depending on country, age group and of course the grade being attempted. The examination itself may include competition and kata. The kyū ranks are normally awarded by local instructors (sensei), but dan ranks are usually awarded only after an exam supervised by independent judges from a national judo association. is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers professionals such as lawyers and doctors politicians clergymen and other authority figures For a rank to be recognized, it must be registered with the national judo organization or the Kodokan. is the headquarters of the Judo world Literally kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information" dō means "the way" and

Australia and Europe

For Australia and most of Europe, the belt colours in ascending order are white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and finally black. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Some European countries additionally use a red belt to signify a complete beginner, whereas other European countries such as the UK use a red belt as the belt one grade above a beginner to show that the person is a full member of a club.

Brazil

Brazilian belt rankings are normally white, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, brown and black. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Additionally, a grey belt may be given to very young judoka (under 11 or 13 years old) just before the blue. Competitors are organised into two categories depending on grading; the first is from white to green, and the second is purple through black.

Canada

In Canada belt rankings for Seniors are, in ascending order: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and finally black. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Belt rankings for Juniors use white, white-yellow, yellow, yellow-orange, orange, orange-green, green, green-blue, blue, blue-brown, and brown. ^[23]

Judo kyū belt colours in the United States

Japanese kyū names	USJF Senior	USJF Junior	USJA Senior	USJA Junior	USJA Junior level names
Jūnikyū				Yellow	Junior 1st Degree
Jūichikyū		White		Yellow	Junior 2nd Degree
Jūkyū		White- yellow		Orange	Junior 3rd Degree
Kūkyū		Yellow		Orange	Junior 4th Degree
Hachikyū		Yellow- orange		Green	Junior 5th Degree
Nanakyū		Orange		Green	Junior 6th Degree
Rokkyū	White	Orange- green	Yellow	Blue	Junior 7th Degree
Gokyū	Green	Green	Orange	Blue	Junior 8th Degree
Yonkyū	Blue	Green- blue	Green	Purple	Junior 9th Degree
Sankyū	Brown	Blue	Brown	Purple	Junior 10th Degree
Nikyū	Brown	Blue- purple	Brown	Brown	Junior 11th Degree
Ikkyū	Brown	Purple	Brown	Brown	Junior 12th Degree

United States

In the US only senior players (adults, usually those age 16 and over) are allowed to earn dan levels, signified by wearing a black belt. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The USJF and USJA recognise dan grades awarded by the other organization. Advanced kyū levels can be earned by both seniors and juniors (children under the age of about 16) and are signified by wearing belts of various colours other than black. The order of belt colours can vary from dojo to dojo, depending on the dojo's organizational affiliation.

Seniors

For senior players, both the United States Judo Federation (USJF)^[26] and The United States Judo Association (USJA)^[27] specify four belt colours for the six kyū, as listed in the table. The United States Judo Federation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting Judo in the United States. The USJA also specifies wearing a patch specifying the practitioner's level. This is true for both kyū and dan levels.

Juniors

The USJF Juniors ranking system specifies ranks to 11th kyū (jūichikyū). The USJA Juniors ranking system specifies twelve levels of kyū rank, beginning with "Junior 1st Degree" (equivalent to jūnikyū, or 12th kyū) and ending with "Junior 12th Degree" (equivalent to ikkyū). As with the senior practitioners, the USJA specifies that juniors wear a patch specifying their rank.

See also

• Hard and soft (martial arts)
• Judo techniques, full list of judo techniques
• Judo at the Summer Olympics
• The Canon Of Judo, a book by Kyuzo Mifune (1960)
• The Principle of Ju
• World Judo Championships

Footnotes

Sources

• Kano, Jigoro (1994) Kodokan Judo is the standard reference on judo. ISBN 4-7700-1799-5.
• Ohlenkamp, Neil (2006) Judo Unleashed another basic reference on judo. ISBN 0-0714-7534-6.
• A History of the Kodokan - University of Montana Judo website.
• Anderson, Victor The Four Pillars Of Judo. Fighting Arts website.
• Bibliography of over 1500 Judo books.

External links

Governing bodies

• IJF International Judo Federation. The worldwide governing body for judo
• Kodokan Judo Institute - Headquarters of judo (Kano Jigoro's school)

General

• Judo Information Site - Judo Techniques, History, Principles, Videos, etc.
• Ippon.org - Tournament Results
• Worldwide Judo Clubs, Dojos, & Contacts Database
• Judo stamps - a comprehensive list of judo (and other martial arts) featured on stamps

Videos

• Demonstration of judo techniques from Kyoto University - primarily throwing techniques
• Demonstration of judo techniques from Oklahoma City - primarily throwing techniques and transitions into newaza (matwork)
• Judo clips from Judo Vision - over 1,250 clips available
• Judo clips from the Judo Information Site
• Koshiki no kata - Kano Jigoro and Yamashita Yoshiaki
• categorized judo techniques on video