Judo

Judo (柔道, “the gentle way”) was developed in 1882 by Kanō Jigorō from several jūjutsu schools. The core idea: throw the opponent onto their back, pin them on the ground, or force a submission with a joint lock or strangle. There are no strikes or kicks in competition judo.

Character

• Grip fighting (kumi-kata): Whoever has the better grip on the gi controls the fight.
• Throws (nage-waza): Hip, leg, shoulder and sacrifice throws; a clean throw ends the match (ippon).
• Ground (ne-waza): Pins, arm locks, strangles.

Who is it for?

Anyone who wants to learn throwing technique and body awareness and values a structured path with a belt system. Judo is available almost everywhere through clubs and is one of the cheapest ways into martial arts: a gi is all you need.