Judo

Judo is essentially a style of wrestling, one of 4 popular wrestling styles practiced competitively today. It's meaning "The Gentle Way" refers to Judo's technique of using your opponents energy/momentum against them. Judo focuses on throws, hold-downs, joint locks and chokes.

Meaning
Translation: Ju = “Gentle”, Do = “Way”
Literal Translation: The Gentle Way
Origin: Japan
Major Influences: Jujitsu

History
Also known as Kodokan Judo, this Japanese martial art was founded in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano*, a major influence in modern day martial arts. The popularity of Jujitsu was on the decline in Japan; therefore Dr. Kano modernized Jujitsu and created Judo, a “sporting” version of Jujitsu.

Real Life Application
EMA's opinion is that Judo is an excellent choice for those practicing martial arts for self-defense purposes. Most confrontations end up in closer combat, making punching and kicking difficult. Being able to use the size of a large opponent against themself and pin them in a helpless position gives you ultimate control with the least amount of violence.

Links
If you want to research more about Judo, here are some hand-picked sites:
JudoInfo.com | Judo on wikipedia.com

Example Video
This video is a bit long, but does a great job of showing some Judo techniques in slow motion. Pay attention to how the style focuses on redirecting and neutralizing opponents.




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