Principle

Judo mainly encompasses throws, locks, and falling techniques in order to tech stresses the principles of averting or overcome someone with greater strength or size, as well as the way to use the principles of leverage, balance, efficiency, momentum and control to enhance ones ability.

History

Judo was created by Professor Jigoro Kano. After mastering several styles of Jujitsu in his youth, he began to develop his own Jujutsu-derived system based on sports principles of the late 1800's. In 1882 he founded, and began teaching at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo. He chose the name " The Gentle Way" or "Judo". "The popularity of Judo increased dramatically after a famous contest, hosted by the Tokyo police in 1886, where the Judo team defeated the most well-known Jujitsu school of the time." It became a part of the Japanese physical education system and its popularity in Japan began to quickly spread around the world. In 1964 men's Judo became an Olympic event. In 1992 the same was done for women's Judo.

Philosophy

Because Kano was involved in education, Judo training emphasizes mental, moral and character development as much as physical instruction. Kano emphasized the educational value of training in psychological and physical attack and defense so that it could be a way of life that all people could participate in and benefit from in Judo and in life. "He eliminated some of the traditional Jujitsu techniques and changed training methods so that most of the moves could be done with full force to create a decisive victory without injury."(www.grandmaster.cc)