Five Impressive Facts About Judo

Many people have heard the word "judo," but only know it as a martial art - how it is distinguished from the other martial arts isn't clear to them. But those who study judo and other martial arts know that there is a great degree in difference between the fighting forms, and that judo is an art form in and of itself. In order to help you learn more about judo, here are five facts that will help you get started.

• Fact #1: "Judo" comes from two words. Like many other martial arts with foreign backgrounds, the word "Judo" actually comes from different words put together. "Ju" refers to something that is gentle, and "do" means "the way" or "the path." In other words, Judo translates as "the gentle way," which gives you some insights as to how Judo is styled as a martial art.
• Fact #2: Judo developed in the mid-1800's. Jujitsu was perhaps the most commonly practiced Japanese martial art before the 1800's, as many Samurai warriors would practice it as a way to defeat opponents with swords and armor. With the arrival of Western influence, guns became more prevalent and swords became outdated, leading to a demand for a new type of martial art.
• Fact #3: Judo is based on making your opponent's energy work against them. When Judo was developed, it was developed on the premise that it could work well as a sport, not necessarily as an improved method of combat. With the arrival of sports and teams, judo became popular as a way of exploring competition and athletics, not necessarily killing or defeating an opponent.
• Fact #4: Judo became an Olympic sport in 1964. Judo rose in popularity during the early 20th Century and eventually saw an increased popularity so high that in 1964 it was accepted into the Olympics.
• Fact #5: Judo is primarily defensive in nature. Many people don't think that Judo functions as a martial art in and of itself because it is limited in its scope: it seeks to emphasize self-defense by using your opponent's energy against them, and does not emphasize striking or wrestling.

Judo is perhaps a prime example of a martial art that has contributed to world though rather than promoted violence, since it has mostly been used as a way of making sport.

Photo Credits: parhessiastes

Originally posted 2009-07-20 05:27:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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20th century, armor, art fact, art form, energy work, guns, japanese martial art, Judo, jujitsu, Martial Arts, olympic sport, olympics, opponent, opponents, popularity, premise, samurai warriors, self defense, swords, western influence

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Judo, Martial Arts

Posted by Martial Arts Karate Kung Fu on March 21, 2010 in Judo, Martial Arts. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.