Judo is an Olympic sporting discipline which originated in Japan. It is a popular sport played throughout the world. Judo was founded by a gentleman called Kano Jigoro. Many of the Judo techniques are derived from Jujutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art form. The word Judo literally means gentleness. It is perhaps due to the fact the almost all the Judo movements have gentle connotations.

A practitioner of Judo is often referred to as a Judoka. Body balance is an important ingredient of a Judoka. Judo is basically used for close range fighting. The heavy influence of Jujutsu is evident from the close resemblance of the techniques in Judo. Judo is one of the most popular combat sports in the world. This sport is generally dominated by the Japanese fighters. But there are Judo champions from other countries as well. Judokas use a wide range of throwing and holding techniques to subjugate the opponents. Control and balance are two of the most important traits of a good Judoka. Speed and agility should be effectively combined with suppleness and flexibility.

Judo includes various techniques such as throws, pins, falls, rolls, joint-locks, and chokes etc. These techniques are used in various other combinations which are used in combat against an opponent. Sparring in Judo is called randori. This Japanese word literally means free practice. Through randori, Judokas perfect their techniques. They also become aware of their strengths and weaknesses. The rules and regulations are uniform throughout the world when it comes to Judo tournaments and contests. Like Karate, Judo too has its own sets of forms or katas. These katas are a sequence of movements designed to effectively use the techniques like throws, chokes, and locks. This is also a good platform to hone the fighting skills which can be used in actual combat in a contest or a tournament. Judo has a ranking system depending on the seniority and the capability of the Judokas. Practicing the techniques again and again is the right way to perfect it.

Men’s Judo has been an Olympic sport since the year 1964. Women’s Judo was included as an Olympic sport in 1988 Seoul Olympics. In the Olympics, Judokas fight in seven weight categories. Judo as a sport is gaining popularity in the European countries apart from Japan and USA. It is more popular than some other martial arts because of its soft nature of techniques. As a sport, it is definitely less dangerous than some other disciplines like Thai boxing or Kickboxing. But that does not mean that mastering Judo techniques is easy. Like many other martial arts, Judo too requires ultimate dedication and hard work. Once mastered, Judokas feel confident as they can defend themselves against any opponent.