About
Judo ('gentle way') was developed by Jigoro Kano in Japan in 1882, combining the throwing and ground techniques of jujitsu with a philosophy of mutual welfare and benefit. The goal is to throw the opponent to the ground, immobilize them, or force submission through joint locks or chokes. Judo has been an Olympic sport since the 1964 Tokyo Games.
Judo has approximately 40 million practitioners worldwide, making it one of the world's most practiced martial arts. It emphasizes using the opponent's energy against them — small practitioners can throw much larger opponents with proper technique. Many MMA champions — from Fedor Emelianenko to Ronda Rousey — have strong judo backgrounds.
# Top 10 Judo facts
- 1Judo is derived from jujitsu — Kano removed the striking and focused on throws, making it safe to practice at full speed
- 2There are approximately 40 million judo practitioners worldwide
- 3Judo's philosophy emphasizes using an opponent's strength against them — size is not decisive
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Judo is derived from jujitsu — Kano removed the striking and focused on throws, making it safe to practice at full speed
- ◆There are approximately 40 million judo practitioners worldwide
- ◆Judo's philosophy emphasizes using an opponent's strength against them — size is not decisive
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