The Basics of Judo Part 1: Concepts and Terms

I've been doing judo for a good while now, and I think judo is a very enjoyable martial art. Not only is it physically demanding as a workout, but the philosophy behind it is something to admire no matter what. Judo was developed in 1880, and derived from ju-jitsu. These arts focus more on grappling techniques than striking techniques. Although ju-jitsu has strikes (atemi-waza), judo focuses on the use of throws, holds, joint locks and chokes. Judo means 'the gentle way' but it's still pretty strenuous because let's face it, the ground kinda hurts. Because of this, I'm going to be writing a series of articles first about the requirements of studying judo and the basic terms.

What You Need

Like all martial arts, judo study requires that you have a gi, or a uniform. Judo gi (yes, that's plural) are different from other martial arts gi - they're made of heavy cotton to withstand the pulling, lifting, and overall force that will be exerted on them. Also, you need to be able to take falls, not have any existing joint injuries, and a good work ethic.

Also, you need to know the two basic tenets of judo. The first one is 'Maximum efficiency with minimum effort' and the second is 'mutual welfare and benefit'. The first means that you should always try to use the least amount of force possible to get the most work done. If you fully master this concept of judo, it won't really matter too much what your size is - you'll be able to move people no matter what size they are. The second tenet is related to the fact that you work with a partner in judo. You are responsible for both your safety and their safety, which covers the welfare part. Benefit means that whilst you're practising one thing, they're getting to practise something else: you practise throwing, they practise falling, things like that. Always be able to show respect to your judo partner.

Today's Terms

Gi - This is the uniform you wear when training in judo. It's made of heavy cotton, usually white. It plays a critical part in all techniques, because it's what you grip.

Tatami - In most places in America, you'll likely be judo training on a standard gym mat. The word 'tatami' means mat, and traditionally these were made of straw. Always bow when stepping on or off the tatami.

Tori - In judo, the players are referred to with different terms. Tori is the person executing a technique.

Uke - Uke is the person receiving the technique, and thus falling or attempting to escape.

Ukemi - Ukemi are breakfalls. These are basically what enable you to be slammed onto the mat and get back up for more.

Warmup

After bowing to the mat, you'll want to do some warmup exercises before doing your judo workout. This is the one we use in our class uses (http://westga.edu/~judo/class/warmup.html) Warming up is vital - not only does it help to get your blood flowing, but the stretches lossen the muscles and joints to prepare them for doing judo. You'll be doing a lot of twisting, pulling, etc. with resistance, and too much stress can damage joints. Always make sure to fully stretch.

Basics of Ukemi

The key to a good ukemi in judo is to put as much force into the ground by slapping it hard - BEFORE the rest of you hits. See, the ground pushes back on your hand, just Newton's Third Law in action, and you therefore don't take as hard a fall as you would otherwise. Also, make absolutely sure to keep your head from slamming backwards when you fall - people have gotten concussions that way. There are three main ukemi that you'll need to know how to do: back, sides and forward (with both legs). In the next article, I'll explain these ukemi in more detail.