Judo is a martial art that was introduced by the Japanese sect. The phrase, ‘Martial Arts’ may inculcate fear in the hearts of several people. This fear can, in turn, cause people to shy away from Judo. But then, is Judo really dangerous? Read on to find out more!
What is Judo?
Judo means ‘gentle way’ in English. It is a sport that involves two individuals who engage in physical combat. Apart from this sport being just physical, the individuals combine their mental and moral states in practicing Judo.
The sport is about a hundred years old, and along the years, the sport has been furnished with several skills and techniques. These new additions have made it a very interesting sport. Apart from skills, a little bit of Physics was incorporated into this sport.
The players learn to practice terms like torque, forces, and rotational motion. Torque is the turning effect of a force around a point. The players exert forces on their opponents, and the force leads to effects like rotational motion.
It was introduced first in Japan by Jigoro Kano. Judo is a sport that banks on healthy competition by sharpening the mental state of an individual. The competition is implemented in the game when one of the players throws their opponent to the ground. After this throw, the opponent gets immobilized with chief strategies like pins, chokes and locks at the joints.
The Judo sport does not involve using weapons or any other deadly tool. All that the players depend upon to win are their stances. They have to make sure they give their opponent solid kicks in their legs that will be sure to send them stumbling.
A person that teaches Judo is called the Sensei. Sensei means ‘one that came before.’ A sensei works to teach his students the skills and techniques his ‘Sensei’ taught him.
- A person that indulges him or herself in the Judo game is called a Judoka. There are no serious requirements for Judo players. All the virtues they need are patience, balance, sturdiness, and the ability to concentrate effectively. The uniform the players wear is called the Judogi. Judogi constitutes of a wrap shirt that the players hold to their waists with fabric belts.
New Judo players wear white belts. The virtuosos of the game wear black belts. Any other class that exists in between the two major ones usually wear other colors of belts. The other half is the pants they wear beneath the fabric shirt. It is quite loose on them as well as it is firm, helping them move with great precision. Judo players do not wear shoes.
Techniques used in some other sports were ingrained in Judo. The sports include wrestling and grappling. In Judo, it is believed that players who allow themselves to get accustomed to each move of their opponent and in turn, evade it are the ones who emerge as winners.
Why? Following those strategies will cause the opponent to lose balance during his throws. It is all about using your opponent’s forceful throws to your advantage.
Is Judo dangerous?
To minimize the potential dangers in this game, the new player spends a lot of time mastering how to fall safely on the Judo mat (Tatami). It is the job of the Tori (the player acting out the throw) to help the Uke (the player on the receiving end) land safely. He does this by grabbing on to his opponent’s arm and guiding him safely to the floor.
So, even though the hits may seem hard and painful, there is still a conscious effort made by the players to look out for each other.
Judo involves techniques like pins, chokes and locks. What it does not involve are dangerous moves like kicks, punches, painful strikes or the use of dangerous equipment.
Judo is a sport that has a lot of benefits to the players. Some of the benefits include:
- Increased strength and flexibility.
- Agility
- Speed and Dynamism.
- Increased Endurance.
- Shorter time for reaction.
- A boost in self-confidence.
- An increase in body frames.
- Reined emotions.
- Controlled impulsiveness.
- Increased competitive spirit.
- Dauntless attitudes.
With all of these benefits achieved by playing Judo, it cannot be a dangerous game!
Besides, Judo is a subject that is treated in high schools, colleges and gyms. These centers contain individuals whose lives must not be put to risk in any way. So, of course, the authorities will only introduce something that will help them stay safe!
Before any player can start choking his opponent, he or she must have had his belt upgraded to the yellow or orange belt.
Lastly, this sport runs for a short period. For kids, it extends for three minutes. For teenagers, the sport runs for about five minutes. So, there is usually enough time for the players to rest and catch their breath.
Rules that must be followed in Judo.
To ensure even more safety, some rules must be followed strictly by the players when playing the sport.
- For boosting the confidence they have in themselves, players are required to first take bows to each other before and after the competition.
- The Judokas must wear their uniforms!
- The Judokas must not engage other dangerous skills like directing their attacks to joints apart from the elbow. They must not kick their opponent, grab their opponent’s hair of face or inflict injuries on their opponent knowingly.
- The players must not hit their opponents in their bellies with their heads.
- No metallic object must be hidden in the Judoka’s uniform.
- The contestants must abstain from throwing foul languages at each other.
Why will you want to learn Judo?
You might have been wondering about this. The thing is Judo offers you a lot of reasons why you should learn it. Females need to even take note of this step the most.
- With this game, you can physically exercise your bones and muscles. This can be referred to as a state of being fit. Judo is a game that promises overall body fitness and never-ending bodily activity.
- Judo is more of a life lesson than a combative sport. This point is seen when the players bow to each other before the game. It is a sign of honor and reverence for their opponent. It sets your mind in continuous activity and trains it. Judo is just like chess, each move highly calculative and deep.
- Females can use their Judo skills to defend themselves. In case of unnecessary harassments and attacks, females can take the upper hand by dealing with the suspects themselves.
How to play Judo.
Now that you know that Judo is not a dangerous sport, you can try out a few of the techniques.
Judo is a sport that must be practiced where there is a qualified coach to monitor the activities of the players. It is also more interesting when you play with an opponent.
First thing you need to do is set the mat on your training space. Clear the space of harmful tools and make sure that your mat is heavily padded. The first thing a Judo player is taught is the respectful bow that is exchanged between players at the beginning and end of a game. This basic etiquette knowledge is called ‘Reiho’.
After learning the etiquette, the Judo player learns how to break a fall. This is the most important thing to learn when playing Judo. Judo basically involves being strikes against a mat fully.
The Judo starting skills that do not involve you having a partner include the forward move, the rear ukemi, chops, footwork drills and stances.
From that, you can move on to the basic throws involved in Judo. To try to get used to throwing your opponent, try throwing yourself against the mat first. Learn how to lift your body off the ground too.
The first thing you need to try is ‘Kakari geiko’. This involves a Judo player repeatedly flipping his opponent against the mat. The opponent stays behind him and wraps one hand around his neck. Then, the player uses the power in his fore-limbs to lift the opponent.
The second thing to be learnt is ‘Yakusoku geiko’. Here, the players have to come to an agreement as to who throws and who is thrown.
The third thing to learn is ‘Randori’. This step is one where a player faces his opponent in combat.
Another thing you need to know as a player is that a player can only win a match by either of the three ways below.
- The player can throw his opponent on the mat. That is why, as a beginner, you have to maintain a steady stance on the mat so that you are not easily tripped.
- The player can pin his opponent to his back. When this stance remains for some time without the opponent freeing out of it, you win.
- A Judo player can also win by submission. Here, the opponent can either give up by himself. Otherwise, the player on the winning side could stop his attack when the referee or corner judge stops him.
Conclusion.
Judo is a very safe game that anyone can practice. It trains the mind of anyone who plays it.
Judo also teaches the players the right set of skills and attitudes of courtesy. That is why it is advised that kids above the age of six participate in the game.