Overview
Judo is a sport fighting martial art that originated in Japan during the early 20 century. As a competitive sport with codified rules, its requirements for advancement have remained more standardized than that for many martial art styles. Although there will be variations between different schools of martial arts, yellow belt techniques are suitable for novices, while brown belt techniques require expertise to perform.
Yellow Belt Falling Defenses
The first thing new judokas learn is how to fall safely. This is because judo involves many trips and falls, which could injure somebody without the proper training. The Ushiro ukemi is a backward fall where the practitioner lands on his bottom, then rolls out excess momentum by rolling onto his back and slapping the ground. The yoko ukemi, or side fall, is much she same, except the practitioner falls to his side. A zempo kaiten - also called an ukemi roll -- is a forward shoulder roll used in response to falling face-forward.
Yellow Belt Throw
One of the most basic and iconic early Judo techniques is the o soto gari, or major outer reaping throw. This technique begins with the judoka gripping his opponent by the collar and the shoulder. From this position, he swings one leg out behind his target. then simultaneously chops the legs out from under him as he pushes the upper body with his arms and chest. Advanced practitioners time this throw to mesh perfectly with the opponent's balance, executing the throw with no real exertion.
Brown Belt Submission Choke
Advanced Judo players learn to choke an opponent into unconsciousness or submission in order to win a match. From the front, a judo choke incorporates the opponent's uniform jacket. The player mounts on top of his opponent, then grips both lapels of the jacket. He then pulls both across the throat, until his arms are crossed. The edges of the collar cut off blood flow in the veins on either side of the opponent's throat. From behind, the judoka captures his opponent's legs by hooking his heels around the thighs. Once situated, he wraps one arm around so that the throat rests in the crook of his elbow. He leverages the arm of that hand against the bicep of his other, squeezing the throat. In both cases, a judo choke is a blood choke -- it relies on restricting blood flow to the brain rather than air flow through the throat.
Brown Belt Kick Defense
Although kicking and punching are not allowed in judo competition, sometimes a judoka faces a street enemy not bound by those rules. An advanced judo player stops a kick with a technique called "crowding." By taking advantage of his previous training, he watches the hips and legs of his attacker. When the opponent begins a kick, the judo player rushes forward into the kicker's space. The kick won't land with power -- if it starts at all -- and the rush on an unprepared attacker standing on one leg is very likely to knock him to the ground.
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