The Judo Uniform Needs to Be Strong To Absorb the Impacts of Throws and Pins

A Judogi is the white uniform that practitioners of Judo (Judokas) wear during sessions and competitions. It helps absorb the force from all the throwing and grappling which is basically what Judo is all about. This uniform was created at Kodokan. Later, it was adopted by most Judo schools across the world.

The Judogi is a pair of white cotton drawstrings pants and a white quilted jacket that should be strongly made in cotton or a similar material - it should not be so thick or so hard as to prevent the opponent from taking a grip. It is held together by a belt that indicates the person's Dan rank.

The jacket should be long enough to cover the thighs and shall at a minimum reach to the fists when the arms are fully extended downwards at the sides of the body. The sleeves of the jacket must reach to the wrist joint as a maximum and 5 centimetres above the wrist joint as a minimum. The jacket is quilted and thicker because it needs to absorb the impact of throws and pins.
The trousers shall be long enough to cover the legs and shall at a maximum reach to the ankle joint and at a minimum 5 centimetres above the ankle joint.

In some countries the nine colors range from grey to white, light blue, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, and brown, with grey being the beginner's color. However, in Europe the belt colors are different. They range from white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown to black, with each color signifying a higher rank. In some European countries a red belt is used to indicate a beginner.

The color of the belt worn by Judokas is extremely important because it signifies the skill level. There is no uniformity in the choice of colors among coutries. Japan has its own color scheme. All students wear either white or brown belts while the Dan grades may wear the black belt. The sixth to eighth grade Dans wear a red-and-white belt, while those ranked ninth Dan and above wear a solid red belt. The credit for originating the Dan grading system goes to Jigoro Kano, the man who is called the fater of modern Judo.
All Judokas are expected to wear smartly washed and ironed judogis when they come for practice. Those who don't do so run the risk of being sent home by the Judo masters. This is because of the great stress that martial arts lays on hygiene and cleanliness in any hand-to-hand combat.

     By Callie Armstrong

Learn 4 Killer Street Judo Tips And Secrets Now!

So, you may be asking yourself if judo is a worthwhile martial art to train for street fights. I can give you some examples on how street judo can save your butt in a fight in the dojo or in the bar or any other type of self defense situation. You must follow these strategies outlined below to decide if this art is practical for the applications of street fighting below:

Street Judo #1 - A very good aspect of street fights that applies to judo is the fact that fights go to the ground often. Which helps alot, especially if you are trained in a martial art like Judo. Being able to throw someone on the ground and having them land on their head is good, and being able to choke them out within 5 seconds is even better in a street fight. Judo may not have the fancy kicks or punches of karate or taekwondo but it when it comes to clinch fighting and submitting someone on the ground only jiujutsu can compare.

Street Judo #2 - Alot of the push and pull and weight distribution of this martial art apply to many street battle situations. If you are able to throw someone off their balance, toss them with your hip so they smash their head into the pavement as their first source of ground contact can win you the fight. I have used judo extensively as a bouncer for the past few years and can honestly say when someone is grabbing or pushing at you having these street judo skills is mandatory to escape the situation with the upper hand.

Street Judo #3 - Training in judo at the local dojo is good because it builds up your fitness and gives you actual skills you can use to fight someone off beginning with your very first white belt. It's a great art to know and I personally suggest you cross train in other arts like taekwondo or karate to broaden your focus and skills to become a better and more well rounded self defense fighter.

Street Judo #4 - A wonderful tactic that street judo can teach you is: Knowing how to fall properly. I have had many serious falls including mountain bike accidents and even being hit by cars. I was never seriously injured because I was always able to tuck and roll or land properly, like they teach you in street judo. Remember to use these techniques and strategies if you are confronted with an attack on the streets!

     By Steve Gib

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The Basics Of Judo

The martial art style Judo can mean a lot of things to different people. In reality, it is a fun and exciting sport, an art, a discipline, an activity, a way to protect yourself, and quite simply a way of life. Although you may hear many different meanings, the word Judo actually means all of the above and several more.
Original founded back in 1882, Judo comes from the feudal Japan fighting system. Upon founding, Judo was a refinement of the martial art jujutsu. Jujutsu is one of the oldest martial arts styles, dating back hundreds of years.

Judo made the biggest impact in 1964 when it was first introduced into the Olympic Games. Now, it is practiced by millions of people all across the world. Judo can help students stay in shape, excel in all areas of competition, stay protected with self defense, and several other things. For a majority of students, Judo is practiced just for fun. Although it starts out as fun for many, it quickly turns into a way of life, a burning passion if you will.

Similar to other martial arts styles, Judo has rules that ensure the safety of those competing in the competitions. Students of Judo who are looking to test their skills will enjoy the competition levels, which range from club meets to national tournaments, and on up to the well known and best level of competition - the Olympic Games.
Judo is known best for it's amazing throw techniques. What many aren't aware of, is the fact that Judo is more than just throws. It also involves grappling on the ground, controlling holds, arm locks, leg locks, and even choking techniques. Judo teaches all aspects of self defense, from a grappler's standpoint.
Another great thing about Judo is the fact that anyone can study, male or female, and even those that are disabled. Judo is also inexpensive to participate in, taught throughout the year, and it appeals to everyone. This martial art is also unique in the sense that even the elderly enjoy practicing it on a daily basis.
Judo also helps students learn and develop respect and self discipline. It offers the chance to learn self confidence, leadership skills, power, flexibility, and physical prowess. Judo has evolved quite a bit over the years, going from a fighting art to competition status. These days, there are separate Judo ranks for kids, adults, and seniors.

The martial art Judo, which means "gentle way" teaches you the applications that you need for self defense as well as competition. Judo is unlike other martial arts, in the sense that it combines the best of grappling with awesome throws that require little to no strength - but more of the way you position your body. This is an excellent martial art - that anyone can enjoy.

        By Alex Smith

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Lessons for the Judo Beginner

Shisei, or posture, is a very important aspect of all judo training. The basic posture is called shizentai, or natural posture. The back is kept straight and the head up, with the eyes looking straight ahead. The feet should be shoulder-width apart with the weight spread evenly on the balls of the feet, not flat-footed, or up on the toes, but with just enough space under the heel to slide a piece of paper, allowing for rapid movement in any direction.

If tori steps forwards about 12in (30cm) on his right foot, he is said to be in right natural posture or migi-shizental; if he steps forwards on his left foot, he is in left natural posture or hidari-shizentai. This is the recommended posture for skill training, randoriand contest.
The other basic posture is called jigotaior defensive posture and involves bending the knees and sinking the hips to prevent yourself from being thrown by the opponent. Other more extreme defensive postures not actually taught as a part of Kodokan judo occur quite often in contest situations, with both players gripping the judo gi and bending 90 degrees from the waist, to keep their hips as far away from their opponent as possible.
UKEMI-WAZA

Ukemi-waza are the breakfalling techniques of judo and are another of Jigoro Kano's innovations for improving the safety of the activity. It is important for everyone to learn to fall correctly and safely, in the first place to avoid injury and in the second place to allow them to move confidently without stiffening up because of the fear of falling and being hurt. Skill in falling automatically improves the individual's ability to relax and move fluidly and leads to improved throwing skills. The three main breakfalls are the forward rolling breakfall, the side breakfall and the back breakfall. Once these breakfalls are correctly learned on both right and left sides, uke can be thrown with most techniques without fear of injury. Other breakfalls include the front breakfall, the somersault breakfall, the handstand breakfall and the single arm cut-away. Practicing the whole range of breakfalls leads to increased spatial awareness and eventually all fear of being thrown disappears.

KUMIKATA

Kumikata, or gripping skills, are a vital part of judo and often mean the difference between the success or failure of a technique. The basic grip in judo and the one usually taught to beginners in the first months of training is the sleeve-lapel grip. A right-handed player usually takes a grip on his partner's left lapel with his right hand and grips the right sleeve with his left hand. This is the orthodox grip. The left-handed player takes uke's right lapel in his left hand and the left sleeve in his right hand. If one player grips left-handed and the other grips right-handed the situation is called kenka-yotsu, which means opposing grips. If both players are right-handed or both are left-handed they take the same grips on the judo uniform
and the gripping situation is called ai-yotsu.

Normally in Japan players adjust their stances quite considerably and a player who grips left-handed will stand left side on,vice versa if they grip the judo gi right-handed. European players are often more inclined to remain in a square-on posture. It is difficult but not impossible to throw left and right and it is a good idea to practice switching sides as soon as possible. This does not necessarily mean changing grips. If a right-handed player who specializes in harai-goshi from a basic sleeve-lapel grip can be taught to do left seoi-nage without changing the right-hand lapel grip he has aformidable combination at his disposal. Quite often the problem is that it takes such a long time to develop one good movement or major throw that by the time players realize the very real need for a 'big gun' on the other side it is too late. This, and other left-right switches such as sode-tsuri-komi-goshi on the other side (to the left in the case of a right-handed player) should be encouraged from the beginning in a player's development.


The grip of the judo gi is a players basic foundation, whether left or right, will determine which techniques he can use effectively. Experimentation with grips on the opponents uniform can prove very fruitful, and on occasion altering the grip can totally transform a technique. Apart from the basic grip, others that have proved to be effective include the sleeve and high collar grip, which is often favored by taller players as it offers good head control for forward throws such as harai-goshi and uchimata. Gripping the belt is a favorite ploy of east European fighters, many of whom come from sombo wrestling, and allows great force to be generated for hip throws and sacrifice techniques. It also means the contest becomes more of a wrestling match because it allows much closer contact than the traditional Japanese grip and posture where the opponent is generally at arm's length. Another grip common in European judo is the double-lapel grip, which allows fighters to switch from left to right but sacrifices control of the sleeves. The double-sleeve grip is also seen occasionally, as it allows players to attack with sode-tsuri-komi-goshi on both sides. It was a much more popular grip in the years when there were no weight categories and was often used by smaller men against larger opponents.

     by Tony Hackerott

 

About the Author

Tony is leading Entrepreneur and great martial art enthusiast, where as deals in supplying Martial Art accessories in United States.

The Two Basic Principles of Judo

The two most basic principles of Judo are really simple to understand and critical to master if you are ever to be successful at Judo.

These two principles that need to be mastered are leverage and balance.
Because these two principles are scientific, they can be studied in detail and applied without fail.
One of the most important lessons of Judo is to NEVER oppose force with force. Obviously this would only be better for the bigger and stronger athlete who has more power. But regardless of his strength, if you take him off balance you will have made him weaker irrespective of how strong he is.

Here the athlete who still has his balance will be stronger.
Imagine a circle on the floor. Now imagine you are standing in it and are completely inside it with your center of gravity within that circle. By keeping your weight distributed on both legs inside that circle you will retain your balance.
The instant that your center of gravity is outside that circle then you are off balance and susceptible to be thrown.

As the center of gravity is based on the law of gravity it can consistently be applied and will always work.
Now let's look at the second principle, the principle of leverage.
If you aren't very familiar with this principle, it will do you good to study it and gain a solid understanding of it, especially as it applies to Judo. Basically, leverage allows you to move an object or person with less force than it would take if you weren't applying that leverage.
The principle of leverage actually lessens the amount of force you need to apply. Without that leverage the amount of force would have to be greater and even make the task impossible. Leverage is what makes it possible.

This applies to throws where you use your shoulder or hips to gain leverage over your opponent and easily lift and throw them.
Mastering the principle of leverage is paramount to success in Judo. The principle is used throughout the techniques be they throwing techniques, ground techniques and even gripping techniques.
As it applies to gripping imagine a line drawn directly through your opponent from top to bottom. The wider you place your hands across him while gripping him the greater advantage you will have in turning your opponent.

The principle of leverage is key to Maximum Efficiency, Minimum Effort.

     By Kosta Megas

The Sweet Science of Judo

Around Many Circles, Boxing is known as the "sweet science". And as a person who is involved in close quarter combat, I can certainly admit that there is a "sweet" science to boxing, however such candied-coated conversation is not exclusive to the art of boxing. The sweet science of pugilism also exists in the sport of Judo.

Judo, like boxing, is highly dependent on sharp hand-eye coordination, the proper placing of the hands and feet, quality and precise movements and expert rhythm and timing. Without these essentials, becoming a high level judo player is almost impossible. Even though without those skills it is 'almost impossible' to become good, without the skill of gripfighting it is IMPOSSIBLE to become good.

The art of gripping or grip fighting in judo is an art which is part of the sport, yet all together separate. Proponents of grip fighting understand that it is a necessary part of judo. Opponents of gripfighting believe that it is a negative part of the sport and art and should not take place because it promotes 'negative judo.'
Negative judo is described by some as defensive or inactive judo or the type of judo where one is trying not to be thrown instead of looking for opportunities to attack. Unfortunately some individuals who categorize grip fighting as negative judo seem to lack the understanding that the martial art of Judo and the sport of Judo are two different things. One has a desired end result of mutual benefit, the other....well... WINNING. Plain and simple.

In order to win at judo, one must be able to apply and employ quality gripping and grip fighting strategy in order to be successful. This means that gripping must be done in order to be offensive and done in order to be defensive, but always done in order to control the match so that one can be successful.
4 Time Olympian and 1999 World Judo Champion Jimmy Pedro said it best when he said, "I grip fight so that I can determine the pace, tempo, rhythm and outcome of the match. Being able to grip provide me with control."

What sporting environment do you know of where one opponent isn't trying to be in control? I don't know of one. Controlling the match or the environment is a key to being successful. Understanding where to put your hands, when to put them in a certain place, how to place them, and why is key to being a quality pugilist and a good judo player.

If you don't believe me, just think about how good it would feel to compete in a judo match and be in control. We don't have to think about what happens when we lose control. If you do judo, like I do, you know exactly what happens when you lose the control....you end up with your head in the place where your feet should be and your feet in the place where your head should be. This is not ideal and more than a good reason of why you want to become a more seasoned gripper and grip fighter.
Whatever you do, take time to practice but also take time to learn the 'sweet science' of gripping and gripfighting.

     By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson PhD  

Judo and Karate in Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed martial arts is a modern sport composed of various fighting styles and techniques. Judo and Karate are just two of these martial arts styles. What unique characteristics do Judo and Karate offer to MMA and its practitioners?

Karate is one of the most well practiced forms of martial arts all over the world. It is a combat sports which originated from indigenous fighting methods in Japan. This fighting style proved to be effective when it comes to hand chops, strikes, and blows. In particular, it is known for moves like punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, as well as open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Furthermore, some schools teach grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes.

Some of the notable MMA fighters who apply Karate in their craft are Chuck Liddel, Lyoto Machida, and Georges St. Pierre. Liddel has extensive background in Kenpo, and Koei-Kan, Machida practices the style of Shotokan, and St. Pierre knows Kyokushin. However, Karate is not as widely used in the field of mixed martial arts compared with Jiu Jitsu forms such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Nevertheless, Karate's contribution to MMA cannot be discounted as seen from the personalities who employ Karate in their fighting techniques.
Judo is also a modern fighting from that was created in Japan. The most prominent feature of this style is how a fighter throws or takes down his or her opponent to the ground. Judo is also known for grappling techniques that immobilize one's opponent. Strikes and thrusts using the hands and feet are not a major part of Judo but are still incorporated in some techniques.

Like Karate, Judo is also over shadowed by jiu jitsu techniques. However, it is important to note that BJJ and other forms of jiu jitsu originated from Judo. Several fighters like Fedor, Shonie Carter, Rodrigo Nogueira, and Shiya Aoki are known to practice this fight technique. Judo specialists, on the other hand, include personalities like Karo Paryisan, Hidehiko Yoshida, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, and Manny Gamburyan. They have been using Judo due to its effectiveness on groundworks and armlocks.
Again, while not as popular as others, when it comes to the field of mixed martial arts, Judo has contributed a significant number of good throws and trips to the world of sports fighting.
The growth and development of Judo players in MMA cannot be discounted even by top fighters. The growth of judo as well as the infusion of top judo players is just another example of the fact that MMA is continuously evolving.

Of course, a serious fighter will not settle for just one or two styles. So for all those interested in the modern sport of mixed martial arts, it is still highly recommended that you have a diverse training background in various fighting styles. This will give you more skills, forms, and techniques which will increase your chances of winning over your opponent.

     By Melanie Libatique