In 1882, Dr. Jigoro Kano, a practitioner of the ancient Japanese martial art of Jujutsu, founded judo.  Judo is one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the world. The sport embodies fun, self-defense, method of combat, recreational activity, art, and discipline. In addition, judo is taught as a compulsory subject in the Japanese education system.

The sport, often considered one of the most mental of Olympic sports, emphasizes yielding to the opponent’s strength to overcome them, rather than using brute force. The mental aspects of judo include the development of self-confidence and concentration, as well as balance, body control, and reflexes.

Judo competitions for men debuted at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and competitions for women appeared in 1992. Fourteen different judo events take place at the Olympic Games. Events are split evenly between men and women with seven weight divisions. The competitive element of judo requires each player to attempt to throw the other to the ground, force them to submit by applying a choke, joint locking the elbow, or immobilizing the opponent with the use of a grappling maneuver. Throughout the bout, which lasts five minutes for men and four minutes for women, competitors use techniques such as arm locks, throws, and holds to score points.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, judo is the safest contact sport for children under the age of 13. For this reason, youth looking to learn the practice of judo will find clubs, academies, and gyms all over the city and suburbs that offer both training and organized competitions for practitioners of all ages, skill levels, and weights.

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