DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY OF JUDO
Chuck Woods, Champion Judo Club
Judo is an Olympic sport, which incorporates the use of throwing, grappling, hold-downs, and submission holds. It has been an Olympic sport since 1964. It is the world’s second-most televised sport, behind soccer, and is consistently the first to sell out of tickets during the Olympic Games. Because Judo is a grappling art: it is great for wrestlers and excellent cross training for all athletes. The literal translation of Judo in English is 'Gentle Way".
Judo teaches the flexible or efficient use of balance, leverage, and movement in the performance of various techniques. Skill, technique, and timing, rather than strength, are the essential ingredients for Judo. There is nothing mysterious or secret about Judo. Skill in Judo is simply a combination of basic knowledge, speed, timing, balance, and coordination of mind and body. The only "secret" to Judo is lots of practice and development of mind and body.
Judo emphasizes safety, and full physical effort and activity for top conditioning. Judo is learned on special mats for comfort and safety. Judo is unique in that all age groups, both sexes, and most disabled persons can participate together in learning and practicing in the sport.
According to USA JUDO, Judo develops flexibility, strength, agility, endurance, and reduces body fat. People who practice Judo tend to be disciplined, high achievers, with reduced anxiety, reduced and controlled anger, and greatly improved self-confidence.
Judo is a creative and self-esteem building activity for children, teens and young adults. The judo participant grows both as an individual and as a member of a team. In Judo we learn to cooperate and care for another human being because Judo is an art and sport, which requires practice in pairs. Without a partner willing to share him or herself, we do not learn and progress. From this we also learn sportsmanship, and cooperation, which can be applied in our association with others throughout life.
