Judo
We practice a style of Judo that is focused on
learning strong technique while maintaining safety and having
fun.
The
curriculum has strong ties to traditional Kodokan Judo with a strong
emphasis on traditional judo; emphasizing form, technique and leverage
over strength. The
club actively promotes the judo philosophy of “Maximum Efficiency”
and seeks to promote overall health and well-being in addition to
preserving the sport’s traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu origin making
Judo an effective means of self-defense.
 |
CAJC Judo Class May 2014 |
With a strong emphasis on basics, members of the club are
encouraged to explore the art and customize the techniques to their
body style, physical limitations and to the situation presented.
Thus, members are encouraged to explore their creativity
through the sport of Judo and in so doing, begin to develop an unconscious competence that makes them adaptable and
reactive to varying situations. The club promotes the mutually beneficial aspect of the
sport; a central tenet of Professor Jigoro Kano (Judo Founder) and
places a special emphasis on safety. We invite you to join us for a free try-out session. We
practice on Wednesdays from 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm and on Saturdays from
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm, at the Columbia
Athletic Club.
We are a chartered club of the US Judo
Association.
Judo was developed by Jigoro Kano as a means to allow
the safe practice of traditional Jiu-Jitsu in a competitive
environment.
Although many of the techniques of judo
originated from arts that were designed to hurt, maim, or kill
opponents in actual field battle, the techniques of judo were modified
so that judo students can practice and apply these techniques safely
and without hurting opponents.
Judo focuses on offbalancing and
throwing an opponent to the ground. Using a profound
understanding of balance and movement, a judo practitioner, or
"judoka," can throw a much larger opponent easily.
Judo is often literally translated as "the gentle
way," but there is nothing gentle about it. The word
"gentle" refers to the idea that, in judo, force is never
met with force. If you push on a judoka, they will pull you.
Pull them, and they'll push you. An opponent's own movements are
amplified instead of resisted, taking them off balance and setting up
the throw. An experienced judoka needs remarkably little to find
and exploit a vulnerability in their opponent's balance and put them
upside down several feet in the air. Even at intermediate levels
of competition, control of balance becomes so refined that taking two
steps in any direction is a fight-ending mistake.
Once the fight moves to the ground, judoka are
well-versed in grappling arts and can easily control the fight.
On the ground, a judoka can decide simply to control and exhaust an
opponent, or apply a wide variety of submission holds to end the fight
more decisively.
|