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.