Judo refers to the "gentle way". Judo is a modern martial arts and combat sport that was developed in Japan in the late 19th century. The most popular aspect of Judo is its competitive spirit, where the objective is to throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. As well, Judo has a traditional kata component, where non-competition maneuvers are practiced in a choreographed pattern of movements. These maneuvers include the use of weapons and as well as striking one's opponent.
Judo was first developed by Jigoro Kano, as a form of self defense that has its origins come from jujitsu. As a student of jujitsu, Kano developed techniques that emphasized more on throwing and randori (sparing). It was first called Kano jujitsu or Jui-Do which later developed into Judo. The biggest difference that Kano developed was the emphasis of using one's opponent's strength against him/her and adapting well to changing circumstances. Kano saw judo as a means for governing and improving oneself physically, mentally, emotionally and morally.
Today Judo has grown in popularity and is practiced in all aspects of the globe. It has developed into an Olympic sport, where rules and techniques are regulated by the International Judo Federation (IJF). Competition has become very dynamic and entertaining. As well, due to the popularity of mixed martial arts, Judo has become one of the main arts that are practiced.
