Unlike many forms of martial arts that have unclear histories and origins, Judo is one of the few forms of martial arts that has a clear founder and creation. Judo was conceived by Kano Jigoro (1860-1938) who was a very affluent and well-heeled Japanese educator and polymath. Kano Jigoro’s grandfather did very well in the sake brewing business, however, Kano Jigoro’s father failed to become heir to this wealth as he was not the first born son.

You may have the erroneous idea that force is not necessary in judo, especially when you see a sixty-year-old instructor throwing many young- and strong men seemingly without effort. Dynamics, however, denies this illusion. A body begins to move only when an external force works on it, as will be explained later. A human body is a physical entity. Therefore, if you want to break your opponent's posture and make him fall down or hold him down on the mat;, you must apply the proper force to him.

In judo it is important to throw your opponent by making use of his loss of balance, the law at work here is the law of gravity. We know that Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravitation by seeing an apple fall from a tree. All bodies in the universe attract one another. For instance, the earth attracts the bodies near and around it. In turn they also pull the earth.

Judo is based on the movements of Ju-jitsu. The origins of Ju-jitsu can be traced back two thousand years, though it is probable that the forms practised then were more like modern Japanese Sumo wrestling than Judo as we know it.

This is one of the hottest topics up for debate in the martial arts community and quite frankly I don't think either side understands the other's point of view. The bulk of the issue stems from the many misconceptions of the two respective arts but more so the lack of understanding of Judo. It is funny that most people understand that BJJ was created when a Judoka taught a Brazilian the martial art of Judo but both sides fail to agree on how similar these martial arts are.

Since it was created in 1882 by Kano Jigoro of Japan, Judo has become one of the most popular martial arts in the world. It is quite a rigorous and physically demanding sport, appearing in several major international sports competitions. As a result, when partaking in judo training, it is important that a high quality judo uniform, or gi in Japanese, be worn to avoid tearing and damage.

It is the traditions and elegant customs of judo that lend it depth and that priceless sense of mutual respect that so many modern activities struggle to achieve. The mere effort of learning the etiquette and adhering to it as the very foundation stone of judo elevates a player above anything remotely resembling poor sportsmanship and it is fair to say that rudeness and general belligerence around dojos and competitive events is virtually unheard of.