Judo is a popular martial arts style and Olympic sport with a rich, though relatively recent history. Breaking the term judo down, ju means “gentle” and do “means the way or path.” Thus, judo translates to "the gentle way."

The history of judo starts with Japanese jujutsu. Japanese jujutsu was practiced and continually improved upon by the Samurai. They utilized the throws and joint locks common within the art as a means to defend against attackers with armor and weapons. Jujutsu at one time was so popular in the area that it is believed that more than 700 different jujitsu styles were taught during the 1800s.

Jigori Kano was born in the town of Mikage, Japan, in 1860. While training, Kano formulated his own opinions about martial arts. This eventually led him to develop a martial arts style all his own. In principle, this style sought to utilize an opponent’s energy against him and eliminated some of the jujutsu techniques he deemed dangerous. By doing the latter, he hoped that the fighting style he was refining would eventually gain acceptance as a sport.

At the age of 22, Kano’s art came to be known as Kodokan Judo. His ideas were perfect for the time in which he lived. By changing martial arts in Japan so that they could be sports and teamwork friendly, society accepted judo.

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