Reasons for doing judo

[MarkF]

"Judo's social significance is most important. Wherever you go, you can join a Judo club. During physical interaction a common ground overcoming barriers of nationality or race is formed and international bonds of friendship can be forged."
- Matsumae Shigeyoshi, President, Tokai University


http://www.bstkd.com/judo.htm

Any other reasons?:toast:

Mark

[John Lindsey]

It is a great first martial art for kids.

[DavidMasaki]

It's also a lot more practical than most martial arts. Judo is about competition, which in my opinion is good and trains you to react to a resisting opponent. That's the only way to know if you'll really be able to execute your technique when you need it. Many martial artists are like philosophers, making assumptions and theorizing about the world of self-defense without ever really knowing, where as judo guys are scientists, discovering what works by trial and error and learning to perfect it to obtain repeatable results.

[stir]

i lost 10 pounds in the past 2 months doing judo.. a good enough reason for me :)

[rsamurai]

many martial arts give you the same forum as judo. in all grappling styles you get instant feedback on techniques.(bjj, jujutsu,sambo ect.)but this is not exclusive to the grappling arts. you learn real quick if your blocks are not up to par when you have a well focused punch hurling at your face. or if your side kick is weak when you are pushed back instead of your opponent.
but you are correct when you say judo is about competition. it seems that the main emphasis in judo IS competition more so than the other martial arts. this is has been discussed to death on other judo forums. not that competiton is a bad thing. it just seems many teachers teach only the competitive part of judo and exclude many of the other attributes that are included in judo. sort of like takeing a test in school. many teachers teach to the test instead of the course material. you may have made an excellent grade on the test but you missed out on all the knowlege encompessed in that class. judo techers should add reponses to a punch so a student can get a feel for the self defense aspect of the art. ie. uke throws a rt. punch, you block it with your lt arm grabbing the sleeve and throw useing o ghoshi. in my experience many judo sensei only teach the sport side and say, o yea in a real fight you can use the goshin jutsu kata techniques. but really unless you practice it, it won't be there when you need it. just like a striker can say well i could have thrown him, but unless he practices o goshi he won't have that either when the time comes. judo is an excellent martial art/ sport. it can meet the needs of the many. physiacl fittness, competition self defense. it is just difficult to find a teacher who will teach all the aspects, and sometimes just as difficult to find a student who wants to learn all the aspects. have fun enjoy judo and remember to go to the judo cafe where they serve "rolls" 24 hours a day!

[Aaron Fields]

Because there is nothing....er....well... almost nothing I would rather be doing.

[William F. Kincaid]

I tend to agree with rsamurai.

I love the competition that even Randori can give I dislike all the newer rules concerning contest Judo. I think in the long run banning certain grips and other things will de-evolve Judo even further than it is now.

Judo needs to be seen as a Martial Art with a sporting aspect. We all tend to agree it is more than just a sport. It has alot more to offer a person than just a trophy or a contest win. Judo is a way of life. Judo is fun, serious, slow, quick, in Judo we find, social lessons, science lessons, language lessons, self defense, art, competition, and last of all sport and leisure.

I first started Judo at the college I was attending. I was amazed.
the fact that throws come that easy imagine what potential lay in self defense.

Then As I progressed in it I was stunned all these Techniques that are used just for sport why aren't they being used for self defense as well...

Let me side track here for a minute... in your day to day life do you spend more time in Shiai or going about your day to day lives??? If Shiai is making up most of your time.....STOP take time to heal.:D Well when I looked at it I spent WAY more time in my day to day life than in Shiai, so where was my Judo going to be used most in??? Life of course. So a more well rounded Judo is what I was looking for and I would gather most people live in their day to day lives more than on the contest mat so in the long run a well rounded Judo is more logical than just a Martial Sport like I sometimes see it becoming.

So when I got my Shodan rank (unreg.)I didn't want to teach and still don't but I guess whether right or wrong I rufuse to let Judo die where I live. My sensei retired after a long and heated battle with the USJA, hence my being unregistered, the other teacher joined the army and is now in Germany. So it was left to me to continue, as a Shodan I know I am not experienced enough or qualified enough to teach but what else can I do. I then decided well maybe it is time for a more well rounded Judo, I have taken steps to add a healthy dose of Self defense to the rank requirements, found texts that explain Judo in a more scientific manner, require my students to learn the Japanese terms and some of the language....another side note... They just started a Japanese Lang. class at the College and already it is made up of more Judoka than other people. YESSS.:toast:. I also require bowing I think that is one of the most important things you can do in Judo or any Martial art. Bowing is a sign of respect, committment, and resolve to help another train to become a better person.

So all in all I don't think I am doing a "bad" job of keeping it alive in this area......but I will tell you something... not a day goes by that I don't wish that I was in the Kyu ranks once again:D

So why should Judo be studied??? Just because it has so much to offer if you let it.

[dakotajudo]

... because I quit drinking so this is how I party.

I have more fun on judo nights than goin'-out-Saturday nights.

Peter

[Guy]

The quote about "overcoming barriers of nationality or race is formed and international bonds of friendship can be forged" in Mark's original quote is true in my case. The first person I met from the Cameroons was at a Judo event.

As for other reasons...
Judo for me is also an activity that I can do with my children. I have a 10 and 8 year old that do judo regularly and I join their classes and they mine to the extent that is reasonable. I have another one who though only 3 likes to come too though he mostly spends the time playing with the other younger siblings off the mat. To him, the families who watch the classes at dojo are part of "judo." And frankly it is for the rest of us as well.

Of course this works because our Senseis have a great attitude about family involvement. (It may help that their families are there too!)

[Stephenjudoka]

I agree with all the above. I have been all over the world and found Judo everywhere I have been.
I have always been made welcome and I have made many friends.

Judo changed my life and I will always be greatful to my father for taking me to judo.

Even today over thirty years later I look forward to going to the club.
I have seen Judo change other peoples lives.
One example is twenty years ago a social worker brought a young out of control kid to our club and asked for our help.
That young man has represented GB at Judo, wrestling and Sombo.
He has his own business and has become a very firm friend of mine. This he attributes to Judo.
Judo gave him direction and taught him many values.
(It also gave him an outlet for his aggression - now controlled aggression).

Stephen Sweetlove
The older I get the better I was.