It was designed in a similar way to traditional jiu-jitsu. If you ask me, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is the modern’s man Japanese jiu-jitsu. Oh, by the way, in its early days (when Maeda traveled to Brazil), judo was called Kano’s jiu-jitsu, that’s why Brazilian jiu-jitsu isn’t called Brazilian judo! A Japanese fighter called Mitsuyo Maeda arrived in Brazil during the first part of the 20th century and taught it to several people. Yes, but not in the way you think! Back in the early judo days, Jigoro Kano sent his best students out to travel the world and teach judo to anyone who would want to learn it. And, truth be told, it’s better that way, isn’t it? My guess is nobody would practice a sport if you might die after the match - especially if you have to wear heavy, uncomfortable armor, no matter how cool it looks. Kano, an educator, conceived judo not only as a sport but as a way to teach character to the Japanese youth.īecause of its positive elements, judo was included in the Olympics a few decades after its creation - something Japanese jiu-jitsu would’ve never managed to accomplish. It has the discipline aspects of most martial arts and the competitive non-deadly characteristics of a sport. Sounds easy, right? But you know, you have to try to throw someone who is actively trying to throw you!īy removing its most lethal aspects, Kano managed to create both a martial art and a sport anyone can practice. In a judo match, whoever throws its opponent with a clean throw, wins.
Even though heavy armor is no longer used, this modern martial art heavily relies on throws and joint-locks. Jigoro Kano designed judo as a way to simulate ancient Japanese combat. After that, jiu-jitsu became a part of Japanese history, and judo became the new national sport. Even though judo was less lethal than its distant relative, judo practitioners defeated most jiu-jitsu practitioners in sanctioned battles. That’s how judo was born.Īnd there’s a funny anecdote in all of this. One that was safe to practice and, most importantly, was not looked down upon as jiu-jitsu was. During the second part of the 19th century, a truly remarkable man called Jigoro Kano thought jiu-jitsu needed a second chance - because, don’t we all?īy removing the most lethal throws and the life-threatening locks, Mr. Japanese rejection of jiu-jitsu and their need to keep traditions alive set the stage for something amazing to happen - and that’s judo. It was not a friendly martial art - and it wasn’t something most Japanese men wanted to practice, because it was considered barbaric. But here’s the thing: jiu-jitsu was created to kill your opponent. But even though the Samurai way of living was outlawed, a lot of people continued to practice jiu-jitsu, as a way to keep traditions alive. It was way after Samurai ceased to exist. Judo was created during the late 19th century. That’s what made jiu-jitsu so effective on the ancient Japanese battlefield - so, don’t try it at home, friend! A joint-lock, such as an armbar or a shoulder-lock, does not kill you but renders you unable to continue fighting for good. But a well-executed throw can actually kill you if you are wearing heavy armor. You might think this wouldn’t put anyone away - especially if they are fighting to the death. It’s all about grappling - throws and joint-locks. Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that doesn’t rely on kicks and punches. Even though it’s not really talked about, katanas often broke or were lost during a scramble, leaving Samurai to either use a back-up sword or their own fists to defend themselves. Especially during hand-to-hand combat, when their katanas were no longer available. Japanese Jiu-jitsu is a martial art designed to serve the Samurai on the battlefield. Which is probably ironic, because it is rougher than you could possibly believe. And believe it or not, it’s a not-so-distant relative of judo! This discipline was called jiu-jitsu, which, roughly translated into English means “the gentle art”. Well, they used swords, duh! All kidding aside, Samurai actually invented a martial art of their own.