Nage-waza
Throwing techniques. Break the balance, fit in, execute — kuzushi, tsukuri, kake.
Since 1882 · Kodokan
The gentle way
Judo turns an opponent's force into their own downfall. No strikes, no weapons — only balance, timing and the willingness to be thrown a thousand times before you throw.
Three pillars
Katame-waza
Grappling on the ground: holds, strangles and armlocks that end a contest without a strike.
Ukemi
The art of falling. The first thing every beginner learns, and the reason judo is safe to practise hard.
The belt
White to black is a beginning
Kano invented the coloured belt system so progress could be seen at a glance. Shodan — first-degree black belt — does not mean mastery. It means you have learned enough to start learning properly.
- 6th kyu — white
- 5th–4th kyu — yellow / orange
- 3rd–1st kyu — green, blue, brown
- 1st dan and above — black
“Softness controls hardness.”
Jigoro Kano, founder of judo