Judo is a Japanese form of martial art, originated from Ju-Jitsu of the Samurais. The word JUDO can be broken us as JU, meaning gentleness or giving way, and Do meaning way of life. It might be defined is many ways, as it means different things to different people. To some it is a fun sport, an art, a discipline, a recreational or social activity, a fitness program, a means of self-defense or combat and to some is a way of life. Judo could be a combination of all of these things and much more.

It was founded by in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano. He was a President of the University of Education in Tokyo. He studied the various forms of Martial Arts and noticed that these arts, caused a lot of injuries to the practitioners. He felt the need of changing the techniques of Ju-Jitsu in its modernized form to cause fewer injuries as compared to the dangerous moves of the Martial Art.

Nage (throwing), Katame (grappling) and Atemi (striking) were the different techniques introduced by Dr. Jigoro Kano. He named these modernized techniques as JUDO. His studies emphasized more on not just physical but also mental education and general upliftment of a human being. The game is a modernized sport form and is governed by a strict set of rules and regulations. It is a technique to stimulate both mind and body to work together in harmony with one another. To achieve this, Dr. Kano used Free Practice (Randori) and Form Practice (Katha) as primary teaching methods.

In 1964, Judo was introduced to Olympic Games. All over the world, people learn this art of self-defense and participate in various competitions with great spirit. For some it might be a means to get in shape, or to develop confidence and excel in every competition of life.

Any person, irrespective of his age, sex and strength can learn this art. It is a myth that only a strong or powerful person can learn Judo. Judo states that it is not the exterior, but the interior strength of a person which brings victory in any competition or even in every day life. It obviously teaches various movements of attacking or throwing or defending. But these moves are not to kill someone. The art actually lies in using these skills in a manner where you use both your mind and body for your own benefit. It teaches one to be flexible not just in body, but also in mind. The key to success in Judo is skill, technique and timing rather than brute strength.

The main principles of Judo are Maximum Efficiency and Mutual Welfare and Benefit. In every day life, these principles are used to make a person more efficient in whatever he does and make any impossible task possible with his determination and hard work.

Judo also introduced a ranking system in its art. These ranks are identified by the colored belts and ten degrees of advanced grades for black belts. There are separate ranks for juniors (under 17) and seniors. Regular advancement encourages students to achieve more. These ranks also help in identifying a person's degree of knowledge, ability, and leadership.