The Art and Science of Judo
by Jiichi Watanabe
Judo is a derivative of jujitsu and is the correct term used to refer to that art
in today's language. The word judo specifically explains the truer meaning of
the art as it is practiced today. The ju part of the word means 'gentleness' or
'giving way' and implies a flexibility of techniques, while the do part means 'way'
and signifies the application of the ju principle in the execution of the techniques,
not only in the physical exertions of the judoist but also in his mental attitude. The
older jitsu, which was replaced by do, meant 'technique' or 'art.'
When Dr. Jigoro Kano developed judo from its original martial art form, he
wanted something more than skill in technique. He theorized that what was
needed was a blend of the finer techniques of jujitsu with a form of mental training
or philosophy as its driving force. Do or 'the way' therefore came to signify the
mental training that the judoist needs in order to make practical use of the judo
philosophy in personal contacts, daily experiences, and career relations. In other
words, judo teaches the maximum efficient use of mental and physical energy.
We can say that judo is an art because it is a method of arriving at self-
realization and true self-expression. We can further say that judo is a science
because it implies mastery of various laws of nature: gravity, friction, momentum,
velocity, weight transmission, and unison of forces. In its most important phase, it
constitutes a kind of higher logic developed through practice and the ascension of
the true personality: a realization of the spiritual self in the philosophic rather than
the religious sense of the word.
The study of judo without the realization of its secrets--that is, its
metaphysical side--leaves one in partial mental emptiness. We must first realize
that the study of true judo is symbolic of mental attitudes and behavior. The
subconscious mind is where our behavior patterns are collected in a vast reservoir
of our years of experience. When we are able to tap these resources we can build
our personalities anew, developing positive attitudes and, in the end, mastering
the purely physical. It has been said, in regard to a judo expert's level of mental
development, that 'the arms are an extension of the mind.' Training in judo
disciplines the mind through physical-symbolic exercises, bringing about a
maturity of the skill of higher logic. It is the use of this skill that characterizes
the mental reaction of the judoist to a given situation when it arises.
At the beginning of his training, as the judoist learns the techniques of falling,
mental conditioning takes over almost simultaneously with the development of
physical skill. Mental control becomes an accepted reaction by the subconscious.
Then, once mastery of the techniques of falling is acquired, the judoist
progresses to the acquisition of skill in the techniques of throwing and, from
this, to a knowledge of the principles that govern throwing and the control of
balance in his body.
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