Читать книгу Secrets of Judo. A Text for Instructors and Students онлайн

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In 1882 Dr. Kano formed his system and called it "judo," the word which has now superseded the term "jujitsu." He founded the Kodokan in Tokyo, the institution that was to become the mecca of judo. The name Kodokan is made up of three words: ko, meaning "to preach," do, meaning "way," and kan, meaning "hall."

Dr. Kano explained the new art of judo by pointing out that "gentleness means giving way until the right moment arrives" ; that is, not to oppose the brute force of your opponent and thus to be defeated, but to utilize this force to your own advantage. Suppose that your opponent has a total force of ten units, while yours is equal to three. If he pushes toward you with a force of seven units and your force equals only three, it is futile for you to try to oppose his force, for it will overcome you. But if you give way and harmonize your force of three units with his attacking force of seven, you automatically acquire a force of ten units. Now you can defeat him because you can overcome his force of seven units with yours of ten. It can thus be appreciated that judo is a highly valuable science as well as an art. The following chapters will explain the principles of judo, and the knowledge obtained from them will be of great value to the student in mastering this art and science.