I have been practicing judo for close to 2 years and what I have noticed is there different styles of judo within judo exist either instructors focus on the Olympic style sport aspect or its jujitsu roots in which it was derived. When you lean more toward the traditional you will find judoku who are just as skilled on the ground as the jujitsu guys after all that is what it came from and the take down is just the start of the fight. Over time do to rules and regulations of the sport aspect of judo the ground work is watered down and the throws become the most important aspect of the fight since it can win the match with a IPPON. What I have found most stricking about judo its time in which it takes to master. A good judoka needs to learn to fight standing and then go to the ground with the fight. Now the part of judo not being a lethal sport is not true, with rank comes privilages of learning the lethal aspects of the grappling art. The thought process is far more conservative on the aspect of you first must become a very experienced fighter without being leathal so that you feel confrontable with fighting so you dont always reach for the last resort in a fight. Even the basic joint manipulations that is big aspect of judo is applied with discreation, a painful figure four on the arm or arm bar is just a fraction away from a fracture and chokes are just seconds away from a coma or death You must know your limitations so that you can extend them if necessary. It is true that some more dangers aspects of jujitsu are I will say this LIMITED in judo they are still tought just not applied in compition or randori (sparring) the biggest of these are leg joint and small joint manipulation due to ease of injury the thought process behind this is to be able to practice Judo for a life time with out crippling ones self. My instructors are 72 & 56 and have been practicing many years and to squash another myth is judo is not a “soft sport” getting tossed from five feet up and landing on your back or getting your arm tweaked to the point of breaking or getting choked out intill if feels like your eyes are going to pop out of your head is not what I call soft.

Next comment: "I moved to Madison AL 4 years ago and am [...]"
Previous comment: "[...] f Judo. Where applicable, addition [...]"