Judo: An Introductory Guide for Beginners

by Rodolfo Tello

Overview

Displaying the most impressive throws, compelling armbars, dominant pins, and decisive chokes, judo is a particularly powerful sport and martial art that can bring opponents into submission in highly effective ways. With determination and perseverance, such tremendous power could be yours. Designed with safety considerations in mind, judo allows people of all ages to be involved in a long-term fitness activity with opportunities for continuous improvement. Judo is a way of life that promotes physical and mental harmony, encourages the development of self-confidence and leadership abilities, prepares practitioners to act in self-defense, and instills values such as discipline, respect, and diligence. Judo is also an Olympic sport that has been gaining increasing worldwide visibility. This concise book covers the fundamentals of judo and provides a roadmap for the development of judo expertise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633870086
Publisher:	Rodolfo Tello
Publication date:	08/01/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	126
Sales rank:	689,540
File size:	454 KB

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1-Fundamentals of Judo: Judo Etiquette, The Judo Uniform, Anatomy of a Class, Performing a Throw; 2-Judo Techniques: Breakfalls (Ukemi), Throwing (Nage Waza), Grappling (Katame Waza), Sparring (Randori); 3-Improving Performance: Physical Conditioning, Psychological Preparation, Participating in Competitions, The Practice of Kata; 4-The Seven Steps: First Step: Rokkyu, Second Step: Gokyu, Third Step: Yonkyu, Fourth Step: Sankyu, Fifth Step: Nikyu, Sixth Step: Ikkyu, Seventh Step: Shodan; 5-Final Remarks; Glossary; References.

Editorial Reviews

"Direct, simple, and everything one needs to start off on the right foot in learning judo. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about learning judo." -- HAYWARD NISHIOKA, 9th degree judo black belt, former national and Pan-American champion, author of several judo books, and two-time Judo Hall of Fame member. "A roadmap for the development of judo expertise, and a valuable review of the foundations of the sport for more advanced practitioners and teachers. I will add many of the descriptions and explanations to my own teaching of judokas at all levels." -- CHARLES MEDANI, M.D., 7th degree judo black belt and President of Shufu Judo Yudanshakai, the black belt association of the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. "A particularly good asset for new students, easy to follow and understand, covering several basic subjects sometimes overlooked or not mentioned. I recommend this book for those learning judo as well as for anyone who would like to add a good resource to their judo library." -- MICHAEL LANDSTREET, 5th Degree Judo Black Belt, Head Instructor of the Arlington Judo Club, Judo Professor at George Mason University, and President of Virginia Judo Inc. "People who are considering which martial art to choose for their children, or themselves, should definitely read this book! As a lifelong judoka and father of two judo black belts, I wholeheartedly recommend this book." -- ROBERT WINSTON, Colonel, USAF, Retired and 5th degree judo black belt. "Beginners will certainly benefit from the book's lucid explanation of the fundamentals of judo, but all judokas can benefit from adopting its staged approach to making further progress on the mat and adopting the tenets of judo in their daily lives." -- GAIV TATA, 3rd Degree Judo Black Belt and judo instructor. "I found myself more and more drawn into the idea of exploring this martial art more fully ... Rodolfo Tello's coverage of his subject is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and well-presented." -- JACK MAGNUS, Readers' Favorite.

From the Publisher

2016-05-03
Tello (Social Safeguards, 2015, etc.) describes the basic concepts and techniques of judo in this introductory work of nonfiction. Like many martial arts, judo is a practice steeped in tradition and built upon notions of physical and mental control. Popularized by Jigoro Kano and his Japan-based Kodokan Institute in the late 19th century, it was created as an alternative to the older practice of jujitsu: "Japanese society demanded a new approach to martial arts, no longer focused on the efficient killing of enemies, but rather on the defeat of opponents for sport, self-defense, moral discipline, and personal improvement," Tello writes. The sport is now popular around the world and has been an event in every Summer Olympics since 1972. With this book, the author offers curious readers a look into the culture of the sport, including its etiquette, its uniform, basic techniques and training strategies, and the seven steps of judo referenced in the title. As new judokas reach milestones in their training, they advance through kyu ranks, which are marked by the receipt of various colored belts. (The belt system, developed by Kano, has since spread to a number of other martial arts, as well.) Tello explains the intricacies of each rank and ends with an extensive glossary of judo terms. The author writes in clear, concise prose, taking care to explain the nuances of various terms and moves as well as the philosophy that informs them. At just a little more than 100 pages, the book isn't meant to be a comprehensive exploration of judo, but it succeeds in giving potential judokas all the information they need to decide if they're interested in pursuing the sport. Tello is an admitted advocate for the popularization of judo, and, as a result, there's a bit of a promotional quality to the book. That said, his concern for the safety of practitioners is apparent, as is his insistence that people take up the sport only for noble reasons (namely, self-improvement). This book best functions as a primer for the sport by embodying those qualities that judokas value: precision and erudition in the promotion of self-discipline and hard work. A lean, direct introductory text for readers interested in judo culture and practice.

Kirkus Reviews