judo
Judo is a grappling martial art originating in Japan, developed within the broader tradition of budō. Its training focus centers on throws, pins, chokes, and armlocks, alongside randori, which refers to free practice in which practitioners apply techniques against a resisting partner. The art works primarily in the standing position and on the ground, with practitioners learning to off-balance, control, and submit opponents through a range of grappling methods.
As a grappling art, training in this family generally emphasizes close-range physical engagement rather than striking. Practitioners develop body mechanics, balance, timing, and the ability to execute and defend against holds and joint controls. Conditioning and repetitive drilling of technique form a consistent part of practice, and live sparring through randori allows students to test skills against resistance in a structured setting.
One notable sub-style has emerged within judo, each with its own emphasis covered in the sections below. Kosen judo operates under a ruleset that places particular emphasis on groundwork, known as newaza, allowing extended grappling on the mat and giving greater attention to pins, chokes, and armlocks applied from the ground.
Styles & branches of judo
Kosen judo
Type: Grappling · Lineage: judo
judo ruleset emphasizing groundwork (newaza) Wikipedia →
Gear to expect. Grappling training typically calls for a gi or no-gi rashguard, and quality mats for home drilling — your school will tell you exactly what, and when. New students rarely need to buy anything for a trial class.
Find your martial art →Related grappling styles
Classification and facts from our open-data taxonomy (Wikidata CC0 base + our editorial classification). Where a fact (like origin) isn't recorded, we leave it out rather than guess. Methodology.