Mountain Tae Kwon Do School

More of a competitive sport than a means of self-defense, judo emphasizes posture, balance, and good judgment. Superficially, a judo class bears resemblance to a karate class. Students wear white uniforms bound with colored belts denoting rank, they bow to the room and to one another, and they practice rigorous forms. However, the goal of judo is to throw an opponent and pin him or her for a certain length of time with any number of arm-locks and holds. Mastering the art of throwing depends more on balance and agility than it does on strength. By learning to yield when an opponent pushes, or moving toward the opponent when he pulls, the student places his opponent off balance, making him easier to throw.

While the goal of judo may be to throw an opponent, to avoid injury, students must also learn the fine art of falling. During falling practice, students are taught to absorb the shock of a fall by slamming the palms of their hands into the mat.