Judo

[BadgerFu57]

I posted this in the Japanese Arts Thread but I thought input from BJJ players would be great as well.
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I tried out a new dojo today and the way they do Judo is actually gentle.
They say the way they train is similar to pre-WW2 Judo, before weight classes.

Is it possible to have effective Judo that doesn't require a tremendous amount of strength and speed, but rather relies on deception and timing? By effective, I am talking about in the context of a martial art first, sport second.

I know that is what Jigoro Kano intended for Judo to be, but all of the Olympic Judo stuff seems to require a lot of muscle and power; and it seems to come with a lot of injuries. The way they practice Judo at this dojo removes a lot of the injury potential and also emphasizes technique over strength.

Does anyone have any experience with what I am talking about?

It kind of reminds me in a way of BJJ.... Some BJJ players use a lot of athleticism and power to do their techniques (Jacare), but a lot of the very, very good top guys (Marcelo Garcia for instance) just have uncanny finesse.

[theprophet]

strength

My BJJ instructor always emphasizes technique over strength. He's 145 lbs and I have never seen him try to overcome a student with strength, he just locks em up

Of course, being newer myself and not knowing alot of technique yet I end up trying to get by with strength if I am in trouble. That only works against other novices.

[beatbreeder86]

The main concept of Judo and BJJ is to be used with less force, seiryoku zenyo= minimum effort, maximum effect. But yes now a days olimpic judo and bjj competitions rely on strenghth because both competitors are good with their techniques, they need more than that to beat the opponent. The whole seiryoku zenyo i mentioned has more to do with self defense in both bjj and judo.

[Tant01]

FROM: "Using your strength" by Kazuzo Kudo

Though not limited to judo, particularly true in judo is the advantage a good mind, a large body, and great strength bring. On the other hand, people so blessed sometimes rely on their size and strength and try techniques that are too much; they try to push or twist their opponents down and only succeed in hurting their opponent or themselves. The end of all this is that people of this sort never understand what judo techniques are about.
People who are small and weak, on the other hand, know from the beginning that they cannot trust in their strength alone and work very hard to master the judo techniques. They study to apply their techniques and escape from their opponents by means of proper body movement— advance-retreat actions—and after many years of training progress to become judo masters....

http://www.judoinfo.com/kudo3.htm

[BadgerFu57]

From that same article as above....

By using your strength we mean exactly the opposite, that is, giving precedence to the power of your body and of your arms and resisting your opponent and consequently tensing your limbs and making your body heavy and hard. This deprives your body of freedom and is a far cry from the right road to judo progress. In judo, from ancient times, use of the spirit has always had the upper hand over use of bodily strength.