Judo and Karate
Martial arts are usually associated with Japanese and Chinese origins. Judo comes to us from the fighting system of feudal Japan. Founded in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano, Judo is a refinement of the ancient art of Jujitsu. Dr. Kano studied these ancient forms and integrated what he considered to be the best of their techniques into what is now the modern sport of Judo.
So it was perhaps fitting that Judo was introduced at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It was there that a Canadian distinguished himself at the sport, winning a silver medal. Doug Rogers who trained in Japan under a highly regarded master, Masahiko Kimura, became Canada¹s best Judo athlete, winning gold medals in the 1965 and 1967 Pan American Games.
As a martial art, Judo requires a commitment beyond physical training. It is a culture in and of itself, providing a concept for living. Judo means “the way of gentleness.” Gentleness, however, does not mean passive. Judo is, after all, a combat sport. Its aim is to gain control of an opponent or force them to submit, through balance, power and movement, and other sport-specific techniques.
The Judo competitions at the BC Winter Games demonstrate how popular the sport is, as 120 male and female athletes (ages12-14) will participate, accompanied by 16 coaches and 17 officials, tentatively scheduled for Highlands Elementary School in Cranbrook.
While Judo involves throwing, pinning and other wrestling-like maneuvers, karate is a striking form of martial arts. Film productions built around karate and kung-fu have brought this form of martial art to pop culture, with some fans harboring the misconception that karate experts can smash stacks of board or bricks with their hands.
Little is known about the origins of karate, but its shadowy past is often associated with Zen Buddhism and Bodhidharma, an Indian Buddhist monk, who is credited with bringing an early form of karate to the fabled Shaolin Temple in China.
The development of karate became more easily documented when it arrived in Okinawa, where its early form was a type of closed fist fighting called Te, or “hand.” Te continued to develop, primarily in Okinawa, where it divided into two main groups: Shorin-ryu and Shorei-ryu. Shorin-ryu was quick and linear with natural breathing; Shorei-ryu emphasized steady, rooted movements in which breathing is in synchrony with each movement. Okinawan Masters named this martial art karate-do, karate meaning ”empty hand,” and the do meaning ”way” or “path,” indicating the discipline and philosophy of karate, with a moral and spiritual connotation.
In the Cranbrook/Kimberley BC Winter Games, 96 male and female participants(ages 12 13) will compete in forms of traditional karate called Kata, and Kumite, a sparring competition. Sixteen coaches and 20 officials will attend the karate athletes tentatively scheduled for Steeples Elementary School in Cranbrook.
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