Judo is a Japanese word meaning "gentle way," and is a type of martial art that comes from the ancient Japanese martial art of jujitsu, meaning "yielding way." In 1882, Dr. Jigoro Kano, president of Tokyo's University of Education, incorporated what he thought to be the best jujitsu techniques into what is now the sport of judo. Judo emphasizes using balance, leverage, and movement in all of its skills, especially throws. Practitioners of judo wear a cotton uniform called a judogi, meaning "judo uniform," and sometimes referred to simply as a gi. These uniforms are usually white but can also be blue. They consist of loose drawstring pants and a quilted jacket which is fastened by an obi, or belt. The uniforms were originally created for judo but are now used for many different types of martial arts. The most noticeable thing to someone watching judo would likely be the variety of powerful throwing techniques. Grappling techniques are also important to learn, and include various control holds, arm and joint locks, pins, and choking techniques. Safety is emphasized in practice, and judo places importance both on fighting done standing and on the ground.
Judo prizes the idea of flexibility in the techniques, tailoring the technique to what is required in a particular moment. Strength is not as important as technique and skill, as well as timing. This enables judo techniques to be performed effectively by a smaller person on a much stronger person. Judo is popular today with people of all ages, throughout the world. It is an excellent way to stay in shape, as well as increase self-confidence and learn self defense. Body control is developed, as well as quick reflexes, balance, and effective self-defense should the need arise. Judo is also a competitive sport, introduced as such at the 1964 Olympics. This Olympic sport was only open to men until 1988, when it was a women's demonstration sport; in 1992, judo became an official Olympic medal event for women. There are also collegiate judo competitions in the United States. The system of ranks found in many martial arts, usually identified by belts of different colors, was first used in judo. The ranks recognize hard work, as well as increased knowledge and ability of the martial art. There are separate junior ranks for children under 17 than there are for adults. Black belts are the highest ranks in judo, with ten different degrees of black belt.
by Dancing with Fire January 05, 2011
Get the Judomug. Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art focusing largely on grappling and ground fighting. It utilizes natural body leverage and proper technique to obtain dominant control on the ground and, as a result, provides greater position for striking or submission holds. BJJ has been proven, when used properly, to be an effective method for dealing with bigger and stronger opponents and has become increasingly popular due in part to its great success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It can be trained for self defense, sport grappling (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts competition and has found its way into the training regiment of nearly every successful martial artist worldwide.
Translated as “the gentle art,” Brazilian jiu-jitsu focuses on using strength and technique in the most efficient way possible to control and overcome opponents of greater size, strength and aggression. With its roots in the Japanese jiu-jitsu of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the art found its way to Brazil in 1910, when Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese jiu-jitsu and judo expert, emigrated to the country. There he became friends with Gastao Gracie, an influential businessman who helped Maeda get established. In return, Maeda taught jiu-jitsu to Gracie’s sons, who became very proficient in the art, eventually passing on Maeda’s teaching in their own schools. The many additions, modifications, and refinements to the art made by the Gracie family were tested against other styles with great success, propelling Gracie jiu-jitsu into the martial arts world and creating a tradition that lives on today. Matt and Nick Serra are the first American black belts under Renzo Gracie, a senior member of the Gracie family world-renowned for his accomplishments in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA. Matt and Nick are proud to carry on the Gracie tradition, sharing their expertise and leadership, as well as their own experiences in jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts, with their students today.
by Dancing with Fire February 20, 2011
Get the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsumug. Kung fu is one of a number of Chinese martial arts designed to refine the body and the mind. It is perhaps one of the most widely known Chinese martial arts, because many films incorporate kung fu techniques. There are hundreds of styles of kung fu taught all over the world, although they can be loosely divided into two camps: Shaolin style kung fu, and other techniques, some of which have a history which out dates the Shaolin order. Kung fu is seen with a variety of different spellings including gung fu and gong fu. This spelling variation is due to the difficulty of transliterating from Chinese to other languages. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese was transliterated using the Wade-Giles system, which transposed the Chinese “g” sound with a “k.” Parts of China and Taiwan still use the Wade-Giles system, but most of China has begun to use pinyin, which has replaced the “k” of the Wade-Giles system with a “g.” Bruce Lee and other famous martial artists from China also used the “g” when talking about gung fu. Shaolin gung fu has its origins in the fifth century. Like some other martial arts, it began in religious temples, where the monks sought a mind and body discipline.
In addition to the fighting style, kung fu also includes mental exercises and religious practices designed to balance the whole body. Kung fu is fundamentally about aligning the practitioner with chi, the life force which is believed to move all around us. Shaolin temples resembled universities, integrating a wide range of subjects of study. Therefore, traditional Shaolin styles such as Wing Chun, Crane, Praying Mantis, and Hung Gar incorporate knowledge from fields outside martial arts, such as the healing arts and meditation. Advocates for Shaolin styles believe that they are more rounded martial arts styles, and that practitioners will benefit from them on a whole body level. Other fighting styles, some of which predate the Shaolin style, are also lumped under the kung fu umbrella. They include Pa-Kua, Eagle Claw, and Eight Drunken Immortals styles. These kung fu disciplines are not considered to be Shaolin style because they did not originate in temples, and are focused primarily on fighting techniques. Whether Shaolin or otherwise, kung fu is characterized by self defense tactics which turn the energy of an attacker against him or her. Although the techniques may vary, individual kung fu styles teach grapples, throws, kicks, punches, and the use of weapons such as staffs. In addition to the physical discipline, most kung fu styles place an emphasis on respect, honor, and living a balanced life.
by Dancing with Fire January 09, 2011
Get the Kung Fumug. Basically when a woman squeezes a guy tightly between her thighs making it hard for him to breathe. It's basically like a wrestling hold. The woman applies pressure to her victim once she has her thighs wrapped around her victim's body. There are a couple of different types of scissors like head scissors, body scissors, reversed head scissors, figure four, etc. Xenia Onatopp is a well known character known for scissoring her victims to death between her thighs in the James Bond movie Goldeneye. Scissoring can also refer to lesbian sex. Also note that women can scissor women or men scissoring women, etc etc.
by Dancing with Fire November 04, 2010
Get the Scissoringmug. Ninjutsu is the ancient art of the ninjas (Aka shinobi) of Japan. It is a unique method of moving and thinking which developed our system often referred to us the art of winning. Taijustu is the basic defence method used. This method of relaxed continues body movement allows the user to create a never ending supply of effective counters to any given defence situation and is unique to Ninjutsu. Ninjutsu is a complete fighting system dealing with the Physical, mental and spiritual aspects of student development. Techniques cover locks, throws, ground fighting, multiple attacks, modern weaponry, and all types of traditional Ninjutsu weaponry. In fact in Ninjutsu, there is no restriction on the type of available technique we can add on to our taijutsu. The power of this relaxed system has to be experienced to be appreciated.
Ninjutsu did not come into being a specific, well-defined art in the first place, and many centuries passed before Ninjutsu was established as an independent system of knowledge in its own right. The Ninja, at the beginning did not use that label for themselves, they were merely practitioners of strategies that were cultural opposites of the conventional outlooks of the ruling Japanese Samurai class. Their highly illegal counter culture went underground and it was for this reason alone that the art was shrouded by centuries of mystery and deliberate confusion in Japanese history.
by Dancing with Fire December 30, 2010
Get the Ninjutsumug. Hezbollah - or the Party of God - is a powerful political and military organization in Lebanon made up mainly of Shia Muslims. It emerged with financial backing from Iran in the early 1980s and began a struggle to drive Israeli troops from Lebanon. Hostility to Israel has remained the party's defining platform since May 2000, when the last Israeli troops left Lebanon due in large part to the success of Hezbollah's military arm, the Islamic Resistance. Hezbollah's popularity peaked in the 2000s, but took a massive dent among pro-Western Lebanese people when it was at the center of a huge, destructive war with Israel following the capture of two Israeli soldiers in 2006. Hezbollah is the strongest member of Lebanon's pro-Syrian opposition bloc which has been pitted against the pro-Western government led by Saad Hariri. It has several seats in parliament and has ministers in a national unity government formed in late 2009. It also blocked the election of a new president by repeatedly boycotting sessions of parliament. The stalemate ended on 21 May 2008, when the group reached a deal with the government under which its power of veto was recognized.
Washington has long branded Hezbollah a terrorist organization and has accused it of destabilizing Lebanon in the wake of Syria's withdrawal of its troops from the country following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The movement long operated with neighboring Syria's blessing, protecting its interests in Lebanon and serving as a card for Damascus to play in its own confrontation with Israel over the occupation of the Golan Heights. Hezbollah leaders have continued to profess its support for Syria, while stressing Lebanese unity by arguing against "Western interference" in the country. As well as a political clout, Hezbollah has wide popular appeal by providing social services and health care. It also has an influential TV station, al-Manar. Hezbollah's biggest test came in mid-2006, when its fighters captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack, killing a number of others. The incident triggered a fierce month-long war with Israel, which ended in a ceasefire. Having survived a massive military onslaught, Hezbollah declared victory, enhancing its reputation among many in the Arab world.
by Dancing with Fire February 20, 2011
Get the Hezbollahmug. People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs: the Soviet police and secret police from 1934 to 1943: the police from 1943-46.
NKVD - Narodnyy Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del
by Dancing with Fire September 06, 2012
Get the NKVDmug.