KODAKAN JUDO

There are more than 1,000 different forms of martial arts scattered around the world and dating back more than 2,000 years ago. Here is a great idea for your encore career. If you are over 50 may be you can start this career.
In our western culture we can date the development of martial arts such as archery and wrestling to ancient Greece. However there is evidence that martial art training dates to Babylonian times. In the Far East development of the Oriental martial arts is a bit more obscure. It is generally accepted that the martial arts developed its roots in ancient China among the monks who used weapon less fighting techniques to protect themselves. It is not known which type of unarmed techniques were used first, but it is clear that specialization was the custom. Despite the ruling classes wanting to keep unarmed combat techniques secret, through commerce and migration, the martial arts spread from China throughout the east. The earliest chronicle concerning the martial arts is the Nihon Shoki, which discusses Japanese wrestling and dates back to 720 AD. Since then, the martial arts have developed into a variety of systems that were the precursors of today's modern martial arts. Despite the development of many types of weaponry, unarmed combat remains a skill practiced all over the world.

JUDO HISTORY
The origin of Japan's martial arts is vague, and what we know of it, is more legend than truth. However, the takenouchi-ryu martial art system founded in 1532 is considered the beginning of Japan's jujitsu forms. The system's founder taught jujitsu in a structured and methodical manner. For the next several hundred years, the martial arts were refined by Samurai who made a lifetime study of some twenty or thirty martial arts. Of these arts only one was based on weapon less self-defence -- jujitsu. By the mid-1800's more than 700 different jujitsu systems existed. The most popular were:
takenouchi-ryu, jikishin-ryu, kyushinryu, yoshin-ryu, mirua-ryu, sekiguchi-ryu, kito-ryu, and tenshin-shinyo-ryu;
the last two were instrumental in Judo's development. It was during this time that Japanese politics disintegrated into disarray. Commodore Perry's visit to Japan in the mid-1850s also changed Japanese civilization by opening up a new world to them. In 1868 Imperial rule was restored (Meiji Restoration) and the decline of the Samurai class started along with a rapid decline in all martial arts. Although the government did not officially ban the martial arts, people were not encouraged to learn or practice them since the state was considered more important than the individual. Jujitsu literally fell into disuse. What was once the glory of the samurai was now looked down on and many well-established jujitsu schools began to disappear. If the budo concept was to survive the Meiji Restoration, it had to change and become a tool to cultivate an individual and make him a better person for the good of all. As a result budo found a home in physical education and sport. Sport provided teamwork, which was good for all and also developed the individual. It was a complete physical education; not just a game. Although self-defence techniques were included in the training, emphasis was on using the techniques in a holistic manner.
Dr. Jigoro KANO is credited with jujitsu's survival of the Meiji Restoration. He took jujitsu and adapted it to the times. His new methodology was called Judo. In 1882, Dr. Jigoro Kano (The Father of Judo) made a comprehensive study of these ancient self defence forms and integrated the best of these forms into a sport, which is known as Kodokan Judo. And please don't forget that for those over 55 this could be a great encore career move. Plenty of gentla moves to improve balnace, bone density and muscles.