Founded in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano, Judo is both a modern Japanese Martial Art and Olympic Sport practiced around the world by millions of adults and children. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the objective is to either throw or take down an opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue an opponent with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or a choke.

A Breakthrough in Traditional Martial Arts Training

By removing the lethal techniques from the ancient art of Japanese Jujitsu (unarmed combat) Dr Kano's students could now practice their techniques at full speed on a resisting opponent in a freestyle form of fighting (called Randori) without fear of injuring or killing their opponent instead of performing preset, highly choreographed forms with a compliant or passive opponent.

Maximum Efficiency and Mutual Benefit

Instead of merely concentrating on the techniques of Judo themselves , Dr. Kano put great importance on the way in which his students trained. Although the "Lethal" techniques such as eye-gouging and attacks to the throat and groin had been removed, performing throws, chokes and joint locks on another person still had the very real potential to cause injury or death. Dr. Kano stressed the importance of respect for the person training with you as well as cooperation and assistance, leading to the mutual benefit of both parties. He expressed these concepts by the terms, "maximum efficiency" and "mutual benefit."
Dr. Kano realized that these concepts as well as the other "intangible" concepts gained through martial arts training such as: discipline, mental focus, selflessness, confidence and a greater awareness of ones surroundings would carry over into his students everyday lives, which was a benefit to society as a whole.

Our Goals

Desert Judo strives to continue in this tradition by teaching not only the physical aspect of judo, but the mental aspect as well.  Our goal is strengthen our students through learning the basic principals of judo including balance, leverage, speed, technique and endurance as well as their personal development through self-discipline, mental focus and mutual respect.