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You've heard of Judo ...

but are you familiar with Jigoro Kano's other art?
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GODO - The way of Strength or Hardness, is the complementary art developed by Jigoro Kano.  While many people are familiar with his first creation, Judo (The Supple or Gentle way), his later development of martial knowledge has been largely secretive.   Keep in mind that Jigoro Kano developed Judo as a very young man of just 23 years. As he grew and learned more martial skill - he came to the realization that the concept of "Ju" was not applicable in all cases.  This is when he created Godo.

At first, Godo was recognized only as the complement of "non-resistance", a key principle in Judo.  Jigoro Kano recognized that the principle of Ju was not a principle that could be used in all cases.  But classical Judoka may wish to hear directly from Kano on this...

Here's Jigoro Kano in his own words:

"A main feature of the art is the application of the principles of nonresistance and taking advantage of the opponent's loss of equilibrium; hence the name Jujutsu (literally soft or gentle art), or Judo (doctrine of softness or gentleness). Now let me explain this principle by actual example...

Suppose my opponent tries to lift my body, intending to make me fall. If I resist him, I shall be thrown down, because my strength to resist is not sufficient to overcome his. If, on the other hand, I leave him unresisted and, while so doing, pull him this way (illustrating), throwing my body voluntarily on the ground, I can throw him very easily.
I could multiply these examples, but probably those I have given will suffice to enable you to understand how one may beat an opponent by not resisting him. But there are cases in which this principle does not apply. Suppose, for instance, my opponent takes hold of my right wrist and I resist him; there is no means of releasing it from his hold. The best way would be to move my arm so that my whole strength is used to counteract his hand grip, the strength which is of course far inferior to my concentrated strength and therefore gives way to it. In such a case I used my strength against his, contrary to the principle of nonresistance... These examples serve to show that the principle of non-resistance is not applicable in all cases.

Is there then, any principle which never fails of application? Yes, there is! And that is the principle of Maximum Efficiency in Use of Mind and Body. Nonresistance is only ONE instance of the application of this fundamental principle.

The basic principle of physical Judo lies then within "Maximum Efficiency in Use of Mind and Body" This principle has been shown to have two divergent factors, nonresistance and resistance... Judo and Godo. Each is, in its appropriate application, patterned after maximum efficiency, equally compatible with the ideals of Kodokan Judo."

As this quote from Jigoro Kano makes clear, he well understood that the underlying principle of Judo was not just Ju, but also the complementary principle of Go.  And just as Kosen Judo has branched considerably from mainstream Judo - a largely underground group of former Judoka has broken from Judo ... those that emphasize the practice of Godo over that of Judo.

With their own history, training methods, different techniques, and even a different rank structure, Godoka are only peripherally related to the Judoka of today.  They have split from Judo much more drastically than Kosen Judo, or Brazilian Jujutsu.  I hope to document the art of Godo on this website.




Copyright © 2006 by Ben Holmes, GodoInfo.com. All rights reserved.