Unified Movement in Jujutsu and Judo: Shared Principles, Different Expressions

 Have you ever trained in jujutsu or judo and felt that the techniques made sense almost immediately?

 Have you noticed that balance, timing, and posture seem to matter more than strength, regardless of the rule set?

Many practitioners discover that jujutsu and judo, while outwardly different, are built on the same physical truths. This principle-based understanding is central to the teaching philosophy supported by the International Martial Arts Association, where martial arts are studied as interconnected systems rather than isolated styles.

Unified Movement in Jujutsu and Judo

At first glance, jujutsu and judo may appear distinct—one often associated with battlefield adaptability,
the other with sportive refinement. Yet both rely on identical foundational principles:

• Efficient posture and alignment
• The intelligent use of gravity and balance
• Redirection rather than force-on-force resistance

In both disciplines, success depends on how well the practitioner can express energy through structure, not muscular strength alone. A throw in judo and a takedown in jujutsu may differ in execution, but both emerge from the same capacity to feel, disrupt, and reorganize an opponent’s center.

This shared movement logic highlights why cross-training often feels natural rather than contradictory. The body recognizes familiar patterns even when the outward form changes. Learn more in our latest article.

Why Jujutsu and Judo Move the Same Way

When viewed through the lens of unified movement, jujutsu and judo reveal themselves as variations on a shared foundation. Both rely on posture, balance, and intelligent energy expression to create effective technique without unnecessary force. This is why skills transfer so naturally between the two disciplines—the body recognizes what is fundamentally correct.

Explore more educational articles and martial scholarship through the SMAA Library to better understand how foundational principles unite jujutsu, judo, and other traditional disciplines—and how this knowledge can elevate your own training. 

Building Up Small Steps

How does focusing on the small steps make a difference?

Envision the outcome if your time in the dojo was 100% engagement 100% of the time. Improvement would be continually notable. Skill level would skyrocket. And this, of course, is the obvious reason for such conduct. It is the reason it became a maxim on a daimyo’s wall.

Now envision the outcome were this is always the case, period. To propagate principle analyzed in the dojo to everyday life is perhaps the most valuable element of martial arts training. If we can muster the mental and physical fortitude to be wholly engaged in the interval between bowing in and bowing out, and expand that awareness to the interval between waking and sleep, we can tap into one of the most powerful techniques for character development and personal growth.

This is the way to treat matters of great concern lightly. What is the big, but a concentrated buildup of the small? The big can be overwhelming with a backlog of minutiae trailing unattended in its wake, but when the small things are mastered, the big loses gravity. To analogize, a test is no problem when its material has been personalized through diligent study; a physical confrontation loses its edge when the mind and body are integrated through methodical practice. Most importantly, the daily challenges we face in life become surprisingly manageable when we eliminate clutter and execute matters of small concern with full attention and ambition.

Unfortunately, the effort to lead a life of happiness and success is monumental in nature. But it is easy to fix the small things one at a time.

Bolster Your Routine at a Martial Arts Organization

Sliding back on your martial arts goals?

Find the support, encouragement, and discipline you need to stay on track at SMAA. Our martial arts organization offers aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. To get started or reach out with questions, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here.

Remember the Fundamentals

Do you find yourself falling into a routine with no meaning?

In the Hagakure, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, there is a passage that reads:

"Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige’s wall there was this one: 'Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.' Master Ittei commented, 'Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.'"

This is interesting, because we tend to behave the opposite.

For the martial artist, the dojo is the setting to pursue this wisdom. Let the dojo be a place of meticulous focus where every breath and footstep bear heavy significance, where every motion and intention dominate the mind. Our time is so limited in the confines of the training hall, restricted by countless obligations of the modern economic climate that we must aspire to make the best of every moment we have. It is a difficult task to be continuously present, without lapse of attention or admittance of distraction, and it can only be achieved with determination.

Begin with the fundamentals: Formalities and repetitions should never be mindless. Too habitually they are! It is easy to stare off into space or pick at the nails during stretches and warm-ups — not out of disrespect, but ennui. Begin by destroying that stultified detachment. Begin by occupying the body with the mind.

When stretching, seek comfort in flexibility. When striking, or standing for judo uchikomi (repetitive throws stopped short of throwing), be stentorian in count. During ukemi (falling), focus on posture before, during, and after the fall; and when being uke (the receiver of a technique), remember that the ability to receive technique is equally as crucial as the ability to effect it. During demonstrations be attentive, when bowing, be sincere, and when instructed, yell “Hai!” or “Yes, sir!” and take the lesson to heart. Everything — every little thing — should be considered with serious regard.

Bolster Your Routine at a Martial Arts Organization

Sliding back on your martial arts goals?

Find the support, encouragement, and discipline you need to stay on track at SMAA. Our martial arts organization offers aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. To get started or reach out with questions, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here.

Applying Techniques in Action

 Why is it important to continuously practice techniques you already know?

Once we have achieved some degree of understanding of our martial arts skills, we can apply them in action. In judo, this is done in randori (free practice), in karate-do we engage in kumite (sparring), in iaido, we simply repeat our forms again and again, seeking to deepen our ability to focus on and execute the detailed form requirements. 

Through this application, we learn what works well and what needs more work. We can go back to the mastery stage to analyze and perfect skills that don't work well in application, try them out again, and continue this back-and-forth process until we succeed at throwing a challenging partner (or whatever our milestone is at the time). This eventually makes us very capable at self-defense, demonstrating, kumite, or whatever our goal for training may be.

Having good training partners is critical for success in application of techniques. Dojo mates who care about your success can make all the difference. They will apply their strength in the right measure so that you can attempt your technique and determine whether or not it works. They can comment on how your technique looks or feels to them, allowing you to use the feedback to make yourself better. As you improve, they can increase their strength and speed, helping you to refine your skills even more. There are very few better friends than a really good training partner.

Embrace Budo at a National Karate Association

Interested in learning more about budo and its training techniques?

SMAA is a national karate association, but also offers aikido, iaido, judo, and jujutsu! Whether you’re brand new to martial arts or a seasoned veteran, all dedicated martial artists have a place at SMAA. To get started, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here.

Learning New Techniques

Have you thought about your training technique as its own art?

Because you come to a new art with no knowledge, the early part of your martial arts career will be mostly filled with learning new techniques. Typically, you are taught a throw, joint lock, sword cut, or strike—you practice it a bit until you have memorized the pattern—your teacher helps you refine it a bit—and then you are taught another new technique. This is the same whether you study aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, karate-do, or kendo. 

Because students get a lot of attention at this stage, and because of the excitement and interest of constantly learning new things, many students get addicted to learning new techniques. If they don't manage to move past this addiction, they will never become accomplished martial artists; instead, they will become collectors of skills—dilettantes with no deep understanding of their art. In fact, learning new techniques is the smallest part of the career of a true martial arts master.

MASTERING TECHNIQUES

In the traditional martial arts, we don't really believe in the idea that a person can truly “master” a technique or an art. Instead, we believe that becoming great at martial arts is a lifetime's commitment, and that we must constantly revisit the techniques we know to try to deepen our understanding of them. 

What we mean when we say that the second aspect of physical training is “mastering techniques” is that we constantly practice what we know, always trying to be better. We analyze each part of a technique, figure out what could be done better, practice that part, then put the whole thing back together and try to make it more efficient, more effective, or more beautiful. If we keep at it long enough with an enthusiastic spirit, we can eventually become quite good at our chosen art.

Embrace Budo at a National Karate Association

Interested in learning more about budo and its training techniques?

SMAA is a national karate association, but also offers aikido, iaido, judo, and jujutsu! Whether you’re brand new to martial arts or a seasoned veteran, all dedicated martial artists have a place at SMAA. To get started, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here.

Embracing the Beginner's Mind

Why is it important to approach martial arts with a beginner’s mind?

"Empty Your Cup" is a martial arts aphorism that virtually every student has heard. It refers to the idea that students should put aside their own thoughts and opinions and diligently try to do exactly as their instructor asks them to do. Whether one studies aikido, karate-do, jujutsu, or kendo, the requirement is the same: diligently and enthusiastically perform the techniques of your martial art, over and over, trying to match all the checkpoints provided by your teacher. The idea is that you should adopt a beginner's attitude, rather than an expert's, even if you are very accomplished. If you do so, you will find that your understanding and ability improve at a remarkable pace.

Outside the dojo, the attributes of a good martial artist—confidence, open-mindedness, positive attitude, and awareness—are tools for success. In life, as in the dojo, we keep what we embrace and lose what we reject. A human being with a big heart has room for many wonderful things!

Earn Your Martial Arts Certification at SMAA

Our dojo offers five unique divisions of authentic Japanese martial arts: aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. If you’re looking to earn a martial arts certification in any of these, SMAA is for you! To get started, call 734-720-0330 or submit a contact form here. We look forward to nurturing your Beginner’s Mind!

Things to Keep in Mind When Beginning a New Martial Art

Are you ready to start learning a new martial art?

Previous training in a martial art can impede your ability to perform the checkpoints of your new art. In fact, it's more than your mind that keeps you from doing your new art correctly; if you've studied another martial art, the chances are good that you learned things in a different way. The old movements are programmed into your nervous system and can take time to unlearn. By staying relaxed, focusing on the relationship between the technique and the principle that makes it work, and trying to work slowly and systematically, you can dramatically decrease the time it takes to unlearn the old and learn the new.

Inner dialog is another impediment to effective learning. Most of us have a sort of continuous conversation with ourselves, in which we constantly analyze, compare, discriminate, and predict. In situations where intellectual analysis is required, this dialog can be beneficial. However, when learning a physical skill, the dialog can actually impair our ability to experience the techniques in all their fullness. Martial arts are physical skills, and if our complete attention is focused on the moment, we are much more likely to absorb the subtle aspects of the techniques. Learning to quiet the mind is essential on the way to becoming an advanced martial artist.

Ego is one of the biggest hurdles to learning new skills, especially for those who have studied other arts previously. It's common for martial arts students to strongly identify with the system they've studied, and when they are offered new ways to accomplish martial arts goals, those new ways can seem strange or threatening. It's normal to experience a defensive reaction when asked to try something different, but the accomplished practitioner will learn that the reaction need not be acted upon. Instead, one can recognize that the reaction is a product of "self," a body of reflexive thoughts and feelings that may not actually represent who we are, and move through it toward the desired technique. Recognizing that learning to do things in new ways does not threaten who we are is an enormous step in becoming accomplished martial artists.

Earn Your Martial Arts Certification at SMAA

Our dojo offers five unique divisions of authentic Japanese martial arts: aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. If you’re looking to earn a martial arts certification in any of these, SMAA is for you! To get started, call 734-720-0330 or submit a contact form here. We look forward to nurturing your Beginner’s Mind!

Wayne Muromoto: Who, What, and Why

How does your personality impact your martial arts practice?

There are usually a couple of questions I ask potential students within the first month of training, or even before they begin training. I usually don’t ask it in so blunt a manner, but they are usually some form of “Who are you, what do you do, and why do you want to train with us?”

There are several reasons why I ask these questions, some obvious, and perhaps some not so apparent at first. Obviously, I want to get some idea of who you are. My club is so small that any new person will alter the group dynamics substantially, and so I want to know from the start what you are like, where you are coming from, and what kind of prior knowledge (and stereotypes) you are bringing to the training.

Who are you? What do you do? In America, we tend to categorize people based a lot on their occupation. It’s not that I’m a social snob. You don’t need to have a white-collar job. But if you are an adult, don’t have a job, and are mooching off someone else, I’m going to wonder if you can afford to help pay the monthly dues that covers our dojo rental fees. Also, what does that say about your ability to stick things out, to work hard at a concerted, extended effort?

What prior martial arts background do you have? Some martial arts will complement what we do. Some will only hinder you learning our own style, so I will have prior knowledge of what I need to be aware of. Perhaps your experiences and mindset are not the proper fit for what we do. I sometimes suggest other martial arts schools that prospective students might enjoy more than ours. We’re not the answer to everyone’s quest for the martial arts that suit their purposes.

Why do you want to train in our dojo? There’s actually no pat and simple answer for this. Of course, if you say something like “Because I need to fight the ninjas that are coming out of the walls in my padded room,” I may ask that you focus on taking your medication regularly instead of learning how to fight invisible ninja.

Ready to Start Earning Your Martial Arts Rank Certficate?

If you have the who, what, and why, we want to have you at SMAA!

At our dojo, you have your choice of five different divisions of Japanese martial arts. To start your journey towards an official martial arts rank certificate, call 734-720-0330 or submit a contact form here!

Wayne Muromoto: Why Practice Martial Arts?

Why do you want to practice martial arts?

When I thought about it, even I have a hard time establishing my reasons for doing budo in a set of short, simple sentences. So why even ask when I can’t answer my own question succinctly? And why ask the other questions if the case is that more often than not, I allow students to train, usually regardless of their social status or occupation?

The reason that’s not so apparent is that in the asking, I’m not just recording the quantitative answers: what your job is, what prior training you’ve done, why you want to train (even if you struggle on that last answer). I’m looking at your answers in a qualitative way. How are you answering the questions? What kind of emotional and personality traits are you exhibiting when you talk about yourself, past teachers, past training? Are you SAYING all the right words, but are your mannerisms and body language in opposition to the words coming out of your mouth? Then there’s something not quite right with what you’re saying.

Two people can say the same things, but how they say it and their body language may tell me totally different things about those two.

“Oh, I trained/am still training in X martial arts, but I’m really not that good at it…” That’s the usual way people will talk about their martial arts experience. There’s humble, though, and there’s false humility. One person can smile self-deprecatingly, shake his head, and the entire body language will show humility and a willingness to learn something new. Another person, like a short-term student I encountered some months ago, said the right words, but he puffed out his chest, stuck his chin out and looked down his nose when he said it, as if his words were saying, “I’m humble and willing to learn,” but his body was saying “But I’m a badass!” He didn’t last all that long. His cup was too full, and he had a hard time adjusting to our training. Moreover, he didn’t think anything about showing up with patches up and down his training outfit promoting his other martial arts style. And he wasn’t a badass. He was just bad.

In a way, talking to prospective new students is like speed dating. How do you get a handle on this new person in only a few minutes, who might barge into your life and stick around every training session, three hours a week, week in and week out, through a cursory interview? You can end a speed date right away if your creep-o-meter senses that the potential partner is a jerk. But a jerk in the dojo may hang around for a long time. 

And if you are that new student, are you self-aware enough to know what kind of impression you are conveying to other people, not just in the dojo, but also in the rest of your life? Is that impression positive or negative? Are your words saying one thing, but is your body language giving away your true nature, and is that nature something you actually like or is it time for a change in attitude?

Ready to Start Earning Your Martial Arts Rank Certficate?

If you have the who, what, and why, we want to have you at SMAA!

At our dojo, you have your choice of five different divisions of Japanese martial arts. To start your journey towards an official martial arts rank certificate, call 734-720-0330 or submit a contact form here!

Mutual Destruction in Martial Arts

What does “mutual destruction” have to do with modern martial arts?

There are a number of things to consider concerning ai-uchi. In a sportive contest of point-taking, like kendo or karate, it's a lot of fun to just go at it and strike the opponent without fear of much bodily injury, thanks to rules and protective gear. But the samurai were a conservative lot. Their philosophy of fighting and combat—which may surprise modern day martial arts people who strut and preen about their willingness to fight with anybody—was very, very reserved.

Their conclusions were that there were three things that can result from a real battle, and two out of three were very, very bad. The good result is if you win and the other side dies. The really bad result is if the other guy wins and you die, and finally the third is still bad news for you; ai-uchi is when both of you kill each other off.

Now, two out of three chances of killing your enemy might not be bad if you're fighting to defend someone else, and you're willing to sacrifice yourself to save your lord and/or loved ones from the enemy attacker, as long as you destroy the other guy. But in terms of self-preservation, these are really lousy odds.

So really philosophical warriors, who thought about the consequences a lot, were quite reluctant to engage in real combat at the jump of the hat. Even if they were technically very good, there's no telling what chance and luck may bring to you . . . you could slip on a banana peel, for example, and so the lousiest warrior for the other side could take your head. If he did have to go into battle, the classical warrior was pretty much resigned to accepting the fact that the odds were two to one that he'd be dead come the next day, all other things being equal. 

Say you have overwhelming firepower. You can maneuver as you want to outflank the enemy and obtain every advantage, which one might say is a kind of philosophy of outmaneuvering and unbalancing. But if the enemy and you meet on a field of battle, and he attacks you at the same time you attack, you will probably absorb some losses. But if you can destroy the opponent, whacking him harder than he whacks you, you will win the day. So, in this battlefield ai-uchi, you will accept some losses with the intention of inflicting a lot more losses on the enemy as both of you attack at the same time.

In real life terms, perhaps it means that no matter what, you win some, and you lose some. And sometimes you get just as much as you give. Or more.

Earn Karate Black Belt Certificates and More!

SMAA offers five divisions of authentic Japanese martial arts: aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. If you’re looking to earn a karate black belt certificate or start a new martial art, give us a call at (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here. We look forward to helping you develop your art!

A Brief Introduction to Ai-Uchi

Have you ever heard the term “ai-uchi” used in your martial art?

There is a term you will sooner or later hear in Japanese martial arts called ai-uchi. It is often used in kendo; fencing with bamboo staves, but you may hear it in old-fashioned karate schools and the like. Ai-uchi, to most practitioners, simply means the two sides strike each other at the same time, so their points cancel out each other in a contest.

Sasama Yoshihiko, in Zusetsu Nihon Budo Jiten, offers a more in-depth definition. One old meaning of the term is actually a kind of gangtackling an enemy. When two or more people attack a single enemy at once, it is called ai-uchi, the ai (meaning “mutuality”) now meaning “group” attack. Like a kind of “swarming” used by police to subdue an unruly prisoner. Old records document instances of sannin-ai-uchi (three against one) and two against one attacks on the battlefield, in which groups of two or three footmen gang up and take down one samurai.

But the meaning of most importance to martial artists is the concept of ai-uchi as “mutual strikes.” Your strike hits the opponent the same time as he strikes you. So theoretically, both of you die.

Earn Karate Black Belt Certificates and More!

SMAA offers five divisions of authentic Japanese martial arts: aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, and karate-do. If you’re looking to earn a karate black belt certificate or start a new martial art, give us a call at (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form here. We look forward to helping you develop your art!

The Origins of Suieijutsu

Did you know there’s a martial art centered around swimming?

The Japanese bushi studied suijutsu (水術) or suieijutsu (suiei-jutsu) as one of their martial arts. It is essentially combative swimming. These antique and sophisticated forms of martial swimming are presently undergoing a resurgence of sorts in Japan and videos can even be found online.

The Ancient Origins

Long ago, a bushi (“warrior”) met many situations where he might need to cross a body of water, attack an adversary from the water, or protect himself while in water and wearing armor. Centered on the needs of combat, the Japanese advanced several different types of swimming over the generations. For instance, Iwakura Ryu contained assorted traditional bushi swimming skills, including swimming in armor, eating while swimming, even swimming while bound with rope. 

To learn more about the origins of suieijutsu, click here!

Work Towards Martial Arts Rank Certificates at SMAA

Two of the world’s leading experts in suieijutsu are SMAA officials in Japan. By attending the Shudokan Martial Arts Association, you can learn more about the history of this fascinating martial arts style. 

If martial arts are your passion, you can earn prestigious martial arts rank certificates in legitimate, historical Japanese martial arts. To get started, call (734) 729-0330 or contact us here.

Understanding Your Personal Form in Martial Arts

 Do you want to strengthen the connection between your body and mind? 

To do so, you must understand your form before increasing your strength.

Understanding Your Form

To understand the body geometrically, you should first be aware of the physical center point where the body's mass and balance naturally settle. First, envision a sphere whose radius originates at the body's origin. If circumstances demand occupation outside this sphere, then the origin of the sphere must be repositioned to accommodate. Now, the line representing the body can bow or hinge on shaping new tools within the sphere. 

To maintain structural integrity and unification, there are two requirements that must be maintained. The first is that one's shape must either move from its origin or around its origin. The second is that every point on the line that represents the body must be contiguously connected to the origin. 

If either of these requirements falters, then the form suffers disorganization, and the effectiveness of the body as a tool diminishes. 

To learn more about the forms in martial arts, click here.

Build Your Understanding of Form - Earn a Custom Martial Arts Certificate 

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Joining an official martial arts association can lead you down a path to a better understanding of yourself. When joining an official martial arts association you can work towards earning your own custom martial arts certificate. 

Contact us to learn more. 

Forms in Martial Arts

 Martial arts are a collection of postural forms designed to express physical energy in an intelligent way. 

Understanding how martial arts is a tool for your body will expand your comfort in expression.

The Forms in Martial Arts

The martial forms are shapes that can be regarded as tools. The ability to shape your body into the appropriate tool at the appropriate time is the physical objective of martial arts. In order to accomplish this, it is important to possess both a geometrical understanding of the body and a spatial understanding of the body's potential area. 

To learn about your personal form in martial arts, click here!  

Connect with Your Form - Earn a Custom Martial Arts Certificate 

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Working with a certified martial arts instructor can help you earn a custom martial arts certificate! 

Contact us to learn how! 

Optimism in Martial Arts

Do you want to strengthen your mind?

In the Japanese martial arts, the cultivation of wa, or “harmony,” is considered to be essential. Without this quality, a dojo (or even a nation) cannot function effectively, but it can, at least partially, be cultivated by developing the habit of using positive, encouraging words when addressing others. 

Koryu bujutsu, and to a lesser degree modern budo, are derived from the ancient traditions of the bushi, the classical warrior of feudal Japan. For a bushi—or samurai, as he could also be known—facing death was an everyday concern. In fact, the bushi's life was likened to the Japanese cherry blossom, which blooms only briefly, displays vibrant color and beauty, and is then scattered by the wind. 

For the bushi to maintain a positive attitude in the face of possible impending death, he had to learn not to worry about the past, or especially, the future. This point is also vital for the modern student of martial arts. Basically, if the mind stays in the present, it’s impossible to worry. Human beings worry about an event that might take place in the future. The present moment contains no time or space for worry. 

Learn more here!

 

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You may become a better student, teacher, and performer with support from the SMAA. You’ll gain insight from our prestigious members in multiple countries and can earn reputable certificates of rank. We can answer your questions with credible historic Japanese martial arts knowledge and experience.

 

Call us today at 734-720-0330 or contact us to learn about earning karate certificates.

Keeping a Positive Attitude

Do you want to strengthen your mind?

In many ways, the positive and dynamic use of the mind is the most important point in learning budo, for without it, we rarely have the follow-through to effectively master any other aspects of training. Beginners should also consider as well the ways in which a negative attitude can affect them physically. And while all of this is important, the bottom-line is that the mind will withdraw from an activity it doesn’t “feel good about.” That includes learning a martial arts technique, and if we believe that we can’t do well at some aspect of budo, the mind often fails to fully focus on that action, creating a self- fulfilling prophecy of failure. 

 

An optimistic attitude is most easily arrived at through a deliberate and rational analysis of what’s required to manifest positive thought patterns. First, we must reflect on the present condition of our minds. In other words, is the mind positive or not? We’ve all met individuals that perceived themselves as being upbeat people, yet weren’t seen by others in that way. The mind, being invisible, is intangible. It’s therefore easier to see the characteristics of the mind through a person's words, deeds, and posture. 

Learn more here!

 

Looking for Karate Certificates? Join SMAA Today!

You may become a better student, teacher, and performer with support from the SMAA. You’ll gain insight from our prestigious members in multiple countries and can earn reputable certificates of rank. We can answer your questions with credible historic Japanese martial arts knowledge and experience.

Call us today at 734-720-0330 or contact us to learn about earning karate certificates. 

Randori in the Dojo

Are you a martial artist?

How should you be studying randori?

“In time of practice, without distraction, Light in heart and light in limb, let us endeavor with full attention, to concentrate our mind within.”

-- Excerpt from The Song of Judo by Mifune Kyuzo Sensei, Kodokan judo judan 

The characters that compose the word dojo literally mean "the place for finding the way." So despite its militaristic influence, the martial arts dojo is above all an educational institution. The motivation for training the martial arts is different for every person, but essentially, the entire dojo population — both student and sensei — are there to learn. This holds predominately true in the practice of randori. Never forget it! 

Though every person in the dojo should participate in free practice with the intention of winning, they must do so under the pretext of study. Dojo randori is a time to explore safely in the company of trustworthy peers. Because taking a fall or a hit in the dojo is no ruinous defeat, one should make good use of the opportunity to test and chart unfamiliar territory. Clinging to a habitual technique merely narrows the perspective and encourages tunnel vision in the training process: Instead, one should experiment with alternative tactics, play outside the comfort zone, and remain unperturbed if a ploy is unsuccessful. The tai chi chuan adage, "Invest in loss," rules high here, and correlates with the Western anecdote of Thomas Edison whose light bulb failed 1000 times before it functioned properly. 

Most importantly, the martial arts student should follow Mifune Sensei's advice, and engage in practice "light in heart and light in limb." The dojo is not the place to show dominance over fellow students. It is not the place lose one’s temper. This by no means implies slow, low energy practice, but only a clear mind and a relaxed body will maximize the potential to learn.

Learn more about randori!

Receive Custom Martial Arts Certificates

Do you want to earn reputable certificates of rank?

There are plenty of organizations who can give you mass-produced rank certificates, but do those really mean anything? You’re serious about martial arts, and your dedication deserves more than a cheap piece of paper. The Shudokan Martial Arts Association can help you receive legitimate rank certificates that mean something not only to you, but the entire martial arts community. We offer custom martial arts certificates for judo, karate, jujutsu, iaido, and aikido. All you have to do is join SMAA as a full member, give us a detailed history of your training, any certificates you’ve earned, a video of you performing, and a small certification fee of $30.

SMAA can give you something to be proud of! What are you waiting for? Rank today!

RANDORI: FREE PRACTICE, COMPETITION, AND COMBAT

Are you learning randori in the dojo?

Wondering how it can be used outside the dojo?

Randori means "chaos taking" in Japanese, and may refer to any martial instance that involves two or more parties vying for a specific goal. A common practice in Kodokan judo, the purpose of randori is to perpetuate chaos upon the opposition in order to perplex, deceive, overcome, or overwhelm, so that victory may be taken decisively. Randori itself may be trisected into three distinct genres relevant to a respective setting: free practice in the dojo, competition in martial sport, and combat in battle.

Free Practice in the Dojo

Though every person in the dojo should participate in free practice with the intention of winning, they must do so under the pretext of study. Dojo randori is a time to explore safely in the company of trustworthy peers. Because taking a fall or a hit in the dojo is no ruinous defeat, one should make good use of the opportunity to test and chart unfamiliar territory. Clinging to a habitual technique merely narrows the perspective and encourages tunnel vision in the training process: Instead, one should experiment with alternative tactics, play outside the comfort zone, and remain unperturbed if a ploy is unsuccessful.

Competition in Sport

In the Japanese martial arts, sport competition is known as shiai. In shai, conditioning, coaching, and fluency of the game are the fastest routes to victory. Unlike in the dojo, the competitor's ring is not the place to explore. Instead, methods that are tried and true are the surest way to go. Though they certainly have backups, many champions triumph through one or two skillful techniques that can be executed swiftly and seemingly from nowhere, because in the heat of competition, experimentation becomes a risk — it could result in loss or even injury — so rules are imposed and upheld by a referee or some other authority to protect the competitors.

Combat in Battle

Combat, to be sure, is an entirely different animal, where the safety of the opposite party is sometimes entirely ignored, and it is truly a skirmish of severe consequences. Never forget that free practice and competition are not combat — they are combat simulations for study or sport, and this distinction cannot be dismissed. In battle there is no referee to enforce the rules, and there is no agreement to sustain mutual welfare. This point is obvious, but sometimes easy to forget, after an accumulation of trophies or consistent victories in the dojo.

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