Southside Dojo

Judo was founded in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano.  Meaning the “gentle way”, it was derived from Jujitsu minus the lethal techniques.  Judo is a grappling martial art similar to jiu-jitsu, but does NOT involve punching or kicking. Judo places emphasis on throws, pins, and submission holds such as strangles and arm locks.  Introduced into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a demonstration sport, it gained full Olympics status in 1972.  Training consists of standing and ground grappling techniques, kata, and self-defense applications. 

The dojo is a member of the United States Judo Federation, handling our promotions and ranks through the USJF.  We are also a member of the United States Judo Association (USJA) and United States Judo, Inc (USJI).  Our Judo instructors are all experienced judoka, having been part of Michigan's Elite Judo Team.  At Southside Dojo we have beginner adult and youth judo classes as well as competitive classes (focusing on olympic-style sport judo).