With all the martial arts out there (karate, tae kwon do, muay Thai, jujitsu, etc.), it’s difficult to know what sport you’re looking at anytime you see somebody in a gi (a karate training uniform). And now with images of The Karate Kid (both Ralph Macchio’s and Will Smith’s son’s versions) and mixed martial arts further clouding the picture, there’s even less chance of figuring out what you’re looking at. Makes you want to say, “Hi-ya!” (picture karate chop) to the whole thing. Fortunately, you can at least find out what judo looks like from some of the best judokas in the world this Friday at the 2011 Judo World Cup. More than 700 practitioners will compete at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in one of the biggest judo tournaments in the world ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Unlike karate and other strike-oriented martial arts, judo is more of a grappling sport, in which throwing, submission holds, and pinning techniques are most essential. It’s a sport that emphasizes balance and technique over strength. Creator Jigoro Kano even claims a strict adherence to judo’s techniques will allow you to resist larger and more powerful opponents with superior balance and leverage — hey, just like the karate kid did! The competition begins Friday and finishes Saturday. On Sunday, there will be even more fighting with the Judo U.S. Open, starting at 7 a.m.
July 1-3, 10 a.m., 2011