Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas

The Kodokan judo gokyo-no-waza: Its history and pedagogy

Carl De Crée — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper aims to describe, contextualize and critically analyze the historical origin and background, circumstances, structure and logic that underpin Kodokan judo’s gokyo-no-waza and classification of throws outside of the gokyo. To do so, we have applied historical methods and source criticism allowing us to uncover hitherto unknown facts and to offer a critical analysis of the gokyo’s foundations and previously published hypotheses. With kata prior to the creation of the gokyo being the only crutch that Kano’s assistants could lean on when having to teach the Kodokan’s exponentially growing number of judo students, there was a dire need for a didactically organized teaching plan of technical progression. It is to that end that in 1895 some of Kano’s most senior students and himself came up with the gokyo-no-waza or “techniques of the five teachings” as their standard syllabus of throwing techniques. Today referred to as the kyu gokyo-no-waza, this first syllabus consisted of 42 techniques. In response to the evolution of judo, a revised syllabus, the shin gokyo-no-waza consisting of 40 techniques was launched in 1920 based on the input of six of Kano’s leading students. The techniques within the gokyo are organized foremost with attention to being easy for breakfalling. Between 1982 and 2017, the Kodokan expanded their syllabus to 68 throws by creating two categories of techniques outside of the gokyo, i.e. the habukareta-waza and the shinmeisho-no-waza. In this paper we propose to add a new category of 25 historically documented judo throws, which we have named the jidai-okure-no-waza [obsolete techniques] hence bringing the total recognized judo throws to 93.

Breaking down barriers: the beginnings of women's practice in Mexican taekwondo (1972-1992)

Edgar Iván López Gallo Gocchi — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The female contribution has been fundamental for the successful development of Mexican taekwondo, not only in its competitive contribution, but also in its popularization and teaching. However, things were not easy for the young women who in the 1970s and 1980s began to practice this discipline, since they had to overcome the historical inequality related to the sex-gender system, machismo and the lack of sports support, factors that slowed down —although they did not stop— their martial and sports development. This article reconstructs the beginnings of taekwondo practice of six women, most of them members of the Moo Duk Kwan organization, and the difficulties they faced in their sport practice. The text begins with a brief introduction in which the objectives, hypotheses, a brief state of the question and the methodology used are presented, and then some changes in the lives of women in Mexico City at the end of the 1960s. It then focuses on the experiences of six Mexican taekwondo pioneers. Finally, some brief final considerations are presented.

The text begins with a brief introduction that, among other things, highlights the contribution of women in Mexican taekwondo and presents the sources used in the research; to then address the arrival of jiu-jitsu and judo in Mexico, first modern Eastern martial arts practiced in the country. He then presents some social and cultural changes in Mexico at the end of the 1960s, then focuses on the experiences of six Mexican taekwondo pioneers and a precursor to sports psychology. Finally, some final considerations are presented.

The spatial and spatiotemporal interpersonal coordinations in aikido’s jiyu waza

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Over the past few years, interpersonal coordination has been increasingly recognised as an important concept in understanding sports performance. It refers to the interactions between individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the interpersonal coordination in jiyu waza. Specifically, it sought to identify the spatial and spatiotemporal measures that characterised interpersonal coordination in jiyu waza. Twenty aikido practitioners participated in the study, with a mean age of 30 years (± 5 years), with a minimum rank of shodan (1st degree black belt) and a minimum of 8 years of aikido practice. The task was jiyu waza, which consisted of a defending aikido practitioner avoiding being surrounded and/or hit by three opponents. Triangular area, triangular shape/type, and interpersonal distance, together with their respective measures of change rates (variability and velocity) were used as measures of interpersonal coordination. The x and y coordinates of the participants' displacement were obtained from 30-second filming (1800 frames at 60 fps) using the semi-automatic tracking software Kinovea 0.9.5. The filming was performed from above, considering the top of each participant's head as the tracking point. Results revealed that: (1) the attackers' interpersonal coordination’s in the form of scalene and obtuse triangles, with more variable areas, as well as the greater interpersonal distances between the defender and the triangles characterised the defenses; (2) the attacks in which the defender was attacked from the front, but was unable to neutralise it, were characterised by greater interpersonal distances that emerged with greater positive velocities; (3) the defender consistently failed to neutralise attacks from behind; these situations were characterised by the interpersonal coordination represented by the scalene and obtuse triangles. The findings of this study suggest that the triangular measures (area and shape/type) were able to capture the interpersonal coordination of cooperation between the attackers, and the interpersonal distance enabled access to the interpersonal coordination relative to the opposition in jiyu waza.

The Way of the (Imagined) Sword: martial heritage perceptions among kendo practitioners

Sebastián Chávez-Hernández — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Contemporary kendo (Japanese fencing) is a product of Imperial Japan and the post-WWII era. With its expansion to the West and democratic reformation, people from Europe and America engaged with its cultural heritage. However, there are few studies characterizing their kendo heritage notions. Hence, 30 semi-structed interviews were conducted to kendoka (kendo practitioners) residing in Spain asking them about aspects constituting “correct kendo”. By employing a Grounded Theory approach and open coding, four sub-categories emerged: ritual demarcation, material identity, traditional past, and kendistic identity. The main findings on these were that following protocol is fundamental to maintaining harmony and respect among practitioners; that the full uniform projected an idea of the samurai past as traditional, Japanese and value-charged; that ceremonies and ritual situate kendoka in a non-mundane context of the practice; that training implements invite to think of them as fitting for kendo and developing a “kendistic habitus”; and that kendo aesthetics and morals made it distinct from “mere sports”. Thus, both historical and mythical aspects of kendo are thought and reproduced by kendoka through intellectual and corporal means, then deriving in an embodied heritage that has to be interpreted by practitioners to manifest kendo's legacy.

The role of head movement in capoeira's armada performance

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

During armada performance, capoeira player breaks the visual coupling with the opponent because of the turning movement. This study investigated if a phenomenon named “head marking” would characterize as a potential strategy for capoeira player deal with such a break in the informational coupling. The head marking refers to the act of, in turning movements, the head being the last part of the body to move, but the first to finish. Forty experienced volunteers, [male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) beginners, and male (n = 10) and female (n = 10) advanced capoeira players], with an average age of 24.0 ±5.0 years took part in this experiment. The head marking was analysed in relation to armada speed (slow and fast), opponent (with and without), attacking leg (preferred and non-preferred) and learning phase (beginner and advanced). The latter classification was based on the cordon graduations of the Brazilian Capoeira Confederation. Head movement time was smaller than armada movement time (758.8 ms vs. 1916.6 ms, respectively, p < 0.01). Head movement occurred within the armada movement, since it involved negative (-330.47 ms) and positive (806.66 ms) average values for the starting and ending of the head movement, respectively. It was observed that the armadas performed with the preferred lower member had greater average value of head movement time than those performed with non-preferred member (740.41 ms vs. 678.72 ms, respectively, p < 0.05). And, when armadas were performed against a virtual opponent, they involved greater head movement time than those performed without a virtual opponent (758.58 ms vs. 669.43 ms, respectively, p < 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that head movement had functioned as a head marking phenomenon as an armada’s critical component, which vary depending on performers’ lateral dominance and presence of an opponent. They also contribute to the comprehension of motor skill functioning and the elucidation of its underlying mechanisms.

Ethnographic notes on the practice of karate in the Western Cariri region of the state of Ceará: affirmation and estrangement of the warrior ethos

George Almeida Lima, Antônio Jorge Gonçalves Soares, Alvaro Rego Millen Neto — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article aims to understand the construction of signs and sociocultural dispositions arising from the relationships established within a karate group in the Western Cariri region of the state of Ceará, Brazil. More specifically, it seeks to present the dissonances and affirmations surrounding the idea of a warrior ethos. Guided by the ethnographic method, the research involved participant observation and field diary entries from June 2023 to May 2024. Ten men and four women took part in the study. The researcher responsible for field immersion participated in karate training sessions and competitions, in addition to establishing a closer relationship with the investigated group, in order to position himself as an “insider.” Distinct forms of appropriation, interpretation, and decoding of karate signs were observed, in which the ethos of this practice operates in peculiar ways, ranging from an individual to a collective conception. Thus, the negotiation of this ethos occurs within a configurational field of tension, where hierarchical positions, personal trajectories, and the regional cultural context filter and reshape martial codes.

Predictive power of deep squat and Abalakov jump tests in roundhouse kick performance among elite striking athletes

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated the relationship between variables of the deep squat jump (DSJ) and the Abalakov jump (ABK) and the performance of the rear leg roundhouse kick in elite combat sport athletes. Twenty-seven elite taekwondo athletes (12 females) performed three attempts of each movement: DSJ and ABK (measured with Pasco^® force platforms), and the roundhouse kick (analyzed with Vicon® motion capture systems). The key findings demonstrated that specific force and power metrics from the jumps are significant predictors of kicking kinematics. For the DSJ, the rate of force development (RFD) in the first 100 ms of the concentric phase (RFDcon) was a primary predictor, independently explaining 21% of the variance in linear foot velocity (p=0.009) and 30.3% in linear foot acceleration (p=0.003). Furthermore, for the non-dominant (stance) limb, takeoff peak force independently predicted angular hip acceleration (R²=0.144, p=0.029). For the ABK, the eccentric braking RFD at 100 ms (RFDecc) emerged as a strong predictor, accounting for 24% of the variance in angular hip acceleration (p=0.006). In conclusion, this study validates the DSJ and ABK as practical tools for assessing qualities critical to roundhouse kick performance. Coaches should prioritize monitoring RFDcon and stance limb strength during a DSJ, as well as the RFDecc during an ABK, to evaluate and train for improved kicking power.

Relationships between selected elements of physical and functional fitness and the competitive performance of judo athletes

Dariusz Boguszewski — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Judo competitors at the highest sports skill level are characterized by a high level of physical fitness, mental toughness, and technical skills developed through years of training. The aim of this study was to reveal the relationship between selected elements of physical and functional fitness and the competitive performance of judo athletes from different age categories and competitive levels. Forty-six judokas aged 17 to 28 years took part in the study. For comparative purposes, the judokas were divided into two groups based on age (juniors and seniors) and sport level (medallists and non-medallists). Research tools were the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test and two muscle strength tests: the bench press and the barbell squat. Data on the sports performance of individual athletes was obtained from the official website of the Polish Judo Association and the European Judo Union. There were no statistically significant differences in the overall FMS score of the junior and senior athletes. Statistically significant differences in total FMS score were found between medallists and non-medallists – in favor of medallists. Statistically significant differences were observed in muscle strength tests between the younger and older age group athletes. Strength tests results relative to body weight showed no significant differences between medallists and non-medallists. Judo training should therefore consider dealing with the functional limitations of the musculoskeletal system and the improvement of movement quality.

Exploring emotional intelligence and mood states variations in combat sports athletes: insights from sport modality, gender, and training experience

Riadh Yahyaoui, Ibrahim Ouergui, Amayra Tannoubi, Mohamed Jarraya — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent studies suggest that combat sports which require athletes to adapt high-pressure situations and manage their emotions may enhance emotional intelligence (EI) and influence mood states. The present study examined the EI and mood states among combat sports athletes according to sport modality, gender and training experience. A total of 226 athletes from grappling (judo, wrestling) and striking (taekwondo, karate, boxing) disciplines completed the Arabic emotional intelligence scale (A-EIS) and the Arabic Mood Scale (ARAMS). Results indicated that striking athletes demonstrated higher EI and more positive mood profiles than grappling athletes. Male athletes showed greater EI and more favorable mood states compared to females. In addition, greater training experience was associated with higher emotional intelligence and positive mood dimensions. The study findings highlight the role of sport type, gender, and experience in shaping athletes’ emotional and psychological profiles, suggesting that emotional skills and mood regulation may be enhanced through training and experience in combat sports.