Moshe Feldenkrais and Modern Judo:

Author: Terence McPartland

The Strange Forgotten Tale of a Physicist who Learned Judo. In Palestine after the First World War, times were hard. For a young Ukrainian immigrant named Moshe Feldenkrais, self-defense was a daily necessity.

Feldenkrais began studying Jujitsu and eventually met Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo. Kano was impressed by Feldenkrais's analytical mind and encouraged him to help introduce Judo to Europe. Feldenkrais became one of the first Europeans to earn a black belt in Judo and founded the Judo Club de France in Paris.

The Influence of Judo on the Feldenkrais Method

The principles of Judo-maximum efficiency with minimum effort, using an opponent's force rather than resisting it, and the importance of the centre of gravity-deeply influenced the development of the Feldenkrais Method.

Feldenkrais realised that these principles applied not just to martial arts, but to all human movement. By learning to move efficiently, without unnecessary muscular tension, we can overcome physical limitations and improve our overall quality of life.