About 400 athletes will take part in the 2010 Judo National Championships, which will happen Saturday and Sunday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
Many Americans aren't versed in judo techniques or terminology, often confusing it with karate, said Jose Rodriguez, the CEO of USA Judo, which organizes the championships.
Judo, a form of jujitsu, was born in the late 1880s in Japan as a tool for the Japanese police force to protect themselves, he said.
It is an Olympic sport, and is aiming to ride MMA's recent wave of popularity.
The two-day judo competition features seven championships in a variety of divisions, including a Paralympic event with visually impaired competitors.
"We have four mats going at the same time so there is fighting continuously," Rodriguez said. "It's a good opportunity for people to come out and see the kids who will represent the United States in 2012."
The judo championships is one of several sports-tourism events happening along the Grand Strand this year, part of a push by the city and Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to lure more sports events - along with the participants and spectators - to boost tourism along the Grand Strand.
Why Myrtle Beach?
A couple of things. My staff visited and suggested it. Obviously I have heard of the reputation of Myrtle Beach. We want to pick a place so that participants will say, 'Hey I want to be there.'
In this day and age, with the economy the way it is, we are competing against paying the mortgage, paying the light bill. It has to be in a place where people will want to be.
Where have the past tournaments been?
Last year it was in San Diego. The year before, it was Virginia Beach. And Chicago the year before that. It moves around a lot.
What kind of competitions will we see in Myrtle Beach?
We have senior elite - they are high-level athletes. This is the cream of the crop... Then you have the Paralympic competition. These are your more elite Paralympians. Masters - those are 30-years-of-age and over. The oldest one we have is 73 or 74.
Wow. Really?
Yeah, it's interesting. A few years ago when I first started, I remember this older guy walking up to the mat with his cane ... he put the cane down, hobbled in there, fought and won.
The difference between karate, taekwando and judo - in judo we don't kick, we don't punch. You basically use the strength of one's opponent to defend yourself. All of our terms are in Japanese because it started in Japan ... Judo is very similar to MMA. Many of the great MMA competitors were judo athletes.
You can win in judo by locking the person's arm. They are either going to give up or ultimately you would break the elbow.
There's also the choke hold; you cut the circulation in the neck and the athlete gives up or passes out. As soon as you release the pressure, the athlete comes back, but of course they don't remember.
Will we see much of that during the competitions in Myrtle Beach?
Of course there will be choke holds. Athletes are well trained. They only have a few seconds then they will pass out. Most of them tap out. It's very similar to MMA. Judo has a little freestyle wrestling, a little Greco Roman wrestling.
It's basically a sport most Americans don't understand. I'll travel, wearing my judo polo shirt, and people will come up to me, say judo then they jump up and do a karate chop.
With judo similar to MMA, is it growing in popularity as MMA has?
Little by little we are trying to ride that wave...The important thing is to end up in places where we can get the local people to come out and enjoy it. And get the children out there so they can say, 'Hey Mom, I want to do that.'
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What | 2010 USA Judo National Championships
Competitions | Senior elite, masters and visually impaired divisions
Number of competitors | 400
When | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where | Myrtle Beach Convention Center
Cost | $10 a day or $18 for a two-day pass; $6 daily or $10 for two-day pass for kids ages 5 through 12; free for kids under age 5
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