08-09-2007, 09:32 PM
Here is some info from wikipedia about judo
Quote:Judo (æé, jÅ«dÅ), meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budÅ) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or applying a choke. Kicks, punches, and thrusts are present in Judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (Kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).
Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools (koryÅ«). Practitioners of judo are called jÅ«dÅka.