A Discussion of the Rules of Competitive Judo

Though judo began its life and continues to serve a dual life as a practiced and venerable martial art, free of competition and entirely for the betterment of self, it cannot be ignored that the sporting aspect of judo has become quite popular. Of course, this is not new, either. Even Dr. Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, encouraged judo competitions and was in fact a big supporter of the Olympic games, where judo soon earned a place. Here is a brief overview of some of the rules of competitive judo.

There are some basic rules that apply to the sport of judo, whether within the confines of competition or a friendly sparring match in the dojo. These rules are inflexible and apply to all true judo competition. Injuring an opponent on purpose is never permitted. No strikes are allowed within the setting of a judo competition, either. Though judo in practice makes use of striking and the study thereof, it is not a part of competition. There must be no contact with the opponent's face, and there shall be no joint attacks, other than the elbow. There are other rules that govern most judo competition in general, but these give you an idea of the basics.

Now on to rules that are in place only in the event of a true judo competition. These rules need not necessarily apply to dojo sparring, but almost certainly apply to tournament play, and definitely within the confines of the Olympics. These would include the prohibition of stalling tactics, and the disallowance of a defensive posture. It is also required to bow when entering the arena of competition. Scoring is played out in a system of Ippon, waza-ari, yuko, and koka, which means a point system of 10, 7, 5, and 3 down the line. The Ippon is the greatest of goals in the arena of competition and is awarded for perfect technique in a throw or submission hold.

Rules about the competition area include the fact that the floor must be padded with tatami, and there are size restrictions that must be followed exactly. This includes the minimum allowable size of 14 meters by 14 meters for the area, and an 8 by 8 by 10 meter area within the larger area for the actual competition. The rest of the area must be there as a safety zone for the competitors.

There are also rules governing the proper size and length of the judogi, or uniform, that the competitors wear within the competition. These rules are in place for safety reasons, and for the fact that so much of judo competition is based around throwing and grappling with the use of the gi for leverage. There are strict size regulations preventing either the sleeves or the pants from being too short, thus preventing an opponent from being able to grab them in the competition.

This is but a brief overview of some of the rules of competitive judo. Each tournament and individual competition may have its own unique rules and regulations, particularly as they apply to age, weight division, and the allowable holds thereof.