ACOG - Judo - IBM

Spectator's Guide to Judo

The Basics

The objective of judo is to throw the opponent to the mat, hold the opponent on the mat, apply an arm bar (elbow joint locking) technique or choke the opponent. Although seemingly violent, specialized principles of movement, balance and leverage must be used to execute a successful technique.

In the men's competition, all contests last 5 minutes, while the women compete for 4 minutes unless an ippon (point) is awarded before the end of the bout. The contest takes place on a 10m x 10m mat with the total area measuring 16m x 16m.

Scoring System

One referee and two judges control the competition and award points based on the effectiveness of techniques applied. Scores are achieved by throws and mat holds, with submissions being achieved by joint locks and strangling techniques. The winner is determined by the first contestant to score a full point (an ippon).

In the event the contest concludes without a full point being scored, the contestant with the highest score is declared the winner. When the score is tied or no score has been achieved, a decision based on a majority of three shall be determined by the referee and judges.

Penalty points are awarded to the opposing player. Repeated serious penalties may result in a hansoku make (or disqualification).

Point-Winning Moves

Ippon: Scored as a full point. The opponent is thrown largely on their back, or remains in a hold for 30 seconds. Also awarded by a referee when an armlock or choke is applied which effectively ends the match. The only other way to acquire an ippon is when an opponent receives a hansoku make (disqualification).

Waza-ari: A throw that is not completely successful or a hold maintained for 25 – 29 seconds constitutes a waza-ari. Two such moves constitute one point and the win. Also awarded when an opponent is penalized for keikoku (serious infringement of rules).

Yuko: Considered almost waza-ari. A throw that is only partially successful, or a hold maintained for 20 – 24 seconds. Also awarded when an opponent is penalized for chui (a penalty).

Koka: Considered almost yuko. A throw in which the opponent is thrown with some force onto their side, thigh or buttock, or a hold maintained for 10 – 19 seconds. Also awarded when an opponent is penalized for shido (a minor infringement).

Osaekomi: A secured mat hold. The opponent is held under control on their back.

Throwing Tricks

There are 68 different kinds of throwing tricks (nage-waza) and 32 different floor tricks (katame-waza). The maneuvers are placed into five categories: hip throws, foot and leg techniques, arm lock, and strangle, sacrifice and combination techniques. All are used to destroy an opponent's balance and gain the advantage.

In the koshi-waza (hip throw), the competitor pulls the opponent by grabbing the lapels of the opponent's uniform and rotating them over the hip onto the mat. A major power throw to the rear, the ostogari is accomplished by moving the opponent onto one leg while the attacker strikes behind the thigh with their own leg, sweeping the rival over backwards. The ukiotoshi is a two-handed grab that pulls the opponent through the air and onto his or her back.

Ground Moves

Known as ne-waza, the attacker automatically begins their ground moves after throwing their opponent onto the mat. The armlocks, elbow joint locks and strangle and choke techniques are ground moves used to make the opponent helpless without serious injury.

Other Important Terms*

barai: sweep
dojo: room where judo is practiced
fusen gashi: win by default
gake: hook
gastame: lock
hajime:begin
hiki-wake: draw; when no advantage on the scoreboard and impossible to judge the superiority of either contestant
maitta: I give up
kansetsu-waza: arm lock
kachi: win
jigotai: defensive stand
jikan: time out
jime: strangle or choke
judoka: judo student, usually only those above third level
kake: point of maximum power in a throw
kuzushi: upsetting an opponent's balance
matte: stop the match
otoshi: body throw to the mat
sensei: master or teacher, usually sixth dan or above
shime-waza: strangle
sono mama: do not move
soremade: end of contest
toketa: referee's single indicating a broken hold
tsukuri: beginning of a throw
yamete: stop
yoshi: continue fighting

*Note: to pronounce the above transliterations of Japanese words, read every letter, pronounce "I" as "ee" and "g" as in "goat."

Weightclasses

In the sport's infancy, weight was not considered an advantage or liability, since judo teaches that skill can overcome size. When weightclasses were introduced, many feared that judo as a skillful art had come to an end. Three categories were established in Japan, and four in Europe. Later they were broken into five classes. Today, there are seven weightclasses competed in the Olympic Games.

Class Men Women
Extra lightweight 60kg 48kg
Half-lightweight 65 kg 52kg
Lightweight 71kg 56kg
Half-middleweight 78kg 61kg
Middleweight 86kg 66kg
Half-heavyweight 95kg 72kg
Heavyweight +95kg +72kg

Clothing

Holds that grab at clothing are allowed in judo, based on the days when it was used mostly as self-defense. The uniform, called judogi, consists of ankle-length pants, a jacket and a belt. The belt wraps twice around the body and ties in front. There are no fasteners, because those might cause an injury. A hold may use the eri (collar) or sode (sleeve), of the judogi jacket to throw an opponent off balance. If a jacket comes undone, the wearer drops on one knee to adjust it — with the referee's permission.

Gradings

Often referred to as "belts" due to the colors used to signify a student's level of expertise, gradings are given for contest ability and partly for knowledge and style. Though the belt colors vary in Western and Eastern practices, all Olympic competitors will be at least a first dan. In Japan, 1st –5th dan wear black belts, 6th – 8th dan wear a red and white belt and 9th and 10th dan wear a red belt. Three Japanese men are the only ones ever to be awarded the 10th dan, and only the founder of the sport ever reached 12th dan, which wears a double-wide white to signify coming full circle.

Etiquette

Bowing is a sign of respect used in Japan as commonly as shaking hands in the United States. A rei can be done standing or kneeling. Kneeling bows are usually done at the beginning and end of a class to show respect, en masse, to the master. A judokan or student bows when entering or leaving the dojo (practice room), stepping onto or off the mat, to a partner before and after practice or to the opponent and referee during a contest.

In addition to this outward manifestation of respect, those who study judo do not distract others who are practicing by talking loudly, making hurtful remarks or horsing around. Honor requires them to help lower grades, and physically hurting someone, so contrary to "the gentle way," is a disgrace.

Personal pride in appearance, such as keeping the judogi clean and in good repair, the jacket and belt properly fastened and finger and toenails trimmed to avoid scratching anyone, completes the image of a respectful student of the art.

Competition Format

The 1996 Olympic judo competition will feature the elimination system with double repechage where all contestants defeated by the group winners will take part in the repechage of their respective pool. The contestants will be divided into two tables and the elimination system will produce two finalists. The repechage pool winners advance to compete against the loser of the final of each respective other table. The two winners of those contests are placed third, and the two losers are placed fifth. Judo is one of the few sports in Olympic competition that award a double bronze medal.

Qualification Rule

Each Olympic judo competitor has earned a black belt, minimum first dan, and participated in two international federations tournaments or in one of the continental championships with four years preceding the 1996 Games. A maximum of 400 athletes were selected to compete in one of four ways: top eight from the 1995 World Championship, representatives of the five continental unions, the host country and wild cards. Each weightclass will have approximately 35 athletes for men and 22 for women.

This is an official publication of The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Jennifer Knight and Dianna Drayson.


Olympic Factoid
Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.