JU-JITSU KUMITE RULES


Northern Region American Ju-Jitsu Association















1. Contestants

Each contestant must present himself/herself attired in a clean,
traditional uniform of such material to withstand grappling.

Jewelry (including body piercing) must be removed.

Finger & toenails must be cut or covered with tape.

Long hair must be tied back and secured.

Eyeglasses are not permitted unless designed for competitive play.

Contestants must bow prior to and after play.



2. Scoring

Single Elimination or double elimination maybe used when appropriate.

3. Competition Area

Suitable area.

4. Time limit

Single two minute round. An overtime match eliminates a draw.

5. Equipment

Approved sparring equipment gloves, feet and groin protection is a
necessity. Mouth guard and head protection is strongly recommended.
Shin, elbow, kidney, chest and knee protection is allowed.

No sparring equipment in disrepair is allowed. Equipment repaired
with tape providing a cutting surface is not allowed.

6. Officials

Each area will have one center mat referee, a minimum of two corner
judges, one timekeeper, and one score recorder. Referees and judges
must be experienced in judging Ju-Jitsu Kumite. Referees and judges
must be in proper attire, Gi or sport Jacket and slacks or as
directed.

7. Duties of the Center Referee (CR)

The CR is charged with the supervision and running of the match. He
promotes safety, enforces the rules, and ensures fair play. He starts
and ends the match, awards points, calls penalties, and administrates
the voting of other judges. The Center Referee may call time out for
the following:

• Allow equipment adjustment

• Administer voting

• Award points, assess penalties, administer warnings

• Return contestants to center of the ring

• Attend to an injured contestant

• Hear legal protest




8. Scoring Calls of the Center Referee

Upon completion of a punch, strike or kick without appropriate follow-
up by one or both opponents attempting to throw or take down (a break-
off in action), the CR calls a halt to the fighting, returns the
contestants to center of ring and calls for the score. The CR may
score both opponents at this time. This is not a continuous fighting
format.

Upon completion of a, with or without a strike, or as a counter to a
throw, so the opponent's feet come off the mat and is thrown at least
waist high landing largely on his back, or a contestant largely on
his back lifts his opponent off the mat to a height of his own
shoulders (sutemi waza) the Center Referee stops the match. He
returns the contestants to the ring center and calls for ippon
casting his vote simultaneously with the other judges. Upon the
completion of a take down, a throw not waist high so both feet come
off the mat, a partial throw, or where an attempted throw leads to
the opponent on his side, thighs, or buttocks, hands, knees, elbows,
with or with-out a strike, the CR will allow mat work to continue to
allow a pin. If the attempted pin is broken by an escape without
reversal the CR will bring the contestants back to the center and
call for scoring. If reversal is successful the CR will allow
continued mat work for a pin. If the pin is successful ippon will be
awarded.

Commentary: A take down is not pushing, shoving, or indiscriminately
forcing to the ground any opponent. An attempt to throw or legitimate
martial art technique is to be used. For example: foot/leg sweep,
dead leg drop, or valley drop is used. If any of these techniques
results in the opponent being thrown waist high and largely on his
back ippon will be called.

Pinning: Is defined as where there is apparent effect of a choke
(Shime-waza) or joint lock (Kansetsu-waza), or a contestant is held
down and unable to get away for a period of 30 seconds after the CR
assures holding. Holding is defined as control of opponent's body so
that he is not able to free himself. Sufficient control must be
maintained on the upper quarter of the body so that there is little
chance for movement...little chance of escape or reversal.

The CR will allow 10 seconds for the contestant to set a successful
holding technique in his opinion and call holding (Osaekomi).

If in the opinion of the CR there is no apparent progress or holding
achieved he will return opponents to the center and call for any
scoring. If holding is assured then uke must not be able to free
himself either by escape or reversal within 30 more seconds. The
10/30-second rule applies to a mat reversal.

Striking is not allowed during mat work.

A counter to a throw must be executed prior to an opponent being
fully thrown on his back.

In a take down you may make a throw from a mat position as a counter
throw to achieve ippon if the throw meets the established criteria
for a full throw. If the counter fails with the opponent standing he
will be allowed to enter for mat work.

Points are scored:

Strike/Kick 1 point
Take Down 2 points
Take Down to a pin
as described Ippon (match over)
Full throw Ippon (match over)
Reversal 2 points

Scoring can be done for a strike and a resulting take down for a
total of 3 points.

Commentary: Grappling is mandatory, that is if an opponent through
the match only strikes/kicks, never initiating an attempt to throw,
take down, or repeatedly grabs and releases, in strategy to outscore
his opponent for total points, he will be cautioned during the match
that he is in danger of forfeit. Grabbing must be followed with an
attempt to throw; takedown or sweep within 10 seconds or the CR will
stop the match and return fighters to the center. Opponents may punch
and attempt to kick during grappling in order to intimidate but these
actions will not be scored as hits.

9. Duties of the Judges

The primary duty of the corner judges is to assist the CR in his
responsibilities.

Judge's motions are limited to his area and not to interfere in the
motion of contestants.

Judges must inform the CR of points and infractions but only the CR
can stop the match unless there is evidence of danger. Judges will
indicate scoring by raising his hand when the CR calls for scoring.

Judges will indicate if they did not see the point.

Commentary: A clash is defined as two opponents making simultaneous
contact either with strike or kick.

A contestant is in bounds if one foot remains in the fighting area.
Out-of-bounds is called by the judge in the area and will indicate to
the CR when a player has put both feet out of bounds. The CR will
stop the match and return fighters to the center.

When throwing an opponent in sacrifice at least half of the thrower's
body needs to remain inside the area. When holding is applied and the
opponent's bodies are at least half inside the fighting area the
holding may continue.

When an opponent slips on the mat to loose balance the CR will stop
the match.

10. Timekeeper

The timekeeper shall start and stop the watch on command of the CR
respond to the CR for time remaining, and notify the CR when the
match is concluded.


11. Scorekeeper

The scorekeeper shall keep record of all the scores.


12. Legal Protest

Protests must be lodged with the CR. The CR will call time out.

13. Target Areas

Abdomen, chest, and ribs are legal targets. Light head and face
contact is allowed.

14. Illegal Target Areas

Eyes, neck, throat, spine, kidneys, areas below the belt, unless
throwing or sweeping.

15. Illegal Techniques

Head butting, scratching, hair pulling, jumping on a downed opponent,
blind/uncontrolled punching/kicking, ax kicks, excessive force of
strike, falling on a joint, a standing waki-gatame on the extended
arm, a looping roundhouse hook punch, te gatana (shuto), empi-uchi
and any technique which in the opinion of the CR is questionable.

Commentary: Well-controlled joint locks, Kansetsu waza, will be
allowed during holding and mat work. The arm must be well secured
with the lock positioned properly otherwise the CR will stop the
match. Dropping on a secured joint will lead to disqualification.

A spinning back kick is allowed when the head is turned first to see
the target and the kick is not a blind kick.

16. Prohibited Actions

• Sweeping a supporting leg from the inside when opponent is
attempting harai-goshi.

• Attempting to throw when leg is entwined around opponents.

• Actions that might in CR's opinion injure spine or neck.

• Lifting an opponent off the mat when he is lying on the mat.

• Purposely falling backwards when opponent is clinging to your
back unless the technique is ura nage.

• Kicking with knee or foot the hand of an opponent trying to
grapple.

• Avoiding the grapple.

• Evading contact by deliberately going out of the contest area.

• Attempting to apply a technique when outside the contest area.

• Pulling the opponent down to start ne-waza without the
execution of a martial art technique.

• Intentionally disarranging your gi.

• To take the opponents gi in your mouth

• Bending an opponents fingers.


17. Legal Techniques

All controlled hand strikes, kicks, and throws delivered to a legal
target are acceptable except those enumerated as illegal.

18. Force

• Soft: mild penetration with no or little movement of the
opponent. Soft contact applied only to head and face.

• Light/Mild: Slight target penetration, evident movement of
opponent; needed for the throw.

• Excessive: Largely judgmental but, forceful movement of the
head and body recoiling from the blow.

19. Penalization

• Use of excessive force

• Illegal targets attacked

• Illegal techniques

• Running out of bounds to avoid fighting.

• Reckless attacks: see section 16

• Poor sportsmanship

• Disrespect to the judges and CR

• Continued action after stop is called


20 First Offense

Warning or
loss of a point in use of excessive force.

21. Second Offense

Same infraction results in loss of a point or disqualification.

Different infraction results in loss of a point or disqualification.






Kumite rules update:06/12/2000
All other editions are obsolete
Discard previous editions
Kumite.doc
Jdmccurdy:06/12/2000
Updated:06/2002