Judo rules

Rules that apply to any judo practice or competition

Rules related to safety

• Punching, kicking, and other strikes are not allowed.
• Touching the face is not allowed.
• Attacking joints other than the elbow is not allowed.
• Head dives are not permitted.
• The technique known as kawazu gake is not permitted.
• The technique known as kani basami is not permitted.

Rules related to etiquette

• Contestants must bow before stepping onto the mat.
• Contestants must bow to each other before and after practice or competition.

Rules that apply only to judo competition

• Stalling is not permitted.
• Adopting a defensive posture is not permitted.

History of the rules of judo

• Effect of Russian gripping strategies on the grip-related rules (see Angus, p. 29)
• Motivation for banning of kani basami
• Motivation for banning of head-dives

External links

• International Judo Federation rules site
• International Judo Federation referee guide

References

• The IJF rules are the official reference for the rules of judo competition (see External Links, above).
• Mastering judo by Masao Takahashi et al., explains a number of aspects of the rules. General rules of competition, etiquette, and the penalty system are covered in Chapter 2. ISBN 0-7360-5099-X.
• The first chapter of Competitive judo: winning training and techniques, by Ron Angus, is devoted to explaining a number of aspects of the rules. ISBN 0-7360-5744-7.

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