Kick Jitsu Rules

Kick jitsu is a Light Contact sports discipline which applies fighting both at a distance with blows, punches, knee and kicks, and in clinches and man-to-man fighting on the floor with grappling techniques, throws, locks, chokes and immobilization.

Kick jitsu matches are held on a square surface of  mats measuring minimum 6 x 6 meters plus a surrounding perimeter area, preferably of a different color and in any case delineated, measuring 1 meter, for a total of 8 x 8 meters. It is also possible to use a ring like those used for kickboxing and boxing or cage as in Shoot Boxe Ground and Pound.

Kick jitsu combatants must wear tight-fitting t shirt, Bermuda or adherents shorts, groin guard, shin without hard parts that cover the instep guards, open-hand gloves with covered thumbs, a head guard and mouthpiece. Gloves should reach the middle point of knuckles and have a pad at least 3 cm thick. Exposed thumb is not allowed. For women a chest protector is mandatory. In senior class  don’t wear helmet  in the ring or in the cage. Also on tatami, but in this case tatami must have 2 meters safety area on the periphery. It is forbidden to wear bracelets, necklaces, ear-rings and rings and any other thing likely to cause injury during the fight.

Bandaging the hands is optional. Only one turn of plaster is allowed to secure it

The fighting safety equipment must be of approved type and will be inspected by the competition jury.

Athletes must have their toenails and fingernails trimmed short.

Kick jitsu matches last, two rounds of three minutes each, with an interval of one minute between rounds, for elimination and finals. For boys and girls of 10-12 years the duration will be 2 rounds, 1 min 30 sec each with 1 minute interval between the rounds.For 13- 15 olds 2 round 2’ each. Veterans: 2 x 3’ with 1 minute interval

In kick jitsu it is allowed to strike with control all parts of the body except the groin, throat, eyes, back of the neck and spine with punches, knee ( only to the body ) and kicks. All techniques passing beyond the target will be considered «without control». It is okay to hit or grab when you have been seized. It is not allowed to strike the opponent when either of the two combatants is on the ground. An athlete is considered down if he places one hand or a knee on the ground

For the age of 10-12 it is not permitted to strike while grabbing or you got grabbing, it is forbidden to finalize by submission technique. It is forbidden to hit the knee against the joint

For the age of 13-15 it is not permitted to strike while grabbing or you got grabbing but it is possible to finalize.
It is forbidden to hit the knee against the joint

In kick jitsu it is allowed to seize and throw the opponent in any way, but not during a finalization. It is not allowed to throw one’s opponent straight down vertically on his/her head or neck or causing him/her to fall on knees. Throws started from within the area of the square are valid even if they end outside of it. A technical projection assigns 2 points. If both feet are off the ground the points are three.

In kick jitsu it is allowed to pin the opponent on the mat in any way, but only the fighter who gains a position of advantage will obtain points. The immobilization must last 10 seconds ( 5 seconds of clinch to begin the count and 5 seconds of referee’s count ). If a fighter who is lying face down gets up on all fours (knees and hands) the count stop but the fight continues without interruption. If an immobilized combatant gets  completely out of the inner fighting area the count must be stopped. The rear mount is the only case when the opponent in the lower position scores immobilization points. If during immobilization the fighter changes his position but he is still immobilizing the referee continues to count. Points are awarded based on final position.

In kick jitsu the finalization can be achieved by way of suffocation, strangling, compression and joint lever. You cannot place your hands on your opponent’s face. Finalization puts end to the fight. The referee may stop a finalization if he considers it dangerous for the athlete that is undergoing it. In this case the match finish. In case of the loss of a mouthpiece during ground fighting the match is not stopped. The referee will replace it at the end of the phase on the ground. Ripping (violently applied) joint locks are not allowed. They should always be executed progressively. Locks to the small joints (fingers) are not permitted. Finalization ends the fight.

At the end of each round the judges ( 3 ) write down the score on special scoring papers: 10 points to the better fighter and 9 points to the other; 8 if there has been a remarkable gap . Then they subtract the points due to fouls and mark the total score in the special square. At the end of the match, each judge sums up the given points; in case of equal points in an elimination tournament the judge must give his preference.

He supervises the bout, he is the first to enter the competition square. He should ask the side judges to inspect the protective equipment, order the salute and start the fighting with the world «fight». He stops the match with the word «stop» every time he thinks it necessary; he can give warnings, award penalties and disqualify the combatants. He signals throws with his uplifted arm. He signals immobilization with his horizontally outstretched arm while counting aloud up to 4 seconds standing close enough to fighters so they can hear; then he says «stop», asks the combatants to stand up and he assign the «points». The central referee can stop his count before 5 if he thinks there is a dangerous situation. He signals for the interruption of time to the jury table; he signals voluntary exits from the fighting area and he separates the fighters when they are seizing each other without attempting a throw . He stops the fighting if, after beginning a count for immobilization, there is a overturning, and in any case if after a throw the immobilization does not follow. He awards the win at the end of the match.

He evaluates techniques,  control, combinations, the athletes’ endurance to award the score. He decides if immobilizations and projections signalled by the central referee are valid or not; he can consul referee for give penalty points and he can ask for consultation with the central referee. He inspects the fighting safety equipment on call of the central referee and fills out every part of the score sheet.

At the and of each round each judge assigns a score which can be:

10 – 10 if the round is considered even;

10 – 9 if one athlete has prevailed over the other;

10 – 8 if the difference was great

In kick jitsu it is not allowed:

to deliver blows without control,
to speak during the match,
 to waste time by avoiding combat,
to strike with the head, shoulders, and elbows,
 to strike without looking at the target,
to behave in an unsportsmanlike manner towards the opponent, the referee or the judges.

A coach or other seconds must not shout and must not address the opponent or the commissioner.

It is forbidden to grab the shorts, the shirt, Helmet, gloves, shinguard, the ropes, the cage and the tatami edge.

  It is forbidden to leverage cervical or spine

A throw taking both legs off the ground………………………………………. ………..…3

A throw technique……………………………………………………………………………2

A ”takedown”…………………………………………………………………………………..1

An immobilization ……………………………………………………………………………1

A side immobilization………………………………………………………………………..2

An immobilization over the body (“mounting and back mounting“)………………….…3

A second voluntary exit …………………………………..… …1   subtracted from final score

A third  voluntary exit………………………………………..….. disqualification

An athlete is considered to have left the competition area if he has both feet out.
Also with only one if it is prolonged over a long time.

13) RESULT

Victory can be awarded for:

– winner by point
– winner by finalization
– winner by disqualification
– winner due to opponent’s absence
– winner by manifest superiority
– winner by K.O.

Note: In direct matches without a title, in the event of a tie, preference will not be given!Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, at mei dolore tritani repudiandae. In his nemore temporibus consequuntur, vim ad prima vivendum consetetur. Viderer feugiat at pro, mea aperiam

Children 10 – 12 old

Male : kg. 28 – 32 – 37 – 42 – 47 — 53 – 60 – over

Female : kg. 28 – 32 – 37 – 42 – 47 – 53 – 60 – over

Children 13 – 15 old

Male : kg. 42 – 47 – 52 – 57 – 63 – 69 — 76 – over

Female : kg. 42 – 46 – 50 – 55 – 60 – 65 – 71 – over

Junior 16/18 old

Boys : kg. 56 – 60 – 65 – 71 — 78 — 86 — + 86
Girls : : kg. 50 – 55 – 61 – 68 — 76 + 76

Senior 19/40 old

Men:                      Kg. 56, 60, 65 , 71, 78, 86, 95, 105, over 105
Women:                 Kg. 50, 55, 61, 68, 76, over 76

Veterans: 41/55 old                      

Men:                          Kg. 65, 71, 78, 86, over 86
Women:                    Kg. 60, 68, 76, over 76

The «clinch» is a stalemate, both fighters standing or in ground position during approximately 5 seconds without any actions on the part of one of the fighters (or both of them) in an attempt to turn the fight to his/her advantage. Please note that a submissionattempt that does not yield for more ten seconds is also considered “Clinch”

In case of injury, medical intervention must be called and cannot last more than three minutes, after which the doctor, and he alone, must decide whether the athlete is fit to continue or not.

An athlete in objective difficulty can be counted. If at eight he has recovered he can continue the match but the count can be decisive for the preference in case of a tie.

18) EXIT 

IN CASE OF VOLUNTARY EXIT FROM THE FIGHT AREA DURING AN IMMOBILIZATION OR A FINALIZATION, SUBTRACT  A POINT AND START AGAIN AT THE CENTER IN THE SAME POSITION

Updated March 2025