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 may be employed 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 instep guards without hard parts, 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 4 cm thick. For women a chest protector is mandatory. Adults are allowed to fight without head guard 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. The fighting safety equipment must be of approved type and will be inspected by the competition jury.

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.

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.

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 (head first) 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 anycase, every timean athlete touches the tatami with a third support, a point is awardered to the opponent. The some thing happens in an attempt to project in a fall fails.

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  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) he is no longer considered immobilized. 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 immobilized 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 pending 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 and 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 «mat». 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 gives 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 at once. He stops the fighting if, after beginning a count for immobilization, there is a reverse, 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 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 turn one’s back on the opponent unless it is clearly justified by technique and 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 and the tatami edge.

A throw taking both legs off the ground 3 points
A throw technique 2 points
A ”takedown” 1 point
An immobilization 1 point
A side immobilization 2 points
An immobilization over the body (“mounting and back mounting“) 3 points

For 10-12 years old boys and girls 2 points are given for each takedown and 2 points for each immobilization. 1 point is given for each strike.

A punch 1 point
A kick to the leg 1 point
A kick to the body 1 point
A kick to the head 2 points
Knee to the body 1 point
Knee to the head 2 points
A third voluntary exit 1 subtracted from final score
A fourth voluntary exit disqualification

Children 10 – 12 old
Male : kg. 28 – 32 – 37 – 42 – 47 — 53 – over
Female :  kg. 28 – 32 – 37 – 42 – 47 – 53 – 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

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 is also considered “Clinch”.