On the mat

Judo

On a judo mat called a tatami.

• Two judoka wear a strong jacket and belt.
• You try to throw, hold, or control your partner within the rules.
• You bow before the match.
• A referee awards the scores.

Score. A big clean throw can win at once. Smaller throws and holds give lower scores.

Win. The judoka with the higher score wins. One perfect throw, called ippon, wins the match at once.

Belt colours show how long a judoka has trained. Black belt is a high rank.