Martial arts are ever-evolving. Thought-provoking ideas, technique development, and the introduction of new rule sets keep them from growing. With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu being one of the fastest-growing martial arts today, the idea of adding striking to the mix is an enticing thought for many combat sports competitors. In this article, we will talk about the sport known as contact Ju-Jitsu.
To martial arts purists, the grappler vs. striker debate has always been interesting. While this was already settled long ago, the advancement in martial arts today has helped put an end to the debate and combined both disciplines into one art. To be a well-rounded fighter, one must be adept in every aspect of fighting, from standup to the ground. Contact Ju-Jitsu has helped cover these areas, allowing competitors to test their striking, grappling, and submission skills.
What Is Contact Ju-Jitsu?
Jiu-jitsu is one of the oldest martial arts, having existed for centuries. With the new advancements and modifications in rule sets, Contact Ju-Jitsu brings an excitingly new approach to the age-old sport.
Not to be confused with Combat Ju-Jitsu (CJJ), which also allows strikes (open-palm slaps), Contact Ju-Jitsu is a dynamic martial art that utilizes grappling and submissions with punches and kicks. It is governed by the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF), and the rules have experienced some changes over time to ensure safer participation for all competitors. It is a safe way for competitors to test their skills in a unique format that embodies the primary goal of Jiu-Jitsu – to use technique over brute strength.
The first official Combat Ju-Jitsu tournament was the 2017 Asian Championship in Hanoi, Vietnam. The combat ju-jitsu rule set can be divided into two: the full-contact AIMAG 2017 (Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games) and the 2023 Head Impact Free. In the 2017 AIMAG, the host country and the Olympic Council of Asia requested a full-contact Ju-Jitsu tournament, with the JJIF answering the call and committing to include the discipline in the event in Turkmenistan.
Contact Ju-Jitsu Rules
The contact Ju-Jitsu rule set under the 2017 AIMAG evolution is designed for experienced and adult competitors only, as it allows the possibility of a knockout because of head strikes. Set by the JJIF Contact Ju-Jitsu Technical Commission, athletes are allowed to use Ju-Jitsu techniques with their hands, feet, knees, and shins. In this rule set, competitors may grab and pull their opponents with their Gi, land punches, kicks, elbow, and knee strikes, and apply throws, takedowns, and different grappling maneuvers, or sweep the opponents and finish them with submissions or a knockout or technical knockout to win the match.
When it comes to submissions, chokes, strangulation holds, joint locks, and pressure point techniques are likewise allowed, as long as competitors do not target the prohibited areas and intend to cause any physical implications to the opponent and only as a means to counter a technique or induce submissions.
Intentional strikes and other forms of attacks or using throws against the opponent targeting the neck (other than for the purpose of applying legal choke holds), throat, spine, back of the head, groin area, knees, elbow and ankle joints, fingers and toes, and vital organs are prohibited.
Ideally, the target areas in Contact Ju-Jitsu are the head (not including the back of the head), neck (for submissions only), back area (not including the spine and kidney area), and torso (arms, shoulder, chest, abdomen, and rib cage area). Elbow strikes to the unprotected area of the face uncovered by the headgear are prohibited. Full-contact kicks, punches, and strikes to the head and torso are only allowed when both competitors are in the standing position.
2023 Contact Ju-Jitsu Rules (Head Impact Free)
The 2023 Contact Ju-Jitsu Head Impact Free allows striking and grappling techniques. As the name suggests, without head strikes, the different ways to win the match are by TKO, submissions, or decisions based on dominance.
The head impact-free approach to contact Ju-Jitsu was a result of a rule modification introduced in 2023. This rule modification was the safe progression from the JJIF fighting system to full-contact fights, allowing a natural evolution for competitors who are interested in a more contact aspect of Jiu-Jitsu while avoiding the inherent and long-term medical risks that come from competing with full-contact fighting sports. As a result of this rule modification, the contact Ju-Jitsu was made suitable for the youth, allowing the development of young talents.
By removing the strikes to the head, the new rule set enables a safer and more controlled fighting environment while still giving the competitors the opportunity to engage in full-contact sparring. In turn, this allows athletes to navigate and unlock the potential of their techniques and skills without the need to worry about getting severely injured when dealing with head strikes.
This extraordinary approach to Ju-Jitsu will provide a safer environment for younger athletes and a more fun approach to training, allowing them to learn more quickly while improving their skills. Additionally, it brings more potential to attract more practitioners to the sport.
Competition Attire
Contact Ju-Jitsu competitors shall wear a JJIF-approved white or blue Ju-Jitsu Gi and must be clean and in good condition. During the match, athletes are required to wear red, white, or blue protective gear (JJIF contact gloves, shin guards, and head protectors). Under the AIMAG 2017 rules, athletes are required to wear headgear and open-palm 6-8oz grappling gloves with no bandaging wrapped on the hands. On the other hand, under the head impact-free rules, no head guards are required, and athletes must wear a 4oz open-palm grappling glove.
Taping the hand and wrist using any protective materials without the medical authorization of the tournament doctor is not allowed.
Conclusion
As they say, one of the best ways to test your skills in Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense is to see how well you can defend and close the distance when dealing with strikes. With Jiu-Jitsu on the rise, Contact Ju-Jitsu is an innovative way with the potential to change the face of how we see Jiu-Jitsu. This sports development will provide opportunities for different athletes of all levels, allowing them to explore their limits in a safe environment.
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