Coach's Guide to British Judo Junior Judo Under 18 2026

In technical restriction categories, tori may not:

• Hold down with the legs in sangaku, or with the legs in a similar position around uke's neck, with or without an arm. The early stages of a sangaku turnover are allowed if the legs aren't interlocked. So is uncrossing the legs and then applying a hold.
• "Crank" uke's neck, for example turning or holding with kata-sangaku.
• Arch uke's spine. For example, with uke lying flat, controlling the collar, pinning the head to the mat and lifting the leg or foot to bring uke's body over their head.
• Throw from behind while rising from groundwork to standing. The referee calls mate before a grip is taken or a throw is made from this position. There's no penalty unless a throwing action was started.

The referee calls mate as soon as any of these actions becomes apparent. Strangles and armlocks are also banned in under-16 categories.

In technical restriction categories:

• First restricted act: no penalty. The referee briefly explains the infringement to the athlete.
• Any later restricted act, whether the same or different: shido, with the referee explaining again.
• Neck and spine actions: if a higher-risk groundwork action is completed by bending the neck or back unnaturally, or by applying a strangle, the penalty is hansoku-make.

If uke is injured by a restricted technique and has to withdraw:

• Pools: the contest is a draw and both athletes can continue in the pool.
• Knockout: the injured athlete is declared the winner. The other athlete can still go into the repechage if there is one.

Shime-waza (strangles) and kansetsu-waza (armlocks) are not allowed in:

• any category exclusively for athletes under 16
• events for school years up to and including Year 9

This includes Pre-Cadet age bands and below.

They are allowed in categories exclusively for Cadets, Juniors, Seniors and Veterans (using international category criteria). They may also be allowed in events exclusively for school years 10–13.

Applying a strangle or armlock in a category where it isn't allowed is penalised with hansoku-make, whether or not it causes a submission.

In all categories for Pre-Cadets, Cadets and under-18s, including those without technical restrictions:

• No using the head to throw. Tori is penalised with shido.
• No using the head to defend a throw. Tori gets any score earned and uke is penalised with shido.
• No reverse seoi-nage. There's no score and the thrower gets a shido. This means turning away while twisting both hands on the same lapel, without controlling uke, so uke can't breakfall and may land on the neck. Normal seoi-nage, where uke can breakfall and tori stays in control, is allowed.
• Kata-sangaku is restricted, except at Level 4 Cadet events:
  • Taking the kata-sangaku grip in standing or on the ground: the referee calls mate.
  • Throwing from the grip (even an attempt), rolling with it on the ground, or locking the neck or controlling with the legs: direct hansoku-make.

Contest length

• Cadet, Junior and Senior categories: 4 minutes.
• All other categories (including Pre-Cadet and younger): 3 minutes, and this can't be changed.
• Athletes get at least 6 minutes' rest between contests.
• An athlete who doesn't reach the start position after three calls, one minute apart, loses by fusen-gachi.

Draws in technical restriction categories
These categories have no golden score. The same end-of-contest rule also applies to under-16 categories limited to orange belt and under. If scores are level at the end of normal time:

• Pools: the contest is a draw (hikiwake).
• Knockout: all penalties are ignored and the referees decide by majority who came closest to a technical score. There's no appeal. They decide in this order:
  1. the longest osaekomi (hold-down) under 5 seconds
  2. who came closest to scoring with a throw
  3. the most positive attacking judo
  4. the most effective control of the opponent

In technical restriction categories:

• Coach appeals aren't permitted. The refereeing team can still refer a decision to the referee in charge themselves.
• Coaching must stay positive. It isn't acceptable to criticise the opponent or call for penalties against them.

These rules apply to every athlete, of every age and grade, in competitions and gradings. Athletes can't choose to continue "at their own risk".

Unconsciousness
If the refereeing team (by majority), an event medic or the referee in charge decides an athlete lost consciousness for any length of time, however briefly and for any reason, including a strangle, the athlete can't compete for the rest of the event. If the referees are unsure, the referee in charge decides.

Suspected head injury
The referee stops the contest and refers the athlete to the medical team. Judges can ask the referee to stop if they spot something.

• Safe to continue: the contest can resume. If the athlete couldn't continue at the time (kiken-gachi), they can only compete in later contests.
• Not safe to continue: the athlete is withdrawn from the event.
• Unclear, or advised not to continue: the athlete can't continue in the event.
• Medical attention refused when a head injury is suspected: the athlete can't continue in the event.

The Mon grade scheme is British Judo's grading system for juniors aged about 8 to 17. It has 18 grades, shown by a belt colour plus tags:

Promotion is based on technical knowledge and understanding, Japanese terminology (candidates need the English names and meanings for their grade) and supplementary knowledge. There's no contest requirement, but the higher grades include structured randori. The syllabus is almost identical to the Kyu syllabus, so juniors can transfer easily.

Who can grade

Only examiners who hold a current coach award or examiner's card, have full individual BJA membership and have completed the grading revalidation module can submit a Grade Registration Sheet:

A coach can grade their own students up to 9th Mon at the club. From 10th Mon, gradings can still be held at the club, or at inter-club and area gradings. It's good practice for the examiner to be someone other than the coach.

How often

• Minimum age to attempt promotion: 8.
• Novice up to and including 6th Mon: one grade per calendar month at most.
• 6th Mon and above: one promotion every two calendar months at most.
• Candidates go up one grade at a time. There's no limit on attempts.
• The BJA expects most juniors to move up about one belt colour a year.

Admin

• Every candidate must hold current full BJA individual membership.
• The grade must be registered with BJA Head Office within 28 days.
• The BJA registration fee is £14. Organisers may add a surcharge; the BJA recommends no more than £5.

• From age 14, in consultation with their coach, a junior can choose to seek promotion under the Kyu grade syllabus. Juniors aged 14 and 15 who do this don't need to take out senior BJA membership.
• At 18, everyone still on Mon grades must transfer to the Kyu system.

Black belt (1st Dan):

• A 1st Kyu junior aged 14 can start collecting promotion points towards their Dan grade in point-scoring competitions.
• They can't enter Dan gradings or register for promotion to 1st Dan until age 15.

To be licensed and insured you also need:

• a DBS check
• a first aid certificate
• a Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport certificate

Passing the course qualifies you, but you aren't licensed or insured until all three are in place.

Keeping your licence:

• Renew your BJA membership every year.
• Renew first aid, safeguarding and DBS every three years. First aid and safeguarding can be done online every other three-year cycle.
• Revalidate Level 1 and Level 2 every three years. This means attending three different types of revalidation event, or one British Judo National Technical Conference.

If any of these lapse, your licence to coach is suspended and your insurance cover is withdrawn.

To grade juniors, coaches who qualified from January 2013 must also complete the appropriate Technical Grading revalidation module.