What is the ju-jitsu duo event?
B · Beginner · The event · 1 of 3Duo is a judged demonstration of self-defence by a pair from the same team. One attacks with a set attack and the other defends, throws or locks the attacker and finishes with a strike or hold. Three jury referees mark each defence, and the pair with the highest total wins. The pairs never fight each other.
How it works
- The pair: two athletes, called a couple, from the same team.
- The attacks: twelve set attacks in three series of four.
- Attacker and defender: called uke and tori. The pair may swap roles at any time.
- Each sequence: a pre-attack and the attack, then a first defence, then a throw, takedown or submission, then a closing technique.
- Ten seconds: for each defence, after the referee says "Hajime".
- Marking: three jury referees score each part from 0 to 3.
- Two phases: qualification rounds, then a medal phase of face-offs.
- Categories: men, women, mixed and open.
The glossary has the duo, the couple, the tori and uke, the series A, B and C, the duo scoring and the hantei and jury.
Tricky cases
Do the two athletes in a pair compete against each other?
No. They work together. The pair is judged against other pairs.
Can a man and a woman form a pair?
Yes, in the mixed category. A pair may also enter the open category as well as its own.
Does the defender know what attack is coming?
Yes. The attacks are fixed and performed in a set order. The defence is the pair's own choice.
Can an athlete be in two pairs?
Not in the same category at a Grand Prix, a continental or a world championship.
Why the rule exists
Some ju-jitsu techniques, such as defences against a knife or a stick, cannot be tested safely in a real fight. Duo lets them be shown at full speed with a cooperating partner, and judges the quality of the defence instead of who wins a contest.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Duo | A cooperative demonstration, marked by judges | JJIF Duo, Generalities |
| Fighting | A contest between two opponents | JJIF Fighting, Generalities |
| Categories | Men, women, mixed and open | JJIF Duo 2.1 |
| Show system | A choreographed duo, not in the saved rulebooks | Not saved |
From the rule book
Ju-Jitsu International Federation, Ju-Jitsu Duo Rulebook (version 4.1, approved March 2024), the Generalities and Sections 2, 4 and 5. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Ju-Jitsu Duo Rulebook.