What are the weight classes in sanda?
I · Intermediate · The bout · 1 of 5Senior sanda has eleven weight categories. Ten have upper limits of 48, 52, 56, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 kg, and the last is over 90 kg. A fighter must weigh above the limit of the category below and no more than the limit of their own. One who misses the weight in the hour allowed cannot compete.
How it works
- Senior categories: 48 kg and under, then up to 52, 56, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 kg. The last is over 90 kg.
- Junior categories: eight, from 48 kg to 80 kg.
- Children's categories: seven, from 39 kg to 60 kg.
- The band: a fighter in the 75 kg category must weigh over 70 kg and no more than 75 kg.
- Who runs it: the chief registrar with the scheduler-recorders, supervised by the jury of appeals.
- Passport: every fighter must show one.
- Clothing: in the nude or in trunks. Women may wear tight-fitting undergarments.
- One hour: each category must finish weighing in within an hour, lightest first.
- Daily: fighters competing on a given day weigh in again that day.
- The draw: made after the first weigh-in. A category with only one fighter is dropped.
The glossary has the weight class, sanda, the default, the bout, the sanda officials and the appeal.
Tricky cases
A fighter entered at 75 kg weighs 69.5 kg. Can they fight?
No. The fighter must weigh over 70 kg and no more than 75 kg. Outside that range, in either direction, they may not take part.
A fighter is 300 grams over at the first attempt. Is there a second chance?
Yes, within the hour allowed for that category. A fighter who has not made the weight when the hour ends is out.
A fighter makes the weight on day one. Must they weigh in again for the semi-final two days later?
Yes. Fighters competing on a particular day weigh in before that day's events.
Two fighters tie a round on points, warnings and admonitions. Does weight matter?
Yes. The lighter fighter at that day's weigh-in wins the round.
Why the rule exists
Weight decides a great deal in a sport of strikes and throws, so fighters are matched within a few kilograms. The lower limit matters as well as the upper: it stops a fighter from entering a class far above their weight to fill a team place. Weighing in on each day of competition limits heavy weight-cutting.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Senior | Eleven categories, 48 kg to over 90 kg | Sanda Rules, General Regulations Art. 4 (slide 11) |
| Junior | Eight categories, 48 kg to 80 kg | Sanda Rules, General Regulations Art. 4 (slide 10) |
| Children | Seven categories, 39 kg to 60 kg | Sanda Rules, General Regulations Art. 4 (slide 9) |
| Failing the weigh-in | Treated as a default; no further bouts | Sanda Rules, General Regulations (slides 13 and 23) |
| Men's and women's categories | The slides give one list and do not separate them | Not stated |
From the rule book
International Wushu Federation, Sanda Rules and Judging Methods (2017 rules, as set out in the federation's 2023 judges' training course slides), General Regulations, Article 4 and the weigh-in and drawing of lots regulations. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Sanda Competition Rules and Judging Methods (not saved; a training copy was used).