Ippon
Encyclopedia
Ippon literally "one full point", it is the highest score a fighter can achieve in a Japanese martial arts ippon-wazari contest, usually judo
, karate
or jujutsu
.
In judo
, an ippon is awarded when one of the judoka accomplishes one of the following:
competition, an ippon is awarded for a technique which is judged as decisive, this is usually a move which connects cleanly, with good form and with little opportunity for the opponent to defend against it. Kick
s to the head of an opponent or judo throws followed up with a strike to the downed opponent are particularly likely to be considered a winning ippon technique. A competitor is declared the winner upon achieving a judgment of ippon.
Occasionally shobu nihon kumite is used, in which two decisive strikes (or four less-decisive strikes, scored as waza-ari
) are required for a win. In many tournaments, sanbon scoring is used. This promotes a flashier style of fighting more suited to a spectator sport. More traditional tournaments usually use ippon or nihon scoring however.
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
or jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
.
Ippon in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, an ippon is awarded when one of the judoka accomplishes one of the following:
- A throw ending with an opponent largely on his/her back, demonstrating full control, having such amplitude that the feet of the player receiving the action leave the tatamiTatamiA is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
(the contest matMatA mat is a generic term for a piece of fabric or flat material, generally placed on a floor or other flat surface, and serving a range of purposes including:* providing a regular or flat surface, such as a mousepad....
); the back does not necessarily have to touch, it is the exposure that is considered by the refereeRefereeA referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
s. Landing in a bridgeBridge (grappling)The bridge is a grappling move performed from a supine position, lying down face-up. It involves lifting the pelvis off the ground so that the body weight is supported on the shoulders at one end and on the feet at the other...
will score ippon, even though there was no direct contact of the shoulder blades with the mat. - Pinning an opponent with his/her back touching the mat for 25 seconds; the contestant being held may not have any control of any part of the attacking player's body for the pin to be scored. This differs from a wrestling pinPin (wrestling)A pinfall, a pin, or a fall is a victory condition in various forms of professional wrestling that is met by holding an opponent's shoulders on the wrestling mat for a prescribed period of time...
as if the person that has their back facing the mat has their legs wrapped around any part of the attacking player's body (for example guardGuard (grappling)The guard is a ground grappling position where one combatant has their back to the ground, while attempting to control the other combatant using the legs...
), the pin will not be scored. - Applying such a hold to the arm, above the wrist but beneath the shoulder, that causes the player receiving the action to submit. (For example an "elbow lever" or arm-bar.)
- StranglingStranglingStrangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
the opponent to induce a submission; a strangle can be induced with the uniform, arms, legs or with the opponent's own shoulder muscle. If the strangulation does not end in a submission, and rather the opponent falls unconscious, ippon is awarded as well. - Disqualification of one of the contestants (hansoku-make). A disqualification can be assessed through an accumulation of penalties (awarded for infractions such as non-combativity, improper hold, false attacks, etc.), by applying a forbidden hold or technique (e.g. Kani Basami (scissors), pressure holds to the spinal cord, submissive holds to the legs, the wrist or the shoulder), or by seeking medical attention for an injury other than blood or a potentially grave injury.
ippon in karate
In shobu ippon kumite, a method of karateKarate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
competition, an ippon is awarded for a technique which is judged as decisive, this is usually a move which connects cleanly, with good form and with little opportunity for the opponent to defend against it. Kick
Kick
In combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
s to the head of an opponent or judo throws followed up with a strike to the downed opponent are particularly likely to be considered a winning ippon technique. A competitor is declared the winner upon achieving a judgment of ippon.
Occasionally shobu nihon kumite is used, in which two decisive strikes (or four less-decisive strikes, scored as waza-ari
Waza-ari
Waza Ari literally "half a point", is the second highest score a fighter can achieve in a Japanese martial arts ippon-wazari contest, usually Judo, karate or Jujutsu.- Waza Ari in Judo :...
) are required for a win. In many tournaments, sanbon scoring is used. This promotes a flashier style of fighting more suited to a spectator sport. More traditional tournaments usually use ippon or nihon scoring however.