Two days ago, I hosted my first in-house tournament of the year. Before the event started, I made my usual announcements regarding its format. When I said that we would be using the old rules, the spectators applauded, giving credence to my opinion that not many people appreciate the new rules, which penalize players even more than before. We often market Judo as the second most popular sport in the world, but maybe we should be known as the most penalized sport in the world.

We grumble, go back and forth on what to do, but ultimately most of us accept our lot because we appear to be powerless to effect change and can’t think of options. Our sport is supported by coaches who are out to pad their resumés. For them it’s more important to play the game (under whatever silly rules the IJF invokes,) get credit for producing junior national champions, and possibly place an athlete on one of our national teams, than it is to make sure our sport competes, survives, and thrives in an increasingly crowded grappling world.

I too played that game decades ago, albeit at a time when Judo wasn’t being squeezed from three or four directions, and the rules weren’t as negative as they are today. Today, although I still long to work with athletes who want to become Olympians, my main focus is to use Judo as a vehicle to develop character in our youth and to make better citizens. I can only do that if Judo stays relevant in the public’s eye. If we continue down our current path, Judo will no longer be relevant in the United States by the end of this decade.

Competition is an integral part of character development, but competition with rules that penalize so many actions is frustrating and often no longer a positive experience. This is where the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) rules come into the picture.

It’s no secret that referees and IJF rules are destroying Judo. The biggest difference between AAU and IJF rules is how matches are managed by the referees. AAU uses verbal instructions and verbal warnings before penalties are actually assessed. The philosophy of AAU Judo rules can be summed up by “Talk it Up!” Here’s what the 2009 – 2010 Amateur Athletic Union Judo Handbook says about it.

Referee advisories and competitor cooperation make it possible to have tournaments without penalties. Referees can talk to competitors without interrupting the continuity of the match. They can encourage action and do things to prevent the commission of dangerous acts. A faster more exciting judo is a direct result of the referees application of these rules.
1. Referee should talk to competitors advising them of the need to be more active (attack, etc…), less defensive (take a grip, etc…) or any other need to increase or maintain the action.
2. Referee should use advisories to prevent the commission of a dangerous act. (watch the face, do not bend the spine, etc…)

AAU still retains many of the silly illegal IJF acts for some reason, but they seldom lead to scores because they are preempted by the referee’s verbal instructions and warnings. I don’t know about you, but I think this AAU mindset- a culture that accentuates the positive and minimizes the invasive, debilitating, penalty-driven IJF model- alone might guarantee Judo’s survival for many years to come. Another positive aspect of AAU rules is that kids can choke at 11 and armbar at 15, making Judo more relevant in the grappling world.

AAU Judo rules also get some kudos for almost getting it right- my opinion, of course- on some other issues. They call for a super heavyweight division (over 235lb) but the other adult weight divisions don’t correspond to IJF divisions. Since there is no reason to reinvent the wheel here, AAU should adopt the official IJF weights, while still adding a super heavyweight category at around 110kg (242lb.)

AAU rules also permit the wearing of any color, or combination of color, uniform, while retaining the old red and white belts to differentiate the competitors. Again, I see no reason to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the belts. AAU should adopt the blue and white scheme. I do, however, like the idea of any color uniform but only for one side: in this case the blue side. If we buy into the idea that different color uniforms allow the referees to be more accurate in assessing scores, then the white side should be required to wear a white uniform, and the blue side should be allowed to wear team colors.

We don’t penalize in my in-house tournaments, and it makes a difference in the Judo that is performed. Although we already tell our referees to “educate” the players, our next step is to actively manage matches by using more verbal advisories and warnings. While the IJF continues to pile penalties higher and deeper, we don’t need to follow suit.

I encourage you to read the full AAU handbook, and to implement in your neck of the woods some of the ideas within. As always, let our national and international organizations know how you feel about their latest round of messing with our sport.