Submissions and permitted joints
IJF · 2026A submission can decide the contest when an athlete taps at least twice with a hand or foot or says Maitta. Permitted groundwork strangles and joint techniques are regulated; joint locks are allowed only on the elbow. Applying them to other joints or endangering the neck or spine is prohibited.
The rule
A submission can decide the contest when an athlete taps at least twice with a hand or foot or says Maitta. Permitted groundwork strangles and joint techniques are regulated; joint locks are allowed only on the elbow. Applying them to other joints or endangering the neck or spine is prohibited.
In practice
Standing strangles or joint-lock actions are not a free alternative to throwing: the rules distinguish lesser infringements from dangerous actions that require disqualification. Age-group restrictions must also be checked. The referee stops dangerous situations, and athletes must release immediately. Learn these techniques only through qualified supervision, not from a short rules summary.
Sources & approach ↗