Both ends of the spectrum. Photo: Erin Herle
Last month the IBJJF announced that females of both adult and master divisions will have two new weight classes: rooster and super-heavy. The additions came after much noise was made for the smallest and the tallest women who wanted a category to themselves.
The female categories vary from the men categories. Their rooster is not ours. Their heaviest will never be our heaviest. But even so, we’ve been expanding our numbers so the divisions should cater to these developments.
As of now the lightest category for the females is light-feather with a weight limit of 118 lbs or 53.5 kg. For the petite, this can be frustrating when the ladies who cut down to the weight are having an easier time than those who try to gain the weight to be closer to the limit. On the other end of the spectrum, the heavyweight category as of now starts above 163.3 lbs or 74 kg and has no cap on the weight limit. So those who are above that weight must fight every other person ho could possibly outweigh them by more than the normal bracket difference, around twelve pounds at most.
The IBJJF has secured the new weight division limits and they will be in effect starting at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship May 28 – June 1. As with every tournament, weigh-ins are handled when an athlete is checked in for their first match. All weigh-ins are done with the gi on so make sure you take into account the weight of your chosen competition gi if you plan on cutting down a division.
Here are the new categories:
Rooster: 107 lbs or 48.5 kg
Super-heavy: over 175 lbs or 79.3 kg with no limit.
Female athletes in the heavyweight division can now compete against those who are more aimed towards their size and the heaviest category can narrow down those most similar in weight.
While the registrations currently open for the IBJJF city tournaments such as Boston Open, New York Open, Boca Raton Open, Las Vegas Open, Copenhagen Open and others will have the same weight classes. The rooster and super-heavy will only apply to the Worlds and after.
Registration for the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship will open soon and give female athletes a chance to join those closer to their weight if they have struggled in the past with losing or gaining the weight necessary to match their opponents.
Check out more information about IBJJF and their events at www.ibjjf.org
