Find Your Division—and Know Which Weight Actually Counts
Use adult/master or juvenile charts by sex and format, weigh in the required uniform, and verify the maximum on your specific event page.
Find your division—and know which weight actually counts.
The chart on your specific event page is the final authority. IBJJF says weight divisions may vary between events, so use the reference tables below for planning—not as a substitute for the event’s published weight chart and Important Info.
Choosing an IBJJF weight division requires more than checking body weight. The applicable maximum depends on four factors:
- Age category: adult/master or juvenile
- Sex category: male or female
- Competition format: gi or no-gi
- Scale weight: athlete plus the required competition uniform
Every number in these tables is a maximum permitted weight, not a target or minimum. You may weigh less than your selected division’s ceiling. You are also eligible if your official dressed weight is exactly equal to the published maximum, although arriving at the ceiling leaves no practical buffer.
Kilograms are primary throughout this guide. Pound figures are rounded reference conversions. If your event publishes a different measurement or chart, follow the event.
- The static values were cross-checked across the available chart references, but the event-specific chart remains controlling.*
How to read the IBJJF weight charts
Start with the tournament rather than a generic chart. IBJJF directs competitors to select a division from the weight chart linked on the specific event page because divisions can vary between events. Its guidance also states that the listed weight is the highest permitted weight with the uniform on and that weighing below the maximum is allowed. IBJJF’s championship guidance explains the event-specific selection and maximum-weight rules.
Use these four filters in order:
- Adult/master or juvenile: Juvenile ceilings differ from adult and master ceilings. Adult and master competitors commonly use the same weight limits, but their age brackets remain separate.
- Male or female: The displayed male and female structures have different ceilings and different unlimited top divisions.
- Gi or no-gi: Each format has its own limits. Do not use a gi maximum for a no-gi registration or vice versa.
- Dressed scale weight: Compare the limit with the athlete’s scale weight while wearing the complete uniform required for that format.
The division names can vary slightly between references. Light Feather may appear as Super Feather, while Medium Heavy may appear as Middle Heavy. These are naming variants in the referenced tables, not extra divisions. Use the exact terminology displayed by your event when registering.
The pound figures below are conversions rounded to one decimal place. That makes them useful for orientation, but less suitable for a close eligibility decision. If the event controls weight in kilograms, compare the official scale reading with the kilogram maximum rather than relying on a rounded pound conversion.
A reliable four-step lookup is:
- Open the specific event page and find its weight chart, Belt & Age Divisions table, Relevant Dates and Important Info.
- Identify the applicable category and format: adult/master or juvenile, male or female, and gi or no-gi.
- Weigh in the exact required competition uniform.
- Choose a division whose ceiling is equal to or greater than that dressed scale weight. For practical planning, a ceiling above the home-scale reading provides more room for ordinary scale, clothing or short-term weight variation.
Do not select a division merely because your undressed morning weight sits below its maximum. The relevant number is the scale weight under the event’s stated weigh-in conditions.
Several other registration rules depend on the same event page. IBJJF determines age divisions by birth year rather than exact birthday; juveniles cannot register in the Adult division; the Athlete Correction Deadline ends at 11:59 PM in the event’s local time; and Open Class registration generally occurs after the standard division, with advance registration required for black belts at some events. Exact dates and procedures remain event-specific. These age, correction and Open Class procedures are set out in IBJJF’s championship help guidance.
Adult and master men’s IBJJF weight divisions
The commonly reported adult and master men’s structure contains nine divisions. It runs from Rooster through Super Heavy, followed by an unlimited Ultra Heavy division. Masters use the same listed ceilings as adults even though adult and master age brackets are administered separately.
Verify every figure against the chart on your event page before registering. The following commonly reported adult/master men’s limits are corroborated by the available chart references, but they are not a replacement for the tournament’s chart. Gymdesk’s adult and master comparison reports these gi and no-gi ceilings.
| Division | Gi maximum | Approx. lb | No-gi maximum | Approx. lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster | 57.5 kg | 126.8 lb | 55.5 kg | 122.4 lb |
| Light Feather | 64 kg | 141.1 lb | 61.5 kg | 135.6 lb |
| Feather | 70 kg | 154.3 lb | 67.5 kg | 148.8 lb |
| Light | 76 kg | 167.6 lb | 73.5 kg | 162.0 lb |
| Middle | 82.3 kg | 181.4 lb | 79.5 kg | 175.3 lb |
| Medium Heavy | 88.3 kg | 194.7 lb | 85.5 kg | 188.5 lb |
| Heavy | 94.3 kg | 207.9 lb | 91.5 kg | 201.7 lb |
| Super Heavy | 100.5 kg | 221.6 lb | 97.5 kg | 215.0 lb |
| Ultra Heavy | No upper limit | — | No upper limit | — |
“Maximum” is the important word. An adult male gi competitor weighing 72 kg in his complete uniform fits below the 76 kg Light ceiling. He does not need to reach 76 kg, nor is that figure a target. A dressed scale reading above 76 kg, however, would not fit that division.
A competitor may legally be exactly at the applicable maximum. From a planning perspective, however, selecting a division only because a home scale displays the precise ceiling leaves no room for another scale to read differently or for the competition uniform to weigh slightly more on the day.
Ultra Heavy’s lack of an upper limit does not turn it into an Open Class. It remains one of the nine standard registered men’s weight divisions. Open or Absolute Class is a separate competition that combines eligible athletes from multiple standard divisions.
Adult and master competitors should also avoid treating “same weight limits” as “same division.” Adult and master categories remain distinct age brackets. The shared ceilings answer the weight question; the event’s Belt & Age Divisions table answers the age-category question.
Adult and master women’s IBJJF weight divisions
The commonly displayed adult and master women’s structure contains eight divisions. It ends with an unlimited Super Heavy category and does not include a separate women’s Ultra Heavy division.
Masters use the same commonly reported ceilings as adults while competing in the applicable master age bracket.
Check the event page before treating any figure as final. The following table reflects the commonly reported eight-category adult/master women’s structure in each format. The Gymdesk comparison reports the corresponding adult and master women’s values.
| Division | Gi maximum | Approx. lb | No-gi maximum | Approx. lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster | 48.5 kg | 106.9 lb | 46.5 kg | 102.5 lb |
| Light Feather | 53.5 kg | 117.9 lb | 51.5 kg | 113.5 lb |
| Feather | 58.5 kg | 129.0 lb | 56.5 kg | 124.6 lb |
| Light | 64 kg | 141.1 lb | 61.5 kg | 135.6 lb |
| Middle | 69 kg | 152.1 lb | 66.5 kg | 146.6 lb |
| Medium Heavy | 74 kg | 163.1 lb | 71.5 kg | 157.6 lb |
| Heavy | 79.3 kg | 174.8 lb | 76.5 kg | 168.7 lb |
| Super Heavy | No upper limit | — | No upper limit | — |
The Progress Jiu Jitsu table labels the women’s 71.5 kg no-gi category “Medium,” while other chart references identify the corresponding category as Medium Heavy. This guide uses Medium Heavy for consistency. That editorial normalization does not override the event page: register under whatever terminology your tournament displays.
As in the men’s table, an unlimited top category is still a normal registered weight division. A competitor who enters women’s Super Heavy is not automatically entered in the Open Class. If the event offers an Open Class, it has its own eligibility and registration process.
It is also important not to infer a minimum from the next-lower division’s maximum. These tables identify the highest permitted weight for each category; they are not instructions to increase weight until reaching the ceiling.
Juvenile male and female weight divisions
Juvenile athletes must use juvenile limits rather than the adult/master chart. The male and female tables are separated below to reduce the risk of selecting a ceiling from the wrong category.
IBJJF determines an athlete’s age division by birth year rather than exact birthday. Juveniles cannot move into the Adult division. Younger competitors must use the age category associated with their birth year, subject to the limited event procedures for athletes left alone in a bracket.
Juvenile male reference chart
The commonly reported juvenile male structure contains nine divisions: Rooster, Light Feather, Feather, Light, Middle, Medium Heavy, Heavy, Super Heavy and unlimited Ultra Heavy.
Confirm the category and values on the specific event page. The table below reflects the juvenile male limits reported by the available third-party chart references. NAGA’s overview lists these juvenile male IBJJF gi and no-gi maximums.
| Division | Gi maximum | Approx. lb | No-gi maximum | Approx. lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster | 53.5 kg | 117.9 lb | 51.5 kg | 113.5 lb |
| Light Feather | 58.5 kg | 129.0 lb | 56.5 kg | 124.6 lb |
| Feather | 64 kg | 141.1 lb | 61.5 kg | 135.6 lb |
| Light | 69 kg | 152.1 lb | 66.5 kg | 146.6 lb |
| Middle | 74 kg | 163.1 lb | 71.5 kg | 157.6 lb |
| Medium Heavy | 79.3 kg | 174.8 lb | 76.5 kg | 168.7 lb |
| Heavy | 84.3 kg | 185.8 lb | 81.5 kg | 179.7 lb |
| Super Heavy | 89.3 kg | 196.9 lb | 86.5 kg | 190.7 lb |
| Ultra Heavy | No upper limit | — | No upper limit | — |
These ceilings differ materially from the adult/master men’s limits. For example, the commonly reported juvenile male Middle gi maximum is 74 kg, while the adult/master men’s Middle gi maximum in the reference table is 82.3 kg. The athlete’s category therefore has to be established before anyone compares a scale reading with a division ceiling.
The same warning applies to the division name. A familiar name such as Middle does not imply the same maximum across adult/master and juvenile charts.
Juvenile female reference chart
The commonly reported juvenile female structure contains eight divisions. It ends with unlimited Super Heavy rather than a separate Ultra Heavy category.
Use this table only as a planning reference and confirm it against the event chart. NAGA’s overview reports the following juvenile female IBJJF limits.
| Division | Gi maximum | Approx. lb | No-gi maximum | Approx. lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooster | 44.3 kg | 97.7 lb | 42.5 kg | 93.7 lb |
| Light Feather | 48.3 kg | 106.5 lb | 46.5 kg | 102.5 lb |
| Feather | 52.5 kg | 115.7 lb | 50.5 kg | 111.3 lb |
| Light | 56.5 kg | 124.6 lb | 54.5 kg | 120.2 lb |
| Middle | 60.5 kg | 133.4 lb | 58.5 kg | 129.0 lb |
| Medium Heavy | 65 kg | 143.3 lb | 62.5 kg | 137.8 lb |
| Heavy | 69 kg | 152.1 lb | 66.5 kg | 146.6 lb |
| Super Heavy | No upper limit | — | No upper limit | — |
Juvenile Open Class availability and eligibility are not universal. Parents, coaches and athletes should check whether the event offers it, which juvenile categories may enter and how registration is handled.
This guide deliberately does not publish a universal children’s chart. Divisions for younger age groups can vary by championship, and the applicable Belt & Age Divisions table must be taken from the specific event page. Use the athlete’s birth year to identify the proper event category rather than assuming that a chart from another tournament applies.
For juvenile registration, three separate checks are necessary: the athlete’s birth-year category, the male or female chart, and the gi or no-gi format. Completing only one or two of those checks can produce a plausible-looking but incorrect division.
Gi versus no-gi: choosing the correct ceiling
A gi athlete weighs in wearing the required gi uniform. A no-gi athlete weighs in wearing the required no-gi uniform. The relevant number is not naked body weight and should not be estimated by subtracting a generic amount for clothing.
Among the corresponding finite adult divisions in the displayed tables, the no-gi ceiling is lower than the gi ceiling. The unlimited women’s Super Heavy categories and men’s Ultra Heavy categories have no finite gi-to-no-gi difference. The numerical differences for the finite adult divisions are shown below. The underlying chart values are also reported in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu weight-class comparison.
| Adult division | Men: gi minus no-gi | Women: gi minus no-gi |
|---|---|---|
| Rooster | 2.0 kg | 2.0 kg |
| Light Feather | 2.5 kg | 2.0 kg |
| Feather | 2.5 kg | 2.0 kg |
| Light | 2.5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| Middle | 2.8 kg | 2.5 kg |
| Medium Heavy | 2.8 kg | 2.5 kg |
| Heavy | 2.8 kg | 2.8 kg |
| Super Heavy | 3.0 kg | Not applicable—unlimited |
These differences describe two sets of published ceilings. They are not an official clothing allowance that may be added to or subtracted from an athlete’s body weight. The practical method is to put on the exact competition uniform and weigh the complete combination.
Consider two examples based on the displayed tables:
- Adult man at 80.0 kg in his competition clothing: In gi, 80.0 kg is below the 82.3 kg Middle ceiling. In no-gi, 80.0 kg exceeds the 79.5 kg Middle ceiling, so the reference chart places him in the 85.5 kg Medium Heavy no-gi division.
- Adult woman at 70.0 kg in her gi: She is above the 69 kg Middle maximum but below the 74 kg Medium Heavy ceiling.
Those examples illustrate why the same athlete may require a differently named division between formats. The selection should be made from the applicable chart rather than copied from a gi registration into no-gi, or vice versa. The adult chart comparison supports the 82.3, 79.5, 85.5, 69 and 74 kg values used in these examples.
An athlete whose home scale reads exactly the published maximum is within the stated ceiling, but has no practical buffer for a different scale reading, a change in uniform weight or ordinary short-term fluctuation. That does not mean IBJJF grants an official tolerance. Competitors should not assume that any reading above the maximum will be accepted.
This is division-selection guidance, not advice to dehydrate, crash-cut or make a medically risky last-minute weight change. If a dressed scale reading is uncomfortably close to the ceiling, the relevant administrative option is to consider the next available division while the event’s correction period remains open.
IBJJF weigh-in rules and the consequence of missing weight
Athletes weigh in before their first fight.
Required attire depends on the tournament format:
- At a gi tournament, the athlete checks weight wearing the required gi.
- At a no-gi tournament, the athlete checks weight wearing the required no-gi uniform.
The official process provides one opportunity to make the designated weight. If the athlete exceeds the registered maximum, the stated consequence is immediate disqualification. The competitor cannot change divisions on tournament day and does not receive a refund. IBJJF’s official weigh-in instructions set out the attire, one-attempt rule and consequences for missing weight.
Competitors therefore should not expect:
- A second attempt after removing or changing uniform items
- A move into the next weight division
- A tolerance above the published maximum
- A refund after disqualification for missing weight
The event’s Important Info should be checked for the official measurement and any tournament-specific operational details. Do not infer the controlling unit from a rounded conversion on an unofficial chart.
There is also an important distinction between testing weight at home and completing the official weigh-in. A home reading can help with division selection, but it does not change the one-attempt event procedure. Test the full uniform early enough to use the applicable correction process if a different division is needed.
Event-day checklist
- Verify the weight chart linked from the event page.
- Confirm whether the required attire is gi or no-gi.
- Test the complete competition uniform on a scale.
- Arrive at or below the published maximum, preferably with practical room below it.
- Remember that the official process provides one attempt.
Changing a registered division before the event
A registration mistake can sometimes be corrected before the tournament, but the event-specific deadlines matter.
Registered athletes may edit their weight, age or belt division through ibjjfdb.com before the Athlete Correction Deadline. That deadline closes at 11:59 PM in the event’s local time.
After the Athlete Correction Deadline, the athlete can no longer make the ordinary personal edit. A professor may request a correction only during the event’s stated Professor Correction Period. The exact dates appear on the event page and must be checked for each tournament rather than inferred from a generic schedule.
Registration Checkday is not another general correction window. At that stage, only errors made by IBJJF staff may be corrected. An athlete who did not submit the correct division during the available correction periods should not assume that Checkday reopens the choice.
Use this decision path:
- Wrong division before the Athlete Correction Deadline: Log in and edit the registration personally.
- Athlete deadline passed, but the Professor Correction Period remains open: Contact the professor promptly about a permitted correction request.
- All correction periods have passed: Consult the event information, but do not assume a change remains available.
- Overweight at the tournament: A division correction is no longer an option; the official missed-weight consequence applies.
A pre-event registration correction and a failed tournament weigh-in are different situations. Correction periods provide a limited administrative opportunity before the event. They do not create a right to move brackets after failing the official scale.
For that reason, checking weight only on the morning of competition is too late for administrative planning. The event page’s Relevant Dates section should be reviewed when registering and again before the Athlete Correction Deadline.
Unlimited divisions versus the Open or Absolute Class
An unlimited standard division and an Open Class are not the same thing.
In the displayed adult charts:
- Men’s Ultra Heavy has no upper limit.
- Women’s Super Heavy has no upper limit.
Those categories remain ordinary weight divisions selected during standard registration. They represent the top end of the applicable weight-class structure.
The Open Class, also called Absolute, instead brings together eligible athletes from multiple standard weight divisions. Adult and master Open Class competition is generally described as open to athletes across the standard weight categories. Juvenile availability and eligibility depend on the tournament.
Open Class entry is separate from ordinary weight-division registration. Registration generally takes place at the podium table after the athlete’s division ends. Some events make an exception by requiring black belts to register for Open Class in advance.
Before relying on that general process, verify three points on the event page:
- Whether the tournament offers an Open Class for your category
- Which athletes are eligible to enter
- Whether registration occurs after the standard division or must be completed in advance
Entering Ultra Heavy or Super Heavy does not automatically enter an athlete in the Open Class. Likewise, entering an Open Class does not replace the obligation to make weight for the standard division in which the athlete is registered.
The conceptual distinction is simple: an unlimited top division is one category within the regular weight chart, while an Open or Absolute Class combines eligible competitors who originally entered different standard weight divisions.
Frequently asked questions
The official weigh-in guidance underlying the answers below confirms the required competition uniform, one weigh-in opportunity, immediate disqualification for missing weight, no tournament-day division change and no refund. See IBJJF’s official weigh-in rules.
Do adult and master competitors use the same IBJJF weight limits?
Yes. The commonly reported charts use the same maximum weights for adult and master competitors. Their age categories remain separate, so an athlete must still register in an eligible age division and consult the event’s Belt & Age Divisions table.
Does the gi or no-gi uniform count toward the weight limit?
Yes. Gi competitors weigh in wearing the required gi, while no-gi competitors weigh in wearing the required no-gi uniform. Use the athlete’s complete dressed scale weight rather than body weight alone.
How many weigh-in attempts do IBJJF athletes receive?
One. The official guidance states that there is only one opportunity to check weight before the athlete’s first fight. Competitors should not plan on a second attempt or re-weigh.
Can I move up a division if I miss weight at the tournament?
No. Exceeding the registered maximum results in immediate disqualification. A tournament-day division change is not permitted, and no refund is provided. A necessary division correction must be made during the applicable pre-event correction period.
Are IBJJF weight divisions identical at every event?
Not necessarily. IBJJF says weight divisions may vary between events and directs athletes to use the chart linked from the specific event page. A static reference chart can help with planning, but it cannot establish the final limit for every tournament.
The practical rule has three parts: identify the correct age, sex and format table; weigh the complete required uniform rather than relying on body weight alone; and verify the result against the specific event page before the correction deadline. The tables above are useful planning references, but the event’s published maximum and weigh-in instructions determine whether an athlete is eligible to compete.