🙏 Culture & Etiquette

What is Tatami in BJJ?

Pronunciation: tah-TAH-mee

Quick Definition

Traditional Japanese floor mat, used to describe the training mat surface.

Full Explanation

Tatami originally refers to the woven rush floor mats used in traditional Japanese rooms and martial arts training. In BJJ, tatami refers to the puzzle-style foam mats or roll-out mats that cover the training floor. Quality mats are essential for safe training, providing cushioning for throws and falls. The term is used interchangeably with "mats" in many BJJ contexts. Competition areas are also referred to as tatami.

Examples in Context

"The tatami was freshly cleaned before class"

"Competition takes place on regulation tatami"

Origin

Japanese - traditional floor mat

Related Terms

Dojo

A Japanese term for a training hall, sometimes used for BJJ academies.

Academy

A BJJ school or training facility.

Mat

The padded floor surface used for BJJ training.

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