Tatami
The padded matting that covers the competition and training area in many martial arts.
Definition
Tatami is the name given to the matting that covers the floor of the practice and competition area in several martial arts. It provides a firm but cushioned surface, which is important for arts that involve throws, falls and groundwork where practitioners regularly make contact with the floor.
The word comes from traditional Japanese floor mats, and in a sporting context it refers to the modern padded mats laid out to form the fighting area. Its size and edges also help mark the boundaries of the competition space.
Where you’ll hear “tatami”
Sports that use this term:
Judo
A grappling martial art based on throws, holds and control, practised on mats with a partner.
Karate
A striking martial art of punches, kicks and forms, structured around steady progression for all ages.
Aikido
A Japanese martial art that redirects an opponent’s motion through flowing throws, joint movements and calm control.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
A ground-focused grappling art that uses leverage, position and technique to control a partner.
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Equipment
- Gi (martial arts uniform)A durable jacket-and-trouser uniform worn in several grappling and striking martial arts.
- DumbbellA short handheld weight used for strength and fitness training.
- BarbellA long bar loaded with weight plates for heavy strength training lifts.
- Boxing glovesPadded gloves worn to cover the hands when punching in boxing and striking sports.
- Yoga matA thin, cushioned non-slip mat used for floor-based exercise and stretching.
Practice & sessions
- Technical sessionA session built around technique — grooving and refining the mechanics of how a movement or shot is executed.
- Conditioning sessionA session built around physical conditioning — developing the fitness qualities a sport draws on, rather than its skills or tactics.
- Tactical sessionA session built around tactics — how you use space, position and patterns of play, rather than the mechanics of a shot.
- Mobility sessionA session built around moving well through a range of motion — gentle, controlled work to help the body move freely.
- Coached sessionA session led by a coach, who sets the focus, gives feedback and shapes the practice around what you need.
Lifestyle
Sport categories
Tactics
- Interval-training strategyStructuring a workout as bursts of hard effort separated by recovery to build fitness efficiently.
- Negative splitA pacing tactic where an athlete covers the second half of a race faster than the first.
- Zone defenceA defensive system where each player guards an area of the court rather than a specific opponent.