The judo bow is called rei. You do it standing (ritsurei) or kneeling (zarei), and it opens or closes every moment of practice: stepping on the mat, starting class, each randori and each match. It is the first thing you learn in a dojo, and it stays with you after decades of training.
Ritsurei, the standing bow
Feet together, heels touching, toes slightly turned out. Arms hang by your sides with the hands flat against the outside of the thighs. Bend forward from the hips with a straight back to an angle of about thirty degrees. Your hands slide toward the front of the thighs as you go down. Pause, then come back up without rushing.
Three details give away a bow done on autopilot:
- the head dropping while the back stays upright;
- the eyes locked on the partner instead of looking at the floor in front of you;
- coming straight back up with no pause.
Ritsurei is the bow you use most. You do it when stepping on the mat, facing a partner before an exercise, and in competition before and after the match.
Zarei, the kneeling bow
Zarei is longer and more formal. It is used at the start and end of class, and in judo kata.
To go down:
- From standing, draw the left foot back slightly and put the left knee on the mat.
- Put the right knee down beside it, toes curled under.
- Flatten the feet and sit back on your heels, big toes crossed or side by side. This is the seiza position.
To bow, place both hands flat on the mat in front of your knees, fingers turned slightly inward so they form a triangle. Lean the upper body forward while keeping your seat on your heels. Pause, then come back up.
Getting up is the reverse: curl the toes under, raise the right knee first, then the left. Kids learn it as a simple rule. Down on the left, up on the right.
A note from the coaching side: many adult beginners struggle to hold seiza for more than a few seconds. That is not a lack of respect. It is a matter of ankle and knee mobility. If the position hurts, tell your instructor. If knee pain persists, see a doctor.
The bowing sequence at the start and end of class
Every club has its own customs. This is the most common sequence:
| Moment | Command | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Line up | "Seiza" | Students kneel in a line, ordered by grade |
| Focus | "Mokuso" | Eyes closed, calm breathing, a few seconds |
| End of focus | "Mokuso yame" | Eyes open |
| Bow | "Rei" | Group zarei toward the teacher, who bows back |
Students usually line up from highest to lowest grade, and the most senior student calls the commands. Some clubs add a first bow toward the front wall, often decorated with a portrait of Jigoro Kano, then a second bow toward the teacher. The end of class follows the same sequence.
You will find these commands with their translations in our judo terminology guide.
Bowing with a partner and in competition
With a partner, the rhythm never changes: bow, work, bow. It does not matter whether the exercise lasts two minutes of randori or twenty minutes of uchi-komi. A good coach will call out the student who moves from one partner to the next without bowing to the second.
In competition, the bow is part of the rules. Players bow when entering the contest area, then to each other before starting, and in reverse order at the end. The match is only over after the bow, and disrespectful behavior at that moment can be penalized. The exact procedure and sanctions depend on the rules in force, so check the judo rules and your federation's texts.
Why the bow matters so much in judo
The bow is the physical form of politeness and respect, the first values of the judo moral code. It also has a practical job. It marks a boundary. Before the bow, you are two people chatting. After it, you are tori and uke, and each of you accepts to throw and to be thrown. The final bow returns both of you to normal.
That is why a sloppy bow is a bigger problem than a missed technique. A technique takes a few months to learn. The attitude you put into the bow takes years to build.
The most common mistakes
An end-of-class bow rushed because parents are waiting in the hallway. A jacket hanging open during zarei. The over-the-shoulder bow while leaving the mat, already looking for your flip-flops. Talking during mokuso.
Our advice for instructors: once a month, ask a student to lead the opening bow. They feel what the group goes through when commands are vague, and they will never rush their own bow again.