Abstract
In judo, placing the opponent in a situation of uncertainty requires the mastery of several throws. French young judoka learn respectively 10, 9 and 8 throws to get a yellow, orange and green belt. These techniques allow to throw down a judoka in several directions (backward, forward, left and right). What happens in competition ? 82 judoka were observed during regional competitions. The average number of matches was 3.32 ± 0.52. The average number of successful attack directions was respectively: 2.75 ± 1.28 for 8 children, at orange to green belt level; 2.09 ± 0.70 for 11 children, at blue belt level, 2.24 ± 0.75 for 17 children, at brown belt level; 2.80 ± 0.89 for 20 cadets, at brown to black belt level, 2.60 ± 1.07 for 10 juniors at brown to black belt level and 3.25 ± 0.86 for 16 seniors, at black belt level. The results of the children with blue and brown belts were significantly different (p=0.02) from those of the senior with black belts. Our results would imply a non linear progression between the technical level (represented by the belt), and the capacity to create uncertainty (the ability to throw down the opponent with at least three techniques in three different directions). Judo is a sport of slow technical maturation, it requires this adaptation before its mastery in competition.