Judo Match Timer is a free online timer for judo that runs in your browser. You do not need to install an app, create an account or pay for a subscription. Open the page on a phone, tablet, laptop or gym television, set the timer and press start. The display is large enough to read from across the room, and the sound tells everyone when a contest ends, even when the coach is watching the athletes instead of the screen.
This timer is built around a contest of 4 minutes with no rest period between contests where the format needs it. It also includes a golden score mode and a separate osaekomi hold timer, so the tool fits real sessions and not just a generic countdown. You can change the lengths before you start, which means the same page works for a full match, a short class drill and a fitness round with different timing.
Setting it up takes less than a minute. First, set the contest length, keep the shido count for each fighter and use the hold timer during osaekomi. Then press Start to begin the clock, Pause if you need to stop for an injury, a question or a correction, and Reset to set everything back for the next contest. The current contest and the time left stay visible at all times, so athletes and referees never have to guess how much time is left.
During the session, the timer moves through each contest on its own and plays a clear sound at the end of every contest. When the last contest ends, the display shows that the session is finished, so the coach can move the group to the next exercise without checking a second clock. Keep the device volume up and the screen awake, and place the device where both the coach and the athletes can see it.
A senior judo contest lasts 4 minutes. If the score is tied at the end, the match goes to golden score, where the first score wins. During osaekomi, a hold of 10 to 19 seconds scores waza-ari and a hold of 20 seconds scores ippon and ends the match.
Coaches use this kind of timer for classes, clubs and competitions. In a class, it keeps every station equal and stops the session from running late. In a club, it gives sparring and practice bouts a fair, consistent length. In a small competition, it replaces a handheld stopwatch and lets the referee focus on the action instead of the clock. Because it runs on the web, any volunteer with a phone can run the clock.
Three mistakes cause most timing problems. The first is starting with the wrong length, for example a 3-minute contest when the class planned 2 minutes. The second is a muted device, so nobody hears the end signal and the contest runs long. The third is forgetting to reset between contests, which leaves the old time on screen. Check the length, the volume and the reset before every session, and most problems disappear.
This tool works on phones, tablets and computers, and it needs nothing more than a browser and an internet connection to load the page. There is no sign-up and no download, so you can share the page link with another coach and they can use it at once. Try it in your next session, adjust the lengths to your format, and keep the focus on the athletes while the timer handles the clock.
Before a real match, run one practice contest with the timer so everyone knows what the sounds mean. Let the athletes hear the end signal once, show the referee where the pause button is, and agree on who presses start after a break. That short rehearsal removes confusion on the day, and it also reveals practical problems early, like a dim screen in bright light or a speaker that is too quiet for a large hall. A timer should be boring and predictable: the same display, the same sound and the same rhythm every time, so the athletes can trust it and forget about it.