Kumite Karate Sparring Competition

Who is eligible to take part in sparring (kumite) on the Shizendo Day?  

Only students that can correctly spar in class training showing the required self control with good crisp techniques are eligible to take part in the competition. For the students that want to spar but do not meet the criteria to take part in the competition we have set up a special area on the day where you can practice your (kumite) sparring skills under supervision   

Targets on the body which score are as follows  

These can be as a single hit or as a combination of hits. 

All techniques must be sharp with correct shape and control; excessive contact will result in loss of points or disqualification.  

Participants must stay in the area; points are deducted for leaving the area during sparring sessions/contest.

The idea in sparring is to show the required skill of controlling the above techniques aimed at your partner whilst showing good body skills and hitting the intended target. A punch or kick that lands on your partner must have the correct criteria to count as a point, sloppy techniques will not count. Students that want to develop their sparring skills will find the Renkai (combinations) section of the grading syllabus the best place to start to refine the skills needed for good sparring.  

Distancing

This is where you start a technique and finish, safe distance means you cannot be hit, but that also means you cannot hit too, this is the safe zone. Keeping your distance from your partner whilst keeping close enough to strike is very important in good sparring, you have to keep a balance between being to close and to far away.

Movement

Foot work means you can move in and out both forwards and sideward to your partner; best rule is to move, strike, and move back to safe distance. Footwork can keep you away from your partners attempted strikes or counter strikes. Foot work can also open areas of your partner’s body enabling you to land your intended technique through using angles and fainting a punch or kick. Good use of footwork also means you can set up your combination, single techniques seldom land, but out of a combination of three one may. Foot work which causes your partner to defend one area when you actually intend to strike elsewhere is also a very good strategy. Remember also you need more space to lunch a kick than you do to lunch a punch, this is where foot work really dose count, think of it as kick space and punch space, this space also overlaps, i.e. short range kicks with punches and long range kicks. Experimenting in class sparring, find out what you can make work and not, analyse your weakness and strengths, get to know how far in one move how much ground you can safely cover.  

Landing the techniques

Landing the techniques means, sharp well controlled and executed technique, definition of hit in sparring is contact without the power being released into the person. Sharp means the technique is fast and crisp. A Kiai (shout) is advised because this brings attention to the technique making it clearer for all to see. Good technique means, as you would perform them in class time, just as you have been taught.

Referee

Referee will keep both participants and the contest under their control. Advising both participants during the contest and keeping it supervised.  The Referee is there to control excessive contact should it arise, and uncontrolled participants.

Sparring on Shizendo Day (Child)

Basic Rules

3 Full points Ippon or 6 half points Waza-ari 

Split on age not grade:

• Under 9 yrs
• 10 – 12 yrs
• 13 - 16 yrs

• Format

Competitors are drawn into a single-elimination or knockout bracket as pairs. 

Round format: 

1. A single round based system where the competitors fight for a round with each competitor trying to score a full technique Ippon or half technique Wasa-ari and a panel of 3 judges decide on who wins by counting the number of points each competitor has scored.

With both approaches warnings would be given for competitors not engaging, excessive contact and retreating outside of the fighting area. These warnings will factor in the judges final scores.  

The warning system would be:

• Warning for first infringement
• Warning for second infringement
• Warning for third infringement
• Disqualification

In certain extreme circumstances an instant disqualification can be used. This is at the discretion of the referee, with agreement from the judges. 

Each bout will have a referee with the competitors who will stop the contest and move the competitors back to their starting positions if:

• the bout becomes scrappy
• a competitor leaves the fighting area
• a competitor is injured
• after a score is registered

If an injury occurs then as the injured competitor is treated the opponent will be asked to kneel in seiza facing away from the injured competitor.

Shi-zen-do day application form download here