Karate sparring regulations vary from one dojo to another and from one tournament to another, depending on the goals and philosophies of the organizations involved. There are several different types of karate sparring, including point-sparring, Kyokushin sparring, full-contact karate and Kudo sparring.
Karate Point-Sparring
Point-sparring is a type of karate sparring used by many dojos and at many karate tournaments. Practitioners of point-sparring attempt only to score a light touch with a correctly-executed karate technique to a restricted target area that usually includes the sides of the head and the front of the torso. The regulations specifically forbid any significant contact, or any strike to forbidden areas such as the neck, the back or below the waist. Point-sparring competitors try to score the most points within a set period of time, or to be the first to score five points or to be ahead by three. This style of karate sparring is like a fencing match with fists and feet. The goal is not to hit the opponent, but only to land a touch.
Kyokushin Sparring
Sparring in Kyokushin karate is full-contact and with little or no protective gear. The goal is to knock the opponent to the ground with a strike. If the opponent cannot get up again within three seconds, the match is over and a full point is awarded to the winner. A half-point can be earned by knocking the opponent down for a shorter period of time, or by tripping or sweeping him down. If neither fighter has earned a full point by the end of the match, the fighter with a half-point is declared the winner. If neither fighter has a half-point, the judges can decide on a winner. Strikes to the face or head are not allowed for safety reasons, so Kyokushin practitioners concentrate on strikes to the body.
Full-Contact Karate
Some full-contact karate sparring rule-sets are based on the rules used in Kyokushin karate, while others are not. For instance, the Sabaki full-contact rules do not allow strikes to the head with the hands, which is the same rule used in Kyokushin. However, kicks and knee-strikes to the head are allowed, unlike in Kyokushin sparring. The Shidokan full-contact sparring rules include two rounds under the Sabaki rules, two rounds under Muay Thai kickboxing rules, and one round allowing submission holds.
Kudo Sparring
Kudo, which was originally known as Daido Juku Karate, is a karate-based Mixed Martial Art sparring rule-set. The rules of kudo allow for a much wider range of techniques than other forms of karate sparring. Protective head-gear is always worn, so full-power strikes to the head and face are allowed by the rules. Throws, submission holds, ground grappling and chokes are also allowed. Even techniques such as head-butting the opponent or elbowing him directly in the face are allowed under kudo rules. Points are awarded by the judges based on the effectiveness of the techniques. For instance, if a competitor is injured and the doctor can treat the injury in a minute or less, no points are awarded. If medical treatment takes three minutes, a full point is awarded to the attacker. If treatment takes any longer than that, it is considered a knock-out.
Member Comments