Karate Competitions

Q · Karate Competitions

Hi,
I know that at least two of you may be interested in Karate Competition.
Therefore I have included links to a couple of websites that list dates in the UK for events such as these. The AMA (I believe - correct me if I'm wrong) is who we are licensed through so I have included their link.
Please bear in mind that a lot of Karate comps require you confirm to specific rules and you have to check the particular rules of the ones you are entering. Normally white gis are required, production of an up to date valid licence for inspection, red and blue belts and red and blue hand mitts to conform to WKF rules.
Kumite (sparring) in these competitions is very different to the jiyu kumite we do in either the karate club or kobujutsu. It normally conforms to either a sanbon kumite shobu (three point fight match) or ippon kumite shobu (one point fight match).
Normally half points (wazari) are scored by a valid technique to the head or body, and if the judge/referee thinks the technique would be a finisher and good technically they would normally award a full or ippon point. His can be very stop start with the match being paused for point awards – obviously the first competitor to one or three points is the winner. Total match time I think is three minutes.
Unfortunately the local one at Weston super Mare has just passed – maybe it is a good starting one to train for next year. Wink

http://www.amauk.co.uk/html/diary.asp

http://www.wadokai.co.uk/dates/british_wadokai_karate_2008.php

http://www.amauk.co.uk/pdfs/2009%20AMA%20International%20Open.pdf

Tadakatsu

Are the competitions only open to Karate-ka? Or can any style participate?

Q · Karate-ka?

I don't see why not but you will have to check with event organisers.

I think that as long as you are graded in one of the dojo's styles it would be ok. You carry out some form of empty hand (kara-te) techniques in most of the styles at the dojo. I couldn't see anything in the WKF guidelines on this.

The AMA rules say "Entry forms must be signed by the official Association or Club coach only. Entry forms with out a signed declaration, will not be permitted to take part in the championships." Doesn't say if you have to be a Karate-ka.

Although it would be useful to get specialist instruction on WKF rules sparring - also, the WKF kata is quite restrictive. So an open competion might be more to your liking? Cool

http://www.wkf.net/html/rules.html

I notice on looking at the recent guidance things have changed since I was instructed in sparring years ago. The bout is three minutes as I suspected. Although there is no half point scores, this has been replaced by a three point scoring rule. See the link for details. If you are going to enter you will have to know the rules otherwise you will have penalty points awarded against for say grappling on the floor which is not allowed under WKF rules. Confused

Hope this helps... I can always chat to you about this at training. Question