"Open" Forms?

[three60roundhouse]

I was looking at the registration for a tournament, because recently I've been trying my luck at the local ones. What is the "Open" forms? I see they have Traditional and Open. Do you make your own form up? If so, do you have a video of an "Open" form being performed? Any tips on how to do fairly well in this competition? Thanks.

[stl_karateka]

Open is anything goes --- unless you are prepared for this I would suggest you stay in traditional. Open forms will be doing flips, machine gun kicks, possibly coreographed to music. Yes, they are made up....usually very high energy, fast paced and because of such the entire form may last less than a minute.

 

See some open forms at https://www.sportmartialarts.com go to the videos section.

[ninjanurse]

"Open form" means you can do a form outside your system or belt level and/or you can make one up. Basically, anything goes.

 

[stl_karateka]

NN -- I just noticed you are from Upstate NY --- I grew up in Buffalo and went to school in Rochester

 

Also in some tournament circuits you can compete outside of your belt level in traditional divisions but they have limitations on the types of moves....ie I've seen something like:

 

Beg: no double kicks

 

Intermediate: no spinning moves or flying kicks etc

 

So with those rules if a beginner knew Chinto kata they could not perform it cause of the double jump front kick....but they could perform Gojushiho which is a black belt kata (not that I am endorsing beginners doing Gojushiho!!!)

 

You should thouroughly read the rules of the circuit you are going to comepete in and see what is and is not allowed

[ninjanurse]

NN -- I just noticed you are from Upstate NY --- I grew up in Buffalo and went to school in Rochester

 

I am a transplant from Reno, Nevada. Have only been in NY since July of 1999 (not my idea!). I like Buffalo-have been there many times for swim meets, Rochester is OK.