Kumite rules and tournaments

[mushin_042]

After reading some of the threads here i was curious about what type of rules you guys use when you spar, and what type of tournaments most people compete in or if you compete in tournaments at all.

 

As for me, in our dojo we generally use the wkf/aau rules and also we generally compete in usankf, aau, our own style's tournaments, and also some smaller tournaments hosted with the same rules. I have competed in some tournaments that used more naska/open tournament type rules but I don't like that type of tournament very much. I hate wearing all that foam gear, all i usually train with is hand gear, a mouthpiece, a cup, and headgear depending on whether i'm sparring in a regular class or one with just brown and black belts. Also though i've done well at those tournaments (placed highest in my division everytime i competed for a full year) i'm used to being able to do take downs and attack to the back and i find that i like the traditional rules better.

 

Funny anecdote, once i competed at one of these open type rules tournaments a few weeks before aau nationals, i was fighting a tang soo do guy in the finals and he threw a kick at my head and i blocked it, he didn't rechamber it so i grabbed his kicking leg, swept his plant leg, and hit him on the ground. In that league doing the sweep and especially attacking a downed opponent were fouls, whoops . When i looked around triumphantly after what in my head was a beautiful ippon/sanbon i saw a lot of tkd people with their jaws dropped, my teamates shouting ippon, and my sensei laughing harder than i've ever seen him laugh at a tournament. I thought i was gonna get dq'ed but i just got warned, and managed to win the fight.

[cross]

Competiting in tournaments is optional at our school. I choose not to compete.

 

In sparring the contact ranges from light to medium depending on the ability of the student. We allow all strikes, sweeps, takedowns, and continue to fight when it goes to the ground.

[ramymensa]

We also use WKF rules. Now there is some ground work involved and we try to catch up with the change.

[mushin_042]

I guess our dojo's are the only one's that have rules for fighting.

 

ramy, yeah i definetly like the new rules alot. I used to wrestle in high school so i like to do takedowns anyway but with the possibillity of a sanbon i definetly enjoy the new rules. Also with the increased points for body and head kicks i think people throw them alot more so i have a lot more opportunities to catch a kick and sweep their plant leg.

[aefibird]

Gereally, within the dojo we don't tend to strictly stick to rules (apart from no contact to the groin or eyes) unless we're specifically training for a big competition in which case we wear mitts, gumshield & groin guard and follow WKF rules.

[Buddhas Belly]

So far I'm seeing discussion of rules .... that's probably the reason we quit sparring in my instructor's dojo. It was only done during high ranking promotions and with NO rules. (Or equipment either, i.e., cup, mouthpiece, pads, etc.) .... Now it's a timed event of up to 90 mins with minimum numbers of punches, kicks, and blocks required ... much safer and much less BLOODY. But at least the old way wasn't the game of "tag" that so many schools view as "sparring".

[Karateka]

We compete and train with WKF rules for competition. We have local tournaments, provincials and nationals. We usually train with a cup, a mouthguard, shin and hand pads. I've never used a head protector before, although I have seen some wear it.