Olympic-style Karate?

[Zanshin]

Right now, I don't care for the clinches in the style

Is this what I think you mean, as in competitors are doing a lot of holding on to each other during bouts? Presumably this is to stop your opponent from achieving enough space between you and them in order for them to kick you. Or have I miss understood?

Have you got any youtube links?

Yeah, you have it much, pretty much. But the way TKDers clinch is different. They get up close, with their hands down, usually, and then try to jockey one into moving back enough to throw round kick or something.

This video has some brief spots of clinching:

They try to push and create space, or they hug, with the hands down low. I am of the opinion that many of TKD's knockouts could be avoided with a simple use of the "hands up."

Yes, this tactic is being used more and more in WKF Karate comps these days. Competitors are not allowed to hold unless it is to facilitate a throw, but the push and kick thing is something that is used by many competitors.

I have no problem with the clinching of your opponent as long as it is followed by a good throw and finishing technique.

This is clip represents what I suppose would be a typical of a Karate bout if it was in the Olympics under the existing WKF structure.

[bushido_man96]

Reminds a lot of Olympic TKD, but with more hands. Hands hanging down, but the bad part is that the only thing that matters is the initial contact, then they break. Lots of dancing, too.

The throw was nice, but avoiding the flurry of tags to get one off seems to be the problem.

I definitely think a Kyokushin style of fight would serve it better.

[Zanshin]

Reminds a lot of Olympic TKD, but with more hands. Hands hanging down, but the bad part is that the only thing that matters is the initial contact, then they break. Lots of dancing, too.

The throw was nice, but avoiding the flurry of tags to get one off seems to be the problem.

I definitely think a Kyokushin style of fight would serve it better.

Well I don't disagree with you really, but like you said about the TKD guys, these WKF guys are great athletes and they are very skilled at what they do.

I am not sure the IOC would sanction the Kyokushin style of fighting without bringing in stricter safety measures, and that in itself could water down the whole spectacle.

Kyokushin with full body armour is not quite the same thing.

[bushido_man96]

I agree that those guys are great athletes. I could see the speed that they have. The only thing that seems to matter, though, is whoever gets the first fast move in.

Perhaps they should do a more continuous style of sparring, as opposed to a stop-and-point sparring.

[Zanshin]

There used to be the "clicker" system, when fights were continuous.

Referees had one of the people counting clickers and added up the points for each competitor. At the end of the bout the person with the greatest no. of clicks won.

[bushido_man96]

Olympic TKD did do that, but now they have electronic scoring, with chest protectors that register "trembling shock."